The chemical taste in Chinese food is Umami which was first defined as being the characteristic taste that is elicited by glutamates and has since also been associated with monosodium glutamate MSG.
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer often added to restaurant foods, canned vegetables, soups, deli meats and other foods.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified MSG as a food ingredient that's generally recognized as safe.
But its use is still debated.
MSG became known as an ingredient that caused headaches, added to health complications, and generally represented the unhealthy, secretive nature of Chinese cooking.
The truth is, MSG is just an ingredient like any other you'll find in Chinese or any Asian cooking, though its history and use are a lot more interesting.
Chinese food and soups contain monosodium glutamate (MSG) as the main addictive ingredient.
MSG has a specific taste known as umami — the fifth basic taste alongside sweet, sour, salty, and bitter.
Umami has a meaty flavor that refers to the presence of proteins in food.
BesidesMSG, other umami compounds include inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP) and guanosine 5'-monophosphate (GMP).