How do salt and MSG work by enhancing flavours

[aj47]

Anyone?

Also is MSG in any way related to the neurotrasmitter Gluamate?

[Bluenoise]

Yes it a sodium glutamate salt. If you add equal parts NaOH to glutamic acid you will be left with MSG and water.

It just stimulates taste receptors.

 

however it is linked to quite a few negative health effects if taken often.

[ecoli]

however it is linked to quite a few negative health effects if taken often.

 

It makes my jaw lock up.

[Bluenoise]

I remember a study in nature a couple years back that showed that oriental people who abstain from eating msg don't suffer from a greater risk of near sightedness than other ethnic groups. Seems there might a simple cause to the increased rate of nearsightedness in Asians... I'm dead serious about this.