WHAT'S THAT STUFF?

Abstract

THE FIRST COOKING TRICK I EVER picked up, when I was about eight years old, was to mix in a pinch of vetsin to any entree just before it is to be served. This magic ingredient of pure white crystals made an enormous difference in flavor that even as a child I could discern. Years later, I learned what this vetsin stuff was: monosodium L-glutamate (MSG). MSG may be the most widely used flavor enhancer after salt and pepper. Annual worldwide demand is about 1.1 million tons, according to Leo Hepner, president of the U.K. consulting firm L. Hepner & Associates, which specializes in fermemtations and biotechnology. About 70% of the demand comes from Pacific Basin countries. The rest comes from South America (about 15%) and Europe and North America (about 15%). Most of the supply comes from companies based in Japan (Ajinomoto and Kyowa Hakko) and South Korea (Cheil Jedang), Hepner says. But in ...