Comparing E331I - Monosodium citrate vs E621 - Monosodium glutamate

Synonyms
E331i
Monosodium citrate
E621
Monosodium glutamate
monosodium l-glutamate
Sodium glutamate
L-Glutamic acid‚ monosodium salt
MSG
Products

Found in 6 products

Found in 9,893 products

Search rank & volume
#380200 / mo🇺🇸U.S.
#2195.5K / mo🇺🇸U.S.
Awareness score

×3.11
over-aware

×2.89
over-aware

Search volume over time

Interest over time for 2 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

Interest over time for 5 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

Popular questions
  1. Monosodium citrate crystals are see in which disease?

    None—monosodium citrate is not known to form diagnostic crystals in disease; you may be thinking of monosodium urate crystals, which are seen in gout.

  2. Where does monosodium citrate come from?

    It’s made by neutralizing citric acid (usually produced by microbial fermentation with Aspergillus niger on sugar) with a sodium base; citric acid also occurs naturally in citrus fruits.

  3. Why is monosodium citrate flammable when it is a ionic compound?

    It isn’t generally classified as flammable, but like many organic salts it can decompose and burn if strongly heated or involved in a fire; fine organic powders can also be combustible under certain conditions.

  4. Why monosodium citrate is flammable?

    It’s typically not considered flammable; any burning occurs only when heated strongly, as the organic component decomposes and can fuel combustion.

  1. Is msg bad for you?

    No—MSG (E621) is generally recognized as safe by the FDA and permitted in the EU within limits; most people don’t experience adverse effects at typical food levels. A small subset may have short-lived symptoms (like headache or flushing) after large bolus intakes, and it contributes some sodium.

  2. What is msg in food?

    MSG is monosodium glutamate, the sodium salt of the amino acid glutamic acid, used as a flavor enhancer to add umami and intensify savory taste. It’s the same form of glutamate found naturally in foods like tomatoes and cheese.

  3. What is msg made of?

    It’s the sodium salt of L-glutamic acid, typically produced by fermenting plant sugars (e.g., sugarcane, sugar beet, or corn starch) with microbes, then neutralizing the glutamic acid with sodium. The result is purified crystals of monosodium glutamate.

  4. Why is msg bad for you?

    It isn’t considered “bad” at normal intakes—regulators deem it safe, and EFSA set a group ADI for glutamates of 30 mg/kg body weight/day to limit high exposures. Some people may experience transient symptoms after large doses, and it can add to overall sodium intake if overused.

  5. Is msg bad?

    No—MSG (E621) is considered safe at normal food levels (FDA GRAS; EFSA sets an acceptable daily intake of 30 mg/kg body weight/day), and well-controlled studies haven’t shown consistent harms. A small subset of people may get brief symptoms like headache or flushing after large doses, especially on an empty stomach, and it does add some sodium, but typical culinary use is fine for most.