2024-09-20
does msg occur in nature, cite sources
ChatGPT said:
Yes, MSG (monosodium glutamate) occurs naturally in many foods. The key component of MSG, glutamate, is an amino acid that is widely present in both plant and animal proteins. Glutamate itself is found in foods such as tomatoes, cheese, mushrooms, soy sauce, and seaweed. It was first isolated from seaweed by a Japanese chemist, Kikunae Ikeda, in
1908.
Some examples of foods naturally high in glutamates include:
- Tomatoes
- Parmesan cheese
- Soy sauce
- Mushrooms
- Seaweed
The umami flavor associated with glutamates is one of the five basic tastes, alongside sweet, salty, bitter, and
sour.
Studies confirm that glutamate, and by extension MSG, occurs in nature. For example, Ikeda's early research identified kombu (a type of seaweed) as a rich natural source of glutamate
.
what is the source of that answer
The information about MSG naturally occurring in foods and the discovery of glutamate by Kikunae Ikeda is widely documented in scientific literature and historical accounts. For specific
references:
- Kikunae Ikeda's discovery of glutamate in kombu (a type of seaweed) was first published in 1908 in the journal "Chemical Society of Tokyo." This work laid the foundation for the production of MSG as a flavor
enhancer.
- Scientific studies have confirmed the presence of glutamates in many foods like tomatoes, cheese, and soy sauce. A comprehensive overview of glutamate in foods can be found in papers published in journals like
Food & Nutrition Research and The Journal of Nutrition.
- The umami flavor resulting from naturally occurring glutamates is now recognized as one of the five basic tastes. This was further studied and confirmed through research into taste
receptors.
If you need specific journal articles, I can help you find them, but the discovery of glutamate and its occurrence in nature is
well-established.

I do not question that glutamate exists in nature. I question that msg occurs in nature, since it requires sodium chemically bound to glutamate
You're absolutely right! MSG (monosodium glutamate) itself, which is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, does not naturally occur in the same form in foods. While glutamate (the active component that contributes to the umami taste) naturally occurs in foods, the combination of glutamate and sodium as MSG is typically produced through industrial
processes.
The natural occurrence is just glutamic acid or free glutamates, which the body can convert into the same taste sensation as MSG. MSG as a compound is manufactured by fermenting starch, sugar beets, sugar cane, or molasses, which produces glutamate, to which sodium is then
added.
In summary:
- Glutamate exists naturally in foods.
- MSG, the specific chemical compound (monosodium glutamate), does not naturally occur in foods but is synthetically
produced.
Thanks for pointing out that important distinction!