Glutamates from Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition
Build on the Foundation of Savory Umami
The Source of Umami in Your Formulations
The process of creating savory, flavorful formulations that mask bitter tastes and deepen the sensory experience doesn’t have to be a mystery. The secret ingredient to solve your processing challenges is no secret. It’s glutamates.
Glutamates build authentic, craveable umami flavor profiles without adding unnecessary sodium. Free L-glutamates target specific taste receptors on the tongue, amplifying a formulation’s savory notes and full-bodied flavors.
Leveraging the “AminoScience” cultivated by Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition empowers food scientists, formulators, and R&D teams to develop winning formulations that are scalable and meet consumer demands.
Our versatile glutamate portfolio guarantees total batch-to-batch consistency and provides the robust flavor profiles consumers desire, whether you’re developing clean-label sauces, neutralizing the bitterness in plant-based proteins, or striving for a 50% reduction in sodium.
What are Glutamates?
Glutamates are naturally found in virtually all protein-rich foods such as tomatoes, aged cheeses, and mushrooms. As an ingredient, glutamates are the salt form of glutamic acid, an amino acid that is the building block of savory flavors.
Glutamates are among the most thoroughly tested and vetted food ingredients in the world. Their use in food formulations is deemed safe by the world’s leading authorities, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).
The Advantages of Glutamates in Product Formulations
The key advantages of integrating glutamates into product formulations are at the core of its functionalities:
Flavor Optimization
By enhancing savory characteristics, glutamates effectively balance out bitter, metallic, or sharp undesirable notes.
Sodium Reduction
Utilizing Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) allows for a sodium reduction of up to 50% while maintaining the necessary flavor intensity.
Mouthfeel Enrichment
These ingredients boost the sensation of juiciness, body, and consistency, especially within low-fat product designs.
Flavor Durability
Glutamates help maintain profile integrity, preventing flavor degradation during intensive high-pressure or high-heat processing.
Glutamate Portfolio from Ajinomoto Health & Nutritions
Glutamic Acid
For sodium reduction and taste enhancement, glutamic acid creates umami flavors with zero added sodium.
Monoammonium Glutamate (MAG)
Delivers optimized flavor, creating savory taste profiles without any sodium.
Monopotassium Glutamate (MPG)
Savory seasoning that instantly enhances the natural umami flavor of foods while enabling significant sodium reduction.
Quality Flavor Enhancer: MSG
Binds to taste receptors on the tongue to amplify umami flavor with up to a 50% reduction in table salt.
Glutamate Food Applications
- Soups, Stews & Sauces: A versatile foundation for high-end frozen or retort soups, reduction sauces, and ready-to-use gravies.
- Prepared Meals & Side Dishes: Boosts the flavor of meat fillings, grains, and rice in meal kits, frozen entrées, and savory pastries.
- Snacks, Rubs & Marinades: Provides robust flavor profiles for topical seasoning blends, savory glazes, and vacuum-tumbled protein applications.
