Definition of "monosodium glutamate" []

• A white crystalline compound, COOH(CH2)2CH(NH2)COONa, used as a flavor enhancer in foods. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Sulfites trigger mild to severe reactions in sensitive people, as can monosodium glutamate MSG, known as an excitotoxin because it can overstimulate brain cells and trigger migraines, according to Russell L. Blaylock, MD, author of Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills."
• "Even if a food does not taste terribly salty (bagels can have over 400 milligrams of sodium), the presence of ingredients like monosodium glutamate (MSG), baking soda and baking powder, and nitrites should tip you off—you will be surprised at the sodium content of many foods if you read the nutrition labels."