E625 - Magnesium diglutamate

What it is and how it is used

Magnesium diglutamate is the magnesium salt of glutamic acid — the same savoury amino acid behind monosodium glutamate, paired with magnesium instead of sodium. It is produced by bacterial fermentation of a carbohydrate feedstock, the same route used for MSG.

Its reason for existing is the sodium swap. It delivers umami with roughly a third of the sodium of an equivalent dose of MSG, so it appears in reduced-salt savoury products where the manufacturer needs to keep the savoury depth after cutting the salt. It is the least-used member of the glutamate family, partly because magnesium salts can carry a faint bitterness at higher doses.

Foods commonly containing it

Reduced-sodium savoury seasonings, stock and bouillon products, soups and sauces, and some savoury snacks.

Safety summary

Magnesium diglutamate is authorised in Great Britain as E 625, appearing both in Group I and in the group “E 620–625: Glutamic acid — glutamates”.

EFSA re-evaluated the glutamates in 2017 and established a group acceptable daily intake of 30 mg per kg of body weight per day, expressed as glutamic acid, for E 620–625 taken together. That was the first numerical ADI for the group; no adverse effects were observed in the short-term, subchronic, chronic, reproductive and developmental studies reviewed, and the Panel found no genotoxicity concern.

Known concerns

EFSA's 2017 opinion introduced a numerical group ADI where none had previously existed, and noted that estimated intakes of glutamates can approach or exceed it in some population groups. The self-reported sensitivity historically labelled “Chinese restaurant syndrome” has not been substantiated in controlled trials.

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