E-numbers / Flavour enhancers / E622
also: monopotassium L-glutamate · MPG · potassium glutamate
The potassium salt of glutamic acid, added to boost savoury, umami taste. Often used in lower-sodium products instead of MSG.
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The glutamate group (E620-E625) can push total glutamate intake above levels EFSA considers adequate, particularly in children eating processed foods.
Why it’s worth knowing. The glutamate group (E620-E625) can push total glutamate intake above levels EFSA considers adequate, particularly in children eating processed foods. People with kidney disease should note the added potassium.
Monopotassium glutamate is the potassium salt of glutamic acid, a naturally occurring amino acid found in many protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, cheese and tomatoes. As a food additive it is produced by fermentation or chemical synthesis.
It releases glutamate ions in the mouth, stimulating umami taste receptors (the same receptors activated by MSG). This amplifies savoury flavours and can allow manufacturers to use less salt. It contributes potassium rather than sodium, making it attractive in sodium-reduction reformulations.
Soups, stocks and bouillons; savoury snacks and crisps; instant noodles and ready meals; meat products; sauces and condiments; seasoning blends. On a UK label it appears as 'flavour enhancer (E622)' or 'flavour enhancer (monopotassium glutamate)'.
In 2017 EFSA re-evaluated the entire glutamate group (E620-E625) and set a group acceptable daily intake of 30 mg per kilogram of body weight per day. EFSA found that high-end consumers, particularly children, could exceed this level from diet alone when all permitted glutamate additives are combined. The panel concluded it could not confirm that the existing uses were without concern at those exposure levels.
EFSA set a group ADI of 30 mg/kg body weight/day for E620-E625 combined and found high dietary exposure in children could exceed this, raising a concern it could not dismiss.
Unlike MSG (E621), which contributes sodium, E622 contributes potassium. For most people dietary potassium is beneficial. However, people with impaired kidney function who must restrict potassium intake need to account for potassium from additives as well as from food. This is a practical concern for that specific group, not a general population risk.
Patients with chronic kidney disease on potassium-restricted diets are advised to check labels for potassium-containing additives including potassium glutamate.
Claims that glutamate additives cause headaches or 'Chinese restaurant syndrome' have been studied extensively. Controlled double-blind trials have not consistently reproduced these symptoms when participants did not know they were consuming glutamate. The symptom cluster is not well supported as a direct pharmacological effect at typical food doses, though a small number of people report sensitivity.
Double-blind placebo-controlled trials found no consistent evidence that dietary glutamate at typical exposure levels causes headache or other symptoms attributed to MSG sensitivity.
People with chronic kidney disease on a potassium-restricted diet should check for 'E622' or 'monopotassium glutamate' on labels, as it adds potassium alongside flavour. Parents of young children who eat large amounts of processed and convenience foods may wish to note that the glutamate group has an exposure concern in that age group at high dietary intake.
E622 is one of six closely related glutamate additives (E620-E625) that all deliver the same umami flavour effect. The 2017 EFSA re-evaluation drew a line: a group intake above 30 mg per kilogram of body weight per day was the threshold the panel set, and it found children eating a lot of processed food can cross it. That is a real regulatory flag, not a theoretical one, though it falls short of a ban. The long-running claims about headaches and flushing from glutamate have not held up in controlled trials. The potassium point is specific and practical for renal patients. The science is not alarming for most adults eating varied diets, but the children's exposure finding is live and unresolved.
No. E622 is authorised in the UK under assimilated EU Regulation 1333/2008 and appears on the FSA's approved-additives list. It is permitted across a range of food categories.
Glutamate additives have long been blamed for headaches and 'Chinese restaurant syndrome', but double-blind controlled trials have not consistently reproduced these effects. A small number of individuals report sensitivity, but the evidence for a direct pharmacological cause at typical dietary doses is weak.
E622 appears most commonly in soups, stocks, bouillons, instant noodles, savoury snacks, crisps, ready meals, sauces, and seasoning blends. It is also used in some processed meat products. On the label it reads 'flavour enhancer (E622)' or 'flavour enhancer (monopotassium glutamate)'.
Yes. Monopotassium glutamate is produced by fermentation (typically using bacteria acting on carbohydrate feedstocks) or by chemical synthesis. Neither route uses animal-derived ingredients, so E622 is considered vegan.
Last reviewed: 20 June 2026
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