# Where does MSG come from?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-msg-come-from/56940>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 6, 2001, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-msg-come-from/56940 "2001-03-06T15:50:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2001, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-msg-come-from/56940/1 "2001-03-06T15:50:46Z")

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What is the natural source of MSG? When did eastern cultures decide to start “salting” their food with it?

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**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2001, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-msg-come-from/56940/2 "2001-03-06T16:16:14Z")

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[Everything You Need To Know About Glutamate And Monosodium Glutamate](http://ificinfo.health.org/brochure/msg.htm)

> [@](#):
>
> **How is MSG made?**
> 
> In the early 1900s, MSG was extracted from natural protein-rich foods such as seaweed. Today, MSG is made from starch, corn sugar or molasses from sugar cane or sugar beets. MSG is produced by a natural fermentation process that has been used for centuries to make such common foods as beer, vinegar and yogurt.