Ajinomoto is a trade name of monosodium glutamate. The name literally means “essence of taste” and is synonymous to the name of the company that first marketed the product. Chemically it is the sodium salt of the amino acid glutamic acid. It is added to food to enhance its flavor. Monosodium glutamate is one of those food items which do not have any noticeable health advantages associated with them. The fact that scientific studies have reported it to be harmless and that it considerably enhances the taste of the food at a cheap price has contributed to its popularity with the food industry. Some studies also indicate that it can help in gaining weight but this is not confirmed.