Monosodium glutamate

Monosodium glutamate, known as MSG, is the sodium salt of the amino acid glutamic acid present in all protein. It is marketed as a white crystalline salt used to enhance fl avor as the monohydrate, C5H8NNaO4 H2O.There are two forms of glutamic acid: L-glutamic acid and D-glutamic acid. The natural glutamic acid found in humans and other higher organism is L-glutamic acid only, whereas processed monosodium glutamate contains both L-glutamic acid and D-glutamic acid along with pyroglutamic acid (C5H7NO3) and other contaminants.
Monosodium glutamate(MSG) is odorless and has little flavor. It works synergistically with other substances found in food proteins such as the nucleotides disodium 5'-inosine monophosphate (IMP) and disodium 5'-guanosine monophosphate (GMP), to produce a pleasing savory taste.