E621 - Monosodium glutamate
What it is and how it is used
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG, also known as sodium glutamate) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, one of the most abundant naturally occurring non-essential amino acids.
About flavour enhancer additives
Flavour enhancers intensify the savoury notes already present in food, especially the umami taste produced by glutamate. The most familiar example is monosodium glutamate (E621). The 5'-nucleotides E627 and E631 are usually used alongside it because they multiply its effect. Flavour enhancers show up most in savoury snacks, instant noodles, soup mixes, stock cubes, and processed meats. The European Food Safety Authority lowered the acceptable daily intake of glutamates in 2017 after a re-evaluation citing population-level intake patterns.
Source
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