Disodium 5’-guanylate (INS 627, E627) is the sodium salt of guanylic acid, a nucleotide that occurs naturally in foods such as dried shiitake mushrooms. Commercially it is produced by fermentation or from yeast. It is a white, water-soluble powder with little taste of its own.
Its value lies in synergy. Combined with glutamate (MSG), guanylate multiplies the savoury, umami impression many times over, so seasoning makers need far less of both. It is rarely used alone: on labels it almost always sits next to MSG and disodium 5’-inosinate, or comes premixed with inosinate as disodium 5’-ribonucleotides (INS 635). Of the two nucleotides, guanylate is the stronger enhancer.
It is permitted under Codex as a flavour enhancer. On SeekSnack it seasons snacks such as Taokaenoi - Crispy Seaweed Big Sheet Spicy Flavour and Tasto Signature Original Salted Egg.
