L-Glutamic acid is a crystalline amino acid with a faintly sour, savory-umami character rather than a classical perfumery odor. On its own it is nearly odorless in solid form, developing a mild brothy, meaty acidity when warmed or in solution.AI · claude-opus-4-7
Composition, IFRA restriction figures, allergen concentrations and where this material is bought are part of Perfume Foundry’s curated library and need an account. Create one or sign in.
Perfume and Flavor Chemicals, page 604.
White or colorless plate-like crystals.
Soluble in water, almost insoluble in alcohol and oils. About 5°, soluble in hot water.
The acid itself has a very faint odor resembling that of yeast or freshly baked bread (but much weaker).
Its taste in aqueous media is mild, meat-like, rather sweet.
The acid itself is not much used in foods, but its esters, salts and the hydrochloride are all known and used as food additives. Only the natural form, the dextro-rotatory Laevo-Glutamic acid, has flavor enhancing effect, and it is used mainly as a Monosodium salt.
1) from Wheat gluten by treatment with hot Hydrochloric acid (concentrated). The hydrochloride is reacted with Aniline to form the d-Glutamic acid, avoiding racemization. 2) synthetic — from Laevulic acid (academic interest only).