Glutamic acid often is used as a food additive and flavor enhancer in the form of its sodium salt, known as monosodium glutamate (MSG).
The relatively high glutamate levels in some traditional diets suggest that it is a safe food additive. However, anecdotal and scientific evidence indicates that high levels of glutamate and MSG consumption cause adverse health effects.
Description:
L-Glutamic acid, or L-2-aminopentanedioic acid, is a naturally occurring amino acid of plant and animal proteins. It has a very faint odor reminiscent of yeast or freshly baked bread. It has a mild, somewhat sweet, meat-like taste.
The average glutamic acid content of food proteins is 20 percent. Expressed as glutamic acid per 100 g of the edible portions, medium fat beef contains about 2.65 g of glutamic acid; whole liquid cow milk, 0.82 g; lean pork, 2.16 g; haddock, 2.32 g; peas, 5.58 g; soybeans, 7.01 g; commeal, 1.62 g; and whole grain wheat flour, 4.16 g. In addition, free glutamic acid is present in many vegetables, fish, and meats in small amounts (0. 005 to 0.23 g per 100 g) and as high as 2 g per 100 g in some varieties of cheese. Recent estimates of free amino acids in the milk of various species indicated that the free glutamic acid in human milk is about 0.22 g per 100 mL.
Glutamic acid and its salts are prepared commercially by hydrolysis of gluten (wheat, corn, soybean, sugarbeet protein); by fermentation from glucose-containing raw materials; the racemic acid may be resolved into the d- and ι-isomer by fractional crystallization; from 2 -cyclopentenylamine; by microbial conversion of aketoglutaric acid; or by an alternative method, using Bacillus megatherium-cereus; from fumaric acid using B. pumilus; from starch.
Glutamic acid and the hydrochloride as well as the mono-sodium, -potassium, and -ammonium salts of L-glutamic acid share similar physical properties: they are nearly odorless, white, free-flowing crystalline powders, and except for glutamic acid and glutamic acid hydrochloride, are freely soluble in water. Glutamic acid is slightly soluble and glutamic acid hydrochloride moderately soluble in water. The pH of a saturated solution is about 3.2.
- It can be used for the pharmaceutical, food additives, and nutritional supplements.
- It can be used for biochemical research. In medicine, it can be used for treating hepatic coma, seizures prevention, and reducing ketonuria and ketosis.
- It can be used as salt substitute, nutritional supplements, and flavor enhancer (mainly for meat, poultry, soups and so on). It can also be used as the prevention agent for the production of magnesium ammonium phosphate in shrimp, crabs and other aquatic can with the usage amount of 0.3% to 1.6%. According to the provisions of GB 2760-96, it can be used as a spice.
- L-glutamate is mainly used for the production of monosodium glutamate, spices, and as a salt substitute, nutritional supplements and biochemical reagents. L-glutamate itself can be used as drugs and is involved in protein and carbohydrate metabolism in the brain, promoting the oxidation process. This product can combine with ammonia in the body into non-toxic glutamine, causing decreasing ammonia and reducing the symptoms of hepatic coma. It is mainly used for the treatment of hepatic coma and severe hepatic dysfunction. However, the efficacy is not satisfied; Combination with antiepileptic drugs can treat seizures and psychomotor seizures. Racemic glutamate can be used in the production of drugs as well as being used as biochemical reagents.
- One of its sodium salts: sodium glutamate is used as seasoning. Commodities include monosodium glutamate and gourmet powder.
- IT is white or colorless scaly crystals and is slightly acidic. It has a density of 1.538. It subject to sublimation at 200 ℃ and decomposition at 247~249 ℃. It is slightly soluble in cold water, easily soluble in boiling water, but insoluble in alcohol, ether and acetone. It can be used for treating hepatic coma disease
Physical Properties:
| Melting point | 205 °C (dec.) (lit.) |
| Boiling point | 267.21°C (rough estimate) |
| Density | 1.54 g/cm3 at 20 °C |
| Refractive index | 1.4300 (estimate) |
| Storage temprature | 2-8°C |
| Solublity | 1 M HCl: 100 mg/mL |
| Form | Powder |
| Colour | White |
| PH | 3.0-3.5 (8.6g/l, H2O, 25℃) |
| Water solublity | 7.5 g/L (20 ºC) |
L GLUTAMIC ACID food supplement
