As waistlines continue to expand and diet-related diseases increase, people are beginning to pay more attention to what is in their food. As all-natural and organic foods gain popularity, flavor enhancers and other food additives are under greater scrutiny and people want to learn more about them. Monosodium glutamate and disodium guanylate are two substances commonly used to enhance flavor.
What is Monosodium Glutamate?
Monosodium glutamate, or MSG, is used as a flavor enhancer. Adding it to food allows manufacturers to reduce the sodium content while still giving the food a desirable flavor. If you have ever eaten a low-sodium or sodium-free version of your favorite foods, you are probably acutely aware of the large role salt plays in taste.
Monosodium glutamate has been receiving some bad press over the years. While the Food and Drug Administration has included it on its list of ingredients ‘’generally recognized as safe,’’ some people may experience sensitivity to it. Registered dietitian Katherine Zeratsky, writing for Mayoclinic.com, says it has been linked to headaches, dizziness, nausea, weakness, flushing, sweating, numbness and tingling. Whether or not MSG is definitively responsible for these symptoms has not been established, according to Zeratsky. MSG has also been linked to more serious conditions, but again, no links have been definitively established.
What is Disodium Guanylate?
Disodium guanylate is naturally present in meat, shiitake mushrooms and other foods. As flavoring, it is often combined with a structurally similar substance called disodium inosinate. Present in many types of foods, it is particularly popular in vegetarian meat substitutes, where it can give the food a meaty flavor, according to the Vegetarian Resource Group.
Link Between the Two
Generally, MSG and disodium guanylate are used for different purposes, but the Vegetarian Resource Group reports that use of disodium guanylate may reduce the amount of MSG added to foods. TruthinLabeling.org, which provides information on MSG, reports that the two ingredients often work synergistically to enhance the flavor.
Considerations
Disodium guanylate is not a replacement for MSG, and TruthinLabeling.org says that using disodium guanylate is often not cost effective unless combined with MSG, because of its higher cost. If a food contains disodium guanylate, it most likely contains MSG in some amount, even if monosodium glutamate is not listed on the label. If you are interested in reducing consumption of MSG, looking for foods that contain disodium guanylate is not the right approach.
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