Abstract
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a worldwide flavor enhancer. Despite controversy surrounding the safety of MSG, it is still consumed in large amounts. This review provides a better understanding of the molecular mechanism of MSG induced neurotoxicity including the different ways of glutamate regulation in brain and umami taste signaling pathway. In addition, this review summarizes the history of MSG discovery and synthesis, products and natural food containing MSG, details of MSG safety and toxicity with limited allowed amounts that can be used according to different organizations opinion. Finally, this review enumerates the different MSG studies in both animals and humans in the last 20 years.
Highlights
Monosodium glutamate is a sodium salt of glutamic acid with the chemical formula C5H8NO4Na and IUPAC name sodium 2- aminopentanedioate, Melting Point: 232 oC and Molar Mass: 187.12 grams/mole
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) enhances natural taste in vegetables, meat, mushrooms and fish. It has a synergistic effect with disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate, which are found in these foods producing six or eight fold greater umami taste than it produced by MSG alone
L- Glutamate binds to TAS1R1-TAS1R3 leading to activation of the gustatory G-proteins (α-gustducin) resulting in activation of phospholipase Cβ2 leading to activation of inositol triphosphate which increases the intracellular calcium (Ca2+) release
Summary
Monosodium glutamate is a sodium salt of glutamic acid with the chemical formula C5H8NO4Na and IUPAC name sodium 2- aminopentanedioate, Melting Point: 232 oC and Molar Mass: 187.12 grams/mole. Monosodium glutamate is a white crystallized powder, which is readily soluble in water. It is soluble in ether but insoluble in alcohol, acetone, benzene, methanol and acetic acid (Henry-Unaeze, 2017) (figure 1)
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