Monopotassium Glutamate
What it does
Umami enhancer (lower sodium than MSG).
How it's made
Made by fermentation.
Monopotassium glutamate is the potassium salt of glutamic acid, used as a flavour enhancer in the same way as MSG to boost savoury, umami taste, but providing potassium instead of sodium. It is often used in reduced-sodium products where the aim is to keep the savoury flavour while cutting salt.
It is made by the same fermentation route as MSG: bacteria are grown on a sugar feedstock and cultivated to overproduce glutamic acid, which is then neutralised — in this case with a potassium base such as potassium hydroxide — to form monopotassium glutamate rather than the sodium version.
The salt is purified and crystallised into a white food-grade product. It delivers essentially the same umami enhancement as MSG, and its value lies in offering that savoury boost with potassium in place of sodium, which suits lower-salt formulations.
Possible reactions
Similar reported sensitivity to MSG in some people.