The role of monosodium glutamate seasoning in daily life

Monosodium glutamate (MSG), as a common seasoning, plays a significant role in cooking and food processing. Its core value lies in enhancing the flavor of food by intensifying its umami taste, thereby improving the overall taste. Here are the specific functions of MSG in daily life and the scientific explanations: 

1. Enhance the flavor and stimulate appetite

Principle: The main component of monosodium glutamate is sodium glutamate. It can interact synergistically with the natural flavoring substances in food (such as nucleotides) to produce a "flavor enhancement effect", making the taste more intense and rich.

Effect: Adding a small amount of monosodium glutamate to light dishes (such as vegetable soups, tofu) or high-protein foods (such as meat, seafood) can significantly enhance the flavor, making the food more delicious. It is especially suitable for people with poor appetite or a preference for mild flavors.

2. Make up for the lack of natural flavor in ingredients

Application scenarios:

Quick cooking: For stir-frying or boiling noodles, monosodium glutamate can quickly infuse the ingredients with flavor, compensating for the flavor deficiency caused by short cooking time.

Frozen/processed foods: Frozen vegetables or canned foods lose some flavor during processing. Adding monosodium glutamate can restore the taste.

Vegetarian/low-fat diets: Vegetarian or low-fat dishes may lack natural flavor sources. Monosodium glutamate can simulate the deliciousness of meat or broth.

3. Collaborate in seasoning and optimize flavor layers

Collaboration with salt: When monosodium glutamate and salt (sodium chloride) are used together, they can interact through the sense of taste to enhance the perception of saltiness, reducing the amount of salt while maintaining the flavor. For example, reducing 20%-30% of salt in soup while adding monosodium glutamate can maintain a balanced salty-sweet flavor. 

Combination with other seasonings: Combined with soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, etc., it can construct a more complex flavor system. For example, adding monosodium glutamate to the sweet and sour sauce can balance the sour and sweet flavors, making the taste more three-dimensional.