Magnesium diglutamate

Magnesium diglutamate is the magnesium salt of glutamic acid, used as an umami flavour enhancer in soups, seasonings, and processed foods. It provides both a flavour-enhancing glutamate component and a small contribution of dietary magnesium, making it attractive in the formulation of nutrient-enriched or sodium-free products. Its use is specialised and less widespread than sodium glutamate, but it occupies the same functional niche.

JECFA assigned the glutamate family a "not specified" ADI in 1987, based on the status of glutamic acid as a normal dietary amino acid and metabolic component. Magnesium is an essential mineral required for numerous enzymatic reactions, and the combined compound presents no toxicological concern at food additive use levels. Both components are handled efficiently by normal metabolic pathways.

Magnesium diglutamate is approved in the EU as E625 for use as a flavour enhancer. In sodium-reduction product development, it can help replace sodium-based umami enhancers while contributing a mineral of recognised nutritional value. As with all glutamate additives, it may interact synergistically with nucleotide enhancers to produce greater umami intensity at lower combined additive concentrations. Consumers sensitive to dietary glutamate should treat E625 as equivalent to other members of the E620–E625 glutamate family for the purposes of monitoring their intake.