Accent seasoning, also known as Monosodium Glutamate or MSG, looks much like regular table salt. You can find it in many Asian grocery stores, as it is an important primary ingredient in many Asian dishes. You can also find it on Amazon.

Sprinkled onto sautéed vegetables and as a seasoning rubbed into meats as a meat tenderizer, Accent adds a spicy, umami flavor. It can be used as a food additive in soups, stews, marinades, and stir-fries.

This secret ingredient is often used as a salt substitute, but its flavor is much more complex than that. It’s like a mix between soy sauce, kosher salt, and bouillon.

To make a substitute “homemade accent seasoning” you could try mixing a couple of these ingredients. To make the best substitutes, you could also add some extra spices for a kick, like cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, cumin, chili powder, paprika, seasoning salt, bay leaf, chili pepper, or black pepper.

Accent has less sodium than traditional sea salt, for those trying to watch their sodium intake, cholesterol, or blood pressure. It’s also gluten free.

The additive, used primarily in Asian dishes as a flavor enhancer of many main ingredients, is not used often in the United States because of its allergic reactions and controversy surrounding the FDA and this food flavor enhancer.

While studies are ongoing, Accent seasoning has shown it affects nerve impulse transmitters within the brain and could be linked to certain diseases, including Alzheimer's. The controversy surrounding the seasoning has led to certain restaurants displaying notices to customers that their food does not contain MSG because of these reported side effects.