2007-02-09 03:40:43 · 7 answers · asked by goring 6 in Food & Drink ➔ Other - Food & Drink
MSG is considered a flavor-enhancer. It's an inexpensive way to add more flavor and make the existing flavors seem stronger. MSG is also the leading excitotoxin. These have come under scrutiny for wearing down and destroying nerves throughout the body, not just on the tongue, but in the brain, too.
2007-02-09 04:28:20 · answer #1 · answered by Steve71 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
MSG stimulates specific receptors located in taste buds such as the amino acid receptor T1R1/T1R3 or other glutamate receptors like the metabotropic receptors (mGluR4 and mGluR1) which induce the taste known as umami, one of the five basic tastes (the word umami is a loanword from Japanese; it is also referred to as "savory" or "meaty").
2007-02-09 12:03:07 · answer #2 · answered by Ron H 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mono sodium glutamate, it's a flavor enhancer, but since it's sodium based ( ie salt) its not the best choice. But the salt and its other components does intensify the flavor.
2007-02-09 11:48:13 · answer #3 · answered by vettedude02 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because human taste has become so de-sensitized from consumption and gluttony that everything needs hyper-saturation of taste
2007-02-09 11:43:58 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's a preservative
2007-02-09 11:46:20 · answer #5 · answered by Steve G 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/msg.html
2007-02-09 11:49:10 · answer #6 · answered by beachrat808 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a flavor enhancer.............I try to avoid it.
2007-02-09 11:44:48 · answer #7 · answered by t c 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋