GLUTAMATE

Ionic salts of glutamic acid used as flavor enhancers in many foods. Glutamate is usually manufactured by acid hydrolysis of vegetable proteins. Besides being a basic building block of proteins, glutamate functions as a neurotransmitter that helps neurons grow new connections; as such, glutamate plays an important role in learning and memory. At high concentrations, glutamate can function as an excitotoxin .