Effect of Umami Exposure on MSG Induced-satiation

Summary

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is an amino acid salt that naturally enhances umami taste in many foods. It is often used to reduce salt (NaCl) in products while keeping the flavour. However, MSG might slow down satiation, leading to larger portions. This effect could vary based on diet and umami exposure, but there is no empirical data yet to confirm this hypothesis. Therefore, a long-term systematic investigation is necessary to objectively evaluate what the duration and extent of the effect of umami taste exposure is on absolute food intake, and whether it can have an effect on other outcomes, such as appetite ratings, meal liking, taste sensitivity, food preference, body hydration, weight status, self-reported diet tolerance and other potential side effects. The study sample will consist of 75 participants, that will randomly be distributed over three intervention groups: regular umami exposure (n = 25), low umami exposure (n = 25) and high umami exposure (n = 25). The intervention is fully controlled, for a period of two weeks, with an additional one-week run-in period in which all participants consume the regular umami exposure diet. Umami taste will be added through MSG supplementation of the three main meals. Supplementation will depend on both intervention group, and individual participants' body weight. The primary objective is to compare the effects of a 2-week low-, regular- and high dietary MSG exposure on umami-induced satiation. Differences in absolute food intake will be assessed by an ad libitum satiation test, which participants will be presented with at baseline (day 7), mid-intervention (day 14) and end of intervention (day 22). Secondary outcomes such as differences between intervention groups in satiety and appetite ratings, test meal liking, taste sensitivity, food preference, body hydration status, weight, self-reported diet tolerance and other potential side effects.

Conditions

• Sensory Testing
• Umami Taste Perception
• Food Intake Regulation

Interventions

OTHER

Regular Umami exposure

This group will receive the basic diet with added MSG, representing Dutch intake levels of around the 50th percentile, which is about 20-25 mg/kg body weight.

OTHER

High Umami exposure

This group will receive the basic diet with added MSG, representing Dutch intake levels of around the 90th percentile, which is about 50-55 mg/kg body weight.

OTHER

Low Umami exposure

This group will receive the basic diet without added MSG.

OTHER

one-week run-in period

During the one-week run-in period, all participants will receive the RegularU diet, which is the basic diet with added MSG, representing Dutch intake levels of around the 50th percentile (about 20-25 mg MSG intake daily per kg body weight).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ajinomoto Co., Inc.

  collaborator INDUSTRY

• Wageningen University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

20 Years

Max Age

55 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-09-30

Primary Completion

2025-11-30

Completion

2025-11-30

Countries

• Netherlands

Study Locations