What is monosodium glutamate used for?

Many people don't know much about monosodium glutamate, but when it comes to MSG, many people are more familiar with it. In fact, the main ingredient of MSG is monosodium glutamate, which is a condiment that has the effect of enhancing the flavor. It plays a certain role in daily cooking and promoting fermentation. Monosodium glutamate has many application areas. In our daily life, the most common application is as a seasoning. It also has a wide range of uses in the pharmaceutical industry.

Application Areas

1. Flavoring

Monosodium glutamate has a strong meaty flavor. Even when MSG is diluted 3000 times with water, the flavor is still palatable. It is widely used in households, catering industry, and food processing industry (soups, sausages, fish cakes, spicy soy sauce, canned food, etc.). Sodium guanylate and sodium glutamate used simultaneously have a synergistic effect and can enhance the umami taste. They are also called umami enhancers or strong MSG.

2. Biochemical reagents for medicine

Glutamic acid is widely present in the bodies of animals and plants and is a naturally occurring nutrient in food. After glutamate is consumed, 96% is absorbed in the body, and the rest is excreted in the urine after oxidation. Although glutamate is not an essential amino acid for the human body, it can synthesize other amino acids by undergoing amino transfer with ketoacids during nitrogen metabolism. Glutamic acid has the effect of reducing toxins in the blood. When liver function is impaired, the ammonia content in the blood increases, causing serious nitrogen metabolism disorders and leading to hepatic coma. Glutamic acid can react with ammonia to reduce the ammonia content in the blood.

3. Organic synthesis intermediates

It can be used as an organic synthesis intermediate in industry, but this use accounts for a very small proportion of the world's annual output. It is used in various fields such as additives, permeable membranes, silk protein modification, leather additives, biomedical materials, modified regenerated collagen fibers, etc.

Indications

Used for hepatic encephalopathy and other mental symptoms caused by excessive blood ammonia. Because sodium glutamate is alkaline, it can also be used to treat acidemia. Used in combination with anti-epileptic drugs, it can treat minor epileptic seizures. It is used to prevent and treat high ammonia coma, epileptic seizures, schizophrenia, acidemia, and to supplement blood sodium.