What is monosodium glutamate and why is if put into so many different foods?

Answer 1

Hi MSG is a flavor enhancer. It was discovered and patented in 1909 by Ajinomoto Corporation in Japan. In its pure form, it appears as a white crystalline powder; when dissolved in water (or saliva) it rapidly dissociates into free sodium and glutamate ions (glutamate is the anionic form of glutamic acid, a naturally occurring amino acid).

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").

You can find them in these items:
most canned soups of the US food industry like Campbell (except the low sodium varieties)
most beef and chicken stocks of the US food industry like Swansons (except the low sodium varieties)
most flavored potato chip products of the US food industry, like Laura Scudders
many other snack foods
many frozen dinners
instant meals such as the seasoning mixtures for instant noodles.

I hope this helps :)

Answer 2

It's supposed to act as a flavor enhancer and tenderizer. We used to use it as such years ago in the restaurants. Now I use a papaya enzyme. But to certain people like me it gives horrible headaches. A lot of places have quit using it because of that. Fully answering everything would better done by reading the wiki article.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_glutamate

Answer 3

MSG = monosodium glutamate. it is used as a flavor enchancer in foods. especially in asian cooking and alot of canned soups. and no, it does not cause cancer

Answer 4

Salt has always been used to preserve foods.
I see sodium in the name, so I assume that it has salt in it.
Hence - MSG preserves foods.