Sodium glutamate, CAS 142-47-2

Sodium glutamate, potassium glutamate, ammonium glutamate, calcium glutamate, and magnesium glutamate are five common glutamic acid salts. Among these, sodium glutamate, commonly known as monosodium glutamate, MSG, is a white, odorless powder with high water solubility and is usually available in monohydrate form. The identification of MSG began with the isolation of glutamic acid from a mass of wheat protein, called gluten, in 1886. The existence of glutamic acid as a monoamine dicarboxylic acid, was later confirmed in 1890 and sodium glutamate was first produced by the Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda in 1908.
Chemically, sodium glutamate contains about 12% sodium, which is 3 times lower sodium than table salt. In solution, sodium glutamate dissociates into glutamate and the sodium ions. In solid form, sodium glutamate can be stored for long periods of time at ambient temperature without their appearance or quality changing.
Sodium glutamate is commonly used as a feed additive, buffering agent, precursor for glutathione, precursor for protein biosynthesis, bio-signaling molecule where signaling involves its capability to selectively bind to specific biological receptors. In specialty applications, sodium glutamate is used in the leaching and extraction of precious metals as well as the production of glutamic acid, N,N-diacetic acid tetrasodium salt, a chelator.