Name something that got a bad rap. I’ll go first, MSG.

MSG (monosodium glutamate) is used as a flavor enhancer to boost the savory, mouth-filling taste known as umami. It is added to restaurant dishes, canned vegetables, soups, and processed meats. It acts as a sodium substitute (containing about 12% sodium compared to table salt's 40%) and a mild meat tenderizer.Invented in 1908 by Japanese biochemist Kikunae Ikeda, MSG was designed to emulate the savory flavor found in seaweed broth. Today, it is manufactured by fermenting starches, sugar beets, or sugarcane. While early iterations were extracted from wheat gluten, modern commercial MSG is odorless and resembles white crystals or fine snowflakes.Historically and presently, MSG is a staple ingredient in Asian cuisines and is commercially available in the U.S. under brand names like Accent. It is also famously used by food manufacturers to deepen the flavor profile in savory snacks like chips, bouillon cubes, and frozen meals.