MSG is a food additive. Its full name is mono sodium glutamate and it comes from the amino acid, glutamic acid. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein; our food and bodies contain protein that, in turn, contains glutamate. Glutamate is found in a wide variety of foods. MSG use Glutamate helps enhance the flavor of food, so glutamate is often deliberately added to foods — either as MSG, hydrolysed protein or a variety of food ingredients rich in glutamate, such as cheese, tomato pastes, stocks and sauces. MSG cannot improve inferior quality food or make up for poor cooking practices. It does not allow a cook to substitute low-quality for high-quality ingredients in a recipe, and does not tenderise meat. MSG simply enhances the savoury flavors already present in food.