Abbreviation for the chemical monosodium glutamate, the forumla is:
HOOCCH2CH2CH(NH2)COONa·H2O
This chemical is an additive which is used in many types of foods including pre-packaged foods such as Doritos and Cheetos, as well as fresh foods such as Chinese and Japanese cuisine. It is usually found most abundantly in ramen.
The FDA classifies MSG as safe - however, some people do have reactions to the substance that include headaches, nausea, etc. Additionally, some people feel that MSG is a widespread cause of cancer, suicide, and the like (for example: www.msgtruth.
org). These allegations are regarded by most scientists as complete nonsense, and the allegations are made only by "off-the-wall" scientific groups, these groups being not unlike
fundamentalists in terms of absurdity.
Contrary to popular belief and the other
definitions found here, MSG is primarily used in order to stimulate the sensory taste umami. (Americans, of course, do not using words that are not "American", and thus
bastardized the word into "savoriness".)
In Asian cuisine, MSG is used abundantly only in cheaper or pre-packaged foods. In finer Asian cuisine, MSG is used sparingly or, as some chefs find MSG to be "cheating", not at all.
