Monosodium Glutamate
What is MSG（Monosodium Glutamate）? How was MSG discovered?
The full name of MSG is Monosodium Glutamate. The main thing that attracts people’s attention is glutamate. The first discovery of this substance was in the laboratory of a German scientist in 1866 when he used sulfuric acid to treat wheat gluten. It was a Japanese scientist (Shinna Ikeda) who made this substance appear in people’s field of vision. He discovered this substance that can enhance taste from kelp in 1908 and called it this substance. It is extremely delicious and has a taste (sweet, salty, sour, bitter) that has not been scientifically documented. Until 1909, Japan began to produce and sell “Ajinomoto” with glutamic acid as the main ingredient.
Is MSG salt, and what is the difference between it and salt?
MSG is not salt; it is very different from salt. First of all, MSG is usually elongated crystals, while salt is mostly massive crystal. In terms of composition, the main component of salt is sodium chloride, most of which is extracted from ore and seawater. Many salts also contain barium salt, chloride, magnesium, lead, arsenic, zinc. Impurities such as sulphate are also slightly differentiated according to the place of origin. MSG is a flavoring agent with umami flavor, mostly made from pyroglutamic acid contained in starch or beet molasses (in China, the raw material is usually corn). It has a certain health effect on the brain nerve and liver. There is no restriction on the amount of food for adults, but it is not suitable for babies.
Is MSG harmful to the body? Why do some people say that MSG causes headaches?
Due to the lack of scientific understanding of the characteristics of MSG, MSG has been resisted by most people for a long period of time, although no major research institutes around the world have concluded that MSG will cause health problems. A small number of people will have short-term reactions after consuming MSG, but the symptoms are mild and can recover after a period of rest.
In Asia, MSG is a well-known seasoning. It can be said that MSG has become a part of personal life, and no large-scale reactions have been found. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has collected more than 9,000 kinds of literature and test data.
A new animal experiment was added, and it was concluded that “under the current conditions of usage and usage, long-term consumption of MSG will not cause any obstacle to the human body.”
In 1999, China completed a long-term toxicological test of MSG. This was the first time that China independently completed a domestic MSG test. The test reached a consistent international conclusion that MSG is safe to use.
MSG production capacity analysis
A At present, most of the recognized MSG production companies in the market are in China. China has an insurmountable advantage in terms of quality and price. The most famous MSG production companies in the world include Fufeng, COFCO, Lotus and Japan’s Ajinomoto. Among them, China’s MSG production accounted for 76% of the world’s total in 2019, and it is the world’s largest MSG producer and consumer. Fufeng Group maintains a relatively high market share because the amino acid needed to manufacture MSG is its own industry.
Therefore, it has a relatively high price advantage. Because Lianhua Group is one of the first MSG manufacturers to obtain the ISO9001 quality certification system, it also maintains a certain market share in China. COFCO has its advantages in raw materials and corn processing capabilities. The improvement of MSG also takes a certain proportion in China’s MSG market. Currently, the MSG exported by China is produced by these three companies.
MSG market forecast
Because the raw material of MSG is corn, the price of MSG is positively correlated with the price fluctuation of corn. The picture below shows the recent price fluctuation trend of corn products in China.
As shown in the figure, starting from July, since the northeast of China is the main release area of corn production capacity, due to the recent typhoon impact in the northeast, the supply of corn in the northeast has been short, and the trend of corn raw materials has gradually increased. It has increased by about 10%, so MSG products will gradually increase with the price of raw materials, and the quotation has also increased from about $100/ton. It will be increased shortly. Please contact us for details. We still have good prices. goods.
How to use MSG food
In the cooking process of food, after you add seasonings such as pepper, you can choose 4/1 teaspoon/pound of MSG to increase the flavor of the food. Do not add too much MSG. Too much MSG will destroy the food. Some flavors, meanwhile, MSG also has the flavor of 1/4 salt. When you are going to use salt, you’d better cooperate with salt and MSG to make the quality of your food better.
If you have a factory, it’s even simpler. You can add it together with the raw materials during the food preparation process, but you must be careful not to do it at high temperatures. This will lose the flavor that the addition of MSG would originally increase.
How to buy MSG?
- If you want to buy a small amount of MSG for your use, you can go to a nearby Wal-Mart supermarket. You can find MSG products near the condiments. Usually, it will be put together with pepper and other products.
- If you want to buy MSG products in large quantities, you can contact Fufeng Group, Lianhua Group, and Zhongliang Group. You can even contact Ajinomoto in Japan to get your needs, provided that you can accept suffi cient prices.
- If you want to get the best price, please contact us, we have cooperation with world-class factories, and the annual export quantity reaches 100 thousand tons. We usually provide you with the best price and service quality. Contact us~
