MSG delivers savory “fifth sense” taste profile known in Japan
as umami
Global demand, and in particular Asian demand, for monosodium
L-glutamate (MSG) -- the sometimes controversial flavor enhancer --
is growing, in part due to significant economic and cultural shifts
in several countries, according to new analysis from IHS (NYSE:
IHS), the leading global source of critical information and
insight.
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According to the IHS Chemical Economics Handbook: Monosodium
Glutamate Report, in 2014, world demand for MSG was estimated at
more than 3 million metric tons (MMT) which is valued at $4.5
billion. Asia was responsible for approximately 88 percent of world
MSG consumption in 2014, with China alone accounting for 55 percent
of world consumption and approximately 65 percent of global
production. As the world’s largest producer, China is also the
world’s largest exporter of MSG, providing nearly 44 percent of
global exports.
During the period of 2014 to 2019, IHS expects global demand for
MSG to increase by almost four percent annually to nearly 3.9 MMT.
However, the most significant increases in demand for this mature
product will be in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and China, followed
by Brazil and Nigeria.
“While many western consumers have mixed feelings about MSG, and
there has been considerable debate on its use, for many consumers,
particularly in developing countries, MSG is considered an
affordable luxury,” said Marifaith Hackett, senior manager of the
food and nutrition service at IHS Chemical and the principal
analyst behind the report, along with Adam Bland, Takeshi Masuda,
and Lei Zeng from IHS Chemical. “MSG is a mature product, so
overall global growth is not huge, but this is still a major market
for producers. China is the leading producer and consumer of MSG,
but we are seeing considerable growth in Thailand, Indonesia,
Vietnam, Brazil and Nigeria.”
MSG occurs naturally in some foods like tomatoes, cheeses,
truffles and soybeans, but in commercial practice, it is produced
by the fermentation of sugar or starch from feedstocks such as
corn, sugar beets, sugarcane and cassava. MSG is widely used by
food processors in convenience foods, snacks, canned soups, instant
noodles, condiments, seasoning blends, and by restaurants and food
service providers.
What is most interesting, Hackett said, is where the growth for
MSG is occurring and what is driving demand growth. “MSG is a
staple ingredient in many Asian cuisines,” she said, “but its use
has expanded significantly in China and countries such as Nigeria
and Brazil, where incomes are rising and more women are moving into
the workforce. These factors, as well as improvements in living
standards and expansion of the middle class, are big factors
driving MSG consumption growth. Busier lifestyles, increased
urbanization and changes in dietary patterns are driving greater
demand for convenience foods, snacks and seasonings, which, in
turn, will stimulate MSG consumption in these countries.”
Africa and the Middle East accounted for approximately 4 percent
of world MSG consumption in 2014, but demand in West Africa, where
MSG complements the staple diet of potatoes, rice, noodles and
soup, is expected to see strong growth during the study period. The
region is entirely reliant on imports to satisfy its growing
demand. While Central and South America was responsible for just 2
percent of world MSG demand, Brazil is a net exporter of MSG, and
leads the region in consumption. The country will continue to drive
demand growth during 2014 to 2019.
MSG triggers a savory taste sensation known as umami, which many
in scientific and gastronomic circles now credit as the fifth human
taste (the other four tastes are salty, sweet, bitter and sour).
Detractors of MSG point to its association with some adverse
physiological symptoms (such as headaches) commonly referred to as
the “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome.” In contrast, the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA), which classified MSG as “generally
recognized as safe” (GRAS) in 1959, stands by its conclusion that
MSG is safe for the general population at normal levels of
consumption.
MSG as a commercial product is a Japanese invention, and its
development was originally driven by the noble goal of improving
poor Japanese diets more than a century ago. In 1908, Kikunae
Ikeda, Ph.D., a Tokyo chemistry professor, sought to manufacture ‘a
good, inexpensive seasoning to make bland, nutritious food tasty’1.
He was the first to isolate glutamate from sea kelp, the primary
ingredient in flavorful Japanese soup stocks.
In Japan, MSG is known as Ajinomoto, a word that means “the
essence of taste.” Ajinomoto is also the name of the company best
known for producing MSG globally. Much like the Coca Cola® brand
has long been recognized as one of the most iconic American brands,
Ajinomoto® is a household name in Japan. Ironically, Ajinomoto no
longer manufactures MSG in Japan, although domestic production of
high-value-added seasoning blends using imported MSG continues. Now
the world’s second-largest MSG producer behind Shandong Fufeng
Group of China, Ajinomoto operates wholly and partly owned plants
in Brazil, Peru, the U.S., France, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand
and Vietnam.
Europe was responsible for just 3 percent of world MSG
consumption in 2014, and growth is expected to be minimal as
consumer preferences for foodstuffs that contain few or no
additives are expected to restrain consumption growth in the
region, especially in Western Europe. In North America, the story
for MSG is much the same. The increased consumer interest in foods
that contain no artificial ingredients (such as added MSG) is
expected to suppress the growth of MSG consumption in the U.S. and
Canada. In Mexico, taxes on high-calorie packaged foods (“junk
food”), widespread concerns about obesity, and the growing interest
in healthier eating habits have lowered demand for some
MSG-containing foods, reducing MSG consumption as a
consequence.
“MSG is the most recognized and highly debated food additive in
the world,” Hackett said, “and the attitudes regarding its use are
very different depending upon which socioeconomic groups or
cultures are being polled. It is an interesting dynamic--there is a
very strong East/West divide when it comes to views on MSG.”
To speak with Marifaith Hackett, please contact Melissa Manning
at melissa.manning@ihs.com. For more information on the IHS
Chemical Economics Handbook: Monosodium Glutamate Report, please
contact Nisha.Keskar@ihs.com.
Source: Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and
Culture, Vol. 5, No. 4, PP 33-49, 2005.1
About IHS
(www.ihs.com)
IHS (NYSE: IHS) is the leading source of insight, analytics and
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and employs about 8,800 people in 32 countries around the
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IHS Inc. All rights reserved.
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