Glutamate - the purest taste
the purest tatse of umami
Glutamate Science 100 Years On
100 Years of Taste 1908 - 2008
One hundred years ago, Professor Kikunae Ikeda of Tokyo Imperial University discovered that glutamate was the key to the taste of the Japanese stock dashi. He named this taste umami.
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About This Site
MSG stands for monosodium glutamate (also known as sodium glutamate), a common food ingredient that is a pure form of glutamate, the most common amino acid in our diets. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. The tongue has taste receptors for glutamate, just as it does for sweet, sour, salty and bitter flavors.

When MSG is added to foods, it enhances and enriches their savory (umami) and rich flavors. Our goal is to provide you with accurate and up-to-date information about glutamate (MSG). There is information about the discovery and taste of glutamate, the role it plays in our food and our bodies and its nutritional benefits. There are also sections where you can find the answers to many frequently asked questions (FAQs) about MSG.
In The News
Glutamate is glutamate whatever the source!
Sodium reduction in food products is a major issue on the global health agenda, so manufacturers are continually looking at methods of producing low-sodium products without compromising on the taste or consumer appeal.
Our tongues sense what nutrients are needed
As understanding of how we taste food grows, so does the evidence that the oral taste receptors steer us towards the nutrients our bodies need.
Latest Science
Sauces and seasoning (including glutamate-rich gravies and seasoning mixes) can increase an older person's food intake
A study, conducted by researchers at Queen's University Belfast, found that the intakes of energy, protein and fat increases significantly following the addition of seasonings and sauces to the meals, with no differences between meals with seasoning and meals with sauce.
Sensory attributes of dishes containing shrimp paste with different concentrations of glutamate and 5'-nucleotides
Condiments high in free glutamate enhance the taste experience in Malaysian cuisine.
Providing up-to-date information about glutamate, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and umami, including the flavor and taste of monosodium glutamate, as well as the role glutamate plays in our food and our bodies, and its nutritional benefits. IGIS bases its information on the extensive body of scientific evidence which confirms the safety and the benefits of these widely used food ingredients – glutamate and MSG.