Week 11: Monosodium Glutamate

Question 1

recommended sodium intake for Canadians

Answer 1

Question 2

MSG

Answer 2

monosodium glutamate

Question 3

Historical use of MSG

Answer 3

Question 4

Which flavour do you perceive more when using MSG?

Answer 4

Umami flavours or savory

Question 5

What does umami mean?

Answer 5

delicious in Japanese

Question 6

Why does seaweed enhance the flavour of food?

Answer 6

Because it has glutamate

Question 7

Does MSG occur naturally in food

Answer 7

Yes - coming from amino acid called L-glutamate and MSG is sodium salt form of glutamatic acid

Question 8

What is Chinese restaurant syndrome?

Answer 8

Unpleasant feeling after eating Chinese food - numbness in back, pain in knees that radiates to arms and back , general weakness and palpitation

Question 9

Would you still have MSG in your body if you did not eat any food containing it?

Answer 9

yes because of glutamic acid

Question 10

What is L-glutamic acid?

Answer 10

One of 20 aa that make up proteins

Question 11

What is MSG?

Answer 11

Question 12

Sodium content of MSG?

Answer 12

Question 13

Chinese restaurant syndrome

Answer 13

Question 14

Safety of MSG

Answer 14

Question 15

What is nocebo?

Answer 15

You think something will make you ill so it does

Question 16

What is the difference between natural glutamate ions and those in MSG?

Answer 16

Question 17

What foods contain naturally free glutamate?

Answer 17

• tomatoes
• parmesan
• mushrooms
• soy sauce
• potatoes

Question 18

Umami synergy

Answer 18

flavour and pleasure

Question 19

Significance of glutamate?

Answer 19

Sodium salt of glutamate is an important building block of proteins and important for neural transmission. Human milk is naturally rich in glutamate so babies love it.