Monosodium glutamate, known as MSG, is the sodium salt of the amino acid glutamic acid present in all protein. It is marketed as a white crystalline salt used to enhance fl avor as the monohydrate, C5H8NNaO4 H2O.There are two forms of glutamic acid: L-glutamic acid and D-glutamic acid. The natural glutamic acid found in humans and other higher organism is L-glutamic acid only, whereas processed monosodium glutamate contains both L-glutamic acid and D-glutamic acid along with pyroglutamic acid (C5H7NO3) and other contaminants.
