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It’s time for dinner, and after putting in the effort to create a nourishing meal, the first bite leaves you pondering whether you missed adding something essential. Could it be more salt, pepper, or a seasoning like monosodium glutamate, commonly referred to as MSG?
Food additives play a crucial role in both domestic and commercial cooking, enhancing various aspects of food—flavor, aroma, texture, appearance, and preservation.
Among these, salt and MSG are two prominent examples. While both are sodium sources, they serve different purposes and can be used strategically in cooking.
Understanding Salt
Salts are formed from ions that carry either a positive or negative charge. Typically, salts dissolve in water and have a brittle texture. The nomenclature of salts often includes a metal ion, which is positively charged, followed by a non-metal or anion, which is negatively charged.
What we commonly refer to as “salt” is specifically table salt, also known as sodium chloride. Its chemical composition is simply sodium (Na) combined with chlorine (Cl).
Sodium Chloride’s Role
In the context of chemistry, sodium chloride consists of positively charged sodium ions paired with negatively charged chloride ions. These ions form a crystal lattice structure, resulting in the characteristic cubic crystals of table salt.
Salt is ubiquitous, found abundantly dissolved in oceans and as mineral deposits, which are remnants of ancient evaporated seas. Depending on its origin, salt can have trace minerals, contributing to variations like the pink Himalayan salt from Pakistan. Additionally, in some cases, table salt is fortified with sodium iodide for health benefits.
Describing salt’s flavor is primarily synonymous with “salty.” It is a vital ingredient in classic food preservation methods, affecting meats, vegetables, and dairy products. Salt serves as a universal flavor agent, not just enhancing sweetness but also helping to mask bitterness and elevate umami, or savory, notes.
Contrary to old theories suggesting localization of taste perception, salt is perceived across the entire tongue, and other sodium salts can evoke a similar salty flavor, though this effect varies based on the accompanying ion.
The Nature of MSG
Monosodium glutamate is classified as a salt as well, where glutamate is the negatively charged component derived from glutamic acid, an amino acid instrumental in protein synthesis.
MSG is naturally present in numerous foods, including tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, soy sauce, and various protein-rich items, where it enhances umami flavors, noted for their savory characteristics.
Unlike naturally occurring MSG, commercial versions are synthesized via a microbial fermentation process, converting glucose into glutamate, which is then processed to create MSG.
MSG appears as prismatic crystals rather than the cubic form of table salt. Tasting a small amount of MSG reveals its unique umami essence.
Despite its controversial reputation, MSG is generally recognized as safe in everyday food consumption, especially at levels commonly added to meals.
While both MSG and table salt contain sodium, they differ significantly in concentration; table salt comprises about 40% sodium, while MSG contains around 14%. Typically, table salt is added more frequently to food than MSG.
Excess sodium intake is a well-established health concern, leading to the exploration of potassium-rich substitutes that might offer health advantages.
Flavor Enhancement with MSG
The taste of MSG can be even more pronounced when paired with other food additives, notably sodium ribonucleotides.
Culinary traditions, especially in Japanese and Korean cuisines, recognized this synergy long before scientific analysis, as the boiling of fish and seaweed creates dashi, a stock imbued with naturally occurring glutamates and ribonucleotides.
Food authorities generally classify ribonucleotides as safe for consumption, with individuals typically ingesting sufficient natural forms of these compounds in their diets.
The concern lies in carbohydrate and fat-loaded foods enhanced with flavors, potentially leading to increased calorie consumption.
The combination of MSG and ribonucleotides generates intensively savory flavors, making it worthwhile to check ingredients in processed snacks such as potato chips or instant noodles for both MSG (E621) and ribonucleotide sources (E627–E635).
Personally, I find that keeping a jar of MSG in the kitchen can enhance the flavor of soups, stews, or sauces, achieving the desired taste without significantly increasing sodium levels.
Source
phys.org