why do companies need to put monosodiumglutamate in food when it has salt in it anyway?

Question

in crisps,junk food.....

Answer 1

they should get sued
many people are very allergic to it

hiding it by calling it by other names on the label is sneaky

it should say warning: MSG!

Answer 2

Monosodium glutamate, also known as MSG, Ve-tsin or E621 is used as a flavour enhancing agent, in many kinds of food products to enhance their original flavour. Glutamic acid as well as different salts of glutamic acid other than MSG, like monopotassium glutamate, show the same effect. Glutamate also imparts an unique taste called ‘umami' in food, and it was scientifically recognized as the fifth basic taste along with sweet, sour, salty and bitter. As glutamate is a major component of protein, it is found naturally in virtually all protein-containing foods such as meat, poultry, seafood, vegetables and milk. Naturally occurring glutamate has been traditionally used to impart the umami taste.

Answer 3

Thats the ingredient that they have spent millions of dollars to spice up our junkfoods. Without them chips will taste like salt. Or if not sometimes they dont have a taste. SO basically MSG is the ingredient that gives us that flavour when we eat them.

Answer 4

It adds a savoury flavour that is different to salt... if it tasted the same without, they'd save the money and not add it!

Some food producers are looking at alternatives, see for example: http://www.foodnavigator.com/news/printNewsBis.asp?id=73212

Answer 5

It will make your food taste better and neutralize a bit the effect of salt.

Answer 6

MSG is a chemical that is found in fruits. it was originally sold as a meat tenderizer because it breaks down the protein in meats and makes them easier to digest as well as enhancing the taste.

Answer 7

for Umami

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umami

Answer 8

.
MSG enhances the flavour differently to salt.

"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")"

Answer 9

Dunno-maybe 'cuz they're out of mononeucleosis??

Answer 10

because it's a flavour enhancer!!