1.
Ajinomoto; MSG seasoning; the company that makes it
The trade name of the monosodium-glutamate seasoning first sold in 1909, and of the major food company behind it. The name is also used loosely for any MSG seasoning, the way "Hoover" once stood for vacuum cleaners.
Literally "the source of flavour." The product grew out of Ikeda Kikunae's 1908 identification of 旨味, the savoury fifth taste.
Common expressions
- 味の素を振る: to sprinkle on MSG seasoning
- 味の素を一振り: one shake of the seasoning
- 味の素スタジアム: Ajinomoto Stadium, the Tokyo football ground the company sponsors
Cultural note
Older speakers often use 味の素 generically for MSG, while younger cooks are more likely to say うま味調味料 (umami seasoning). The company itself is a household name well beyond the seasoning, selling frozen foods, instant coffee, and amino-acid products.