Mi-Poong monosodium glutamate in a 400 g pack with a halal mark, a white seasoning used in small amounts in soups, stir-fries and sauces.
Mi-Poong comes in a clear plastic pack printed in white, red and orange, so the fine white crystals show at the edges. A thin red border runs around the front, with a small round halal mark in the top corner. The Arabic word for seasonings sits in red above a large red and orange oval with the name Mi-Poong in white capitals. Below the oval, red Arabic text names the contents as monosodium glutamate and gives the net weight as 400 grams, followed by the production and expiry lines. As general background, monosodium glutamate, also known as MSG, is a sodium salt of glutamic acid that is used in cooking as a flavour enhancer for umami taste. Commonly, cooks add only a small pinch near the end of cooking and reduce the salt in the dish to balance it.