Does Knorr Have MSG? Better Than Bouillon vs Knorr

Knorr Granulated Chicken Bouillon lists monosodium glutamate (MSG) by name on its ingredient panel, while Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base does not list MSG and its brand says it does not add MSG. Both products list disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate, and both reach 20% Daily Value (DV) or more for sodium per stated serving: 540 mg (23% DV) for Knorr's 3 g serving and 680 mg (30% DV) for Better Than Bouillon's 1 tsp serving.

Key takeaways

• Knorr Granulated Chicken Bouillon names monosodium glutamate directly in its ingredient list. Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base does not list MSG, and its brand states it does not add MSG.
• FDA says foods with ingredients that naturally contain free glutamate cannot claim 'No MSG' or 'No added MSG', so the Better Than Bouillon label should not be read as glutamate-free.
• Both products list disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate. Sodium is 540 mg (23% DV) per Knorr serving and 680 mg (30% DV) per Better Than Bouillon serving.

Do the Knorr and Better Than Bouillon Labels List MSG?

Knorr Granulated Chicken Bouillon lists monosodium glutamate by name, and Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base does not. The difference matters because the FDA's MSG questions and answers say added MSG must appear on the ingredient panel as 'monosodium glutamate.'

Does Knorr have MSG?

Yes. The English ingredient panel for Knorr Granulated Chicken Bouillon (Caldo con Sabor de Pollo) lists MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE third, after SALT and CORN STARCH. FDA states that foods containing added MSG must list it in the ingredient panel as 'monosodium glutamate', so that exact name is the signal to look for. The same panel also lists POTASSIUM SALT, which is a different ingredient and is not MSG.

Does Better Than Bouillon have MSG?

No MSG appears on the 8 oz Roasted Chicken Base ingredient panel. The Better Than Bouillon FAQ says: "We do not add MSG to any of our Better Than Bouillon products. Any added MSG is required to be listed within the ingredients statement by regulation and is never hidden." That statement covers added MSG only. It does not address glutamate that occurs naturally in other ingredients, which is covered in the next section. This article does not state whether the jar carries a 'no added MSG' claim, because only the FAQ wording is cited here.

Which Glutamate-Type Ingredients Appear on Each Label?

Both panels list disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate, but the panels differ in their glutamate-type ingredients. Knorr lists MSG directly, while Better Than Bouillon lists hydrolyzed soy protein. The amount of free glutamate in either product was not disclosed.

Knorr Granulated Chicken Bouillon, per the English panel:

• Monosodium glutamate (named directly, third ingredient)
• Disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate
• Potassium salt, a separate ingredient
• Onion extract and garlic extract
• Caramel color (contains sulfites)

Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base, 8 oz, per the brand's product page:

• Hydrolyzed soy protein
• Disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate
• Chicken stock and roasted chicken
• Whey, which is a milk-derived ingredient
• Onion powder (2% or less)

FDA states that free glutamate and sodium occur together naturally in ingredients such as hydrolyzed vegetable protein, autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed yeast, yeast extract, soy extracts, and protein isolate. FDA also states that foods with ingredients naturally containing free glutamate cannot claim 'No MSG' or 'No added MSG'. MSG also occurs naturally in foods such as tomatoes and cheeses, so the absence of the words 'monosodium glutamate' on a panel does not establish that a product contains no free glutamate. The Better Than Bouillon panel lists hydrolyzed soy protein, but FDA's examples do not name that exact ingredient, so this article does not classify it further.

For another example of how MSG appears on a label, see Does Stove Top Have MSG? Yes; Pepperidge Farm Doesn't.

How Much Sodium Is in One Serving of Each Product?

Knorr lists 540 mg of sodium (23% DV) per 3/4 tsp (3 g) serving, and Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base lists 680 mg (30% DV) per 1 tsp serving. Both values are on the Nutrition Facts panel for each product.

Which has more sodium, Knorr or Better Than Bouillon?

Per stated serving, Better Than Bouillon lists 140 mg more sodium than Knorr (680 mg vs 540 mg). The two servings are not the same weight, though. Knorr's serving is 3 g, while the gram weight of Better Than Bouillon's 1 tsp serving was not disclosed, so the figures cannot be compared gram for gram.

The servings also differ in how they are used. Knorr's panel lists 380 servings per container and says 3/4 tsp makes 1 cup prepared. The Knorr page directs readers to dissolve 3/4 tsp in 1 cup boiling water. Better Than Bouillon lists 38 servings per container, but its preparation ratio was not disclosed, so this article makes no per-cup sodium comparison.

The FDA's Daily Value for sodium is less than 2,300 milligrams per day. FDA considers 5% DV or less per serving low and 20% DV or more per serving high. Both products fall in the high range under that definition.

Why Does Yeast Extract Matter When a Label Says No MSG?

Yeast extract matters because FDA lists it among ingredients that naturally contain free glutamate, so a product can contain glutamate without listing MSG. The Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base panel does not list yeast extract, but it does list hydrolyzed soy protein. FDA's examples include hydrolyzed vegetable protein and soy extracts, and it does not name hydrolyzed soy protein specifically.

The practical point is that a label with no MSG can still have free glutamate. FDA rules out a 'no MSG' claim for foods whose ingredients naturally contain free glutamate. The Better Than Bouillon label therefore should not be read as glutamate-free, and the amount of free glutamate in that product was not disclosed.

Who Should Read These Labels Most Carefully?

People who track sodium, people who avoid MSG by name, and people who react to sulfites or milk-derived ingredients should read the full panel of each product. Each group is looking at a different line.

• Sodium-tracking readers should compare milligrams per listed serving and note that the serving weights differ.
• Readers who avoid MSG by name will find it on the Knorr panel. The Better Than Bouillon panel does not name it, but naturally occurring glutamate can still be present, as explained above.
• Sulfite-sensitive readers should note that Knorr's caramel color is labeled 'CONTAINS SULFITES'. The Better Than Bouillon panel reviewed here does not carry a sulfite statement.
• Milk-allergic readers should note that Better Than Bouillon lists whey. The Knorr panel reviewed here does not list whey.

Questions about a specific diet or health condition are best raised with a clinician or dietitian.

How Do You Spot Glutamate-Type Ingredients on a Bouillon Label?

The fastest check is to search the full ingredient panel for 'monosodium glutamate' and for ingredients FDA lists as naturally containing free glutamate. The front of the package is not enough.

• Monosodium glutamate, which must be named when added
• Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed soy protein, or other hydrolyzed proteins
• Autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed yeast, or yeast extract
• Soy extracts or protein isolate
• Disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate, which appear on both panels here

Check the serving size line before comparing sodium, and compare milligrams with the %DV on the same panel. Formulations also differ by product and country, so the cube ingredients for Knorr were not covered in this comparison, and a panel from one country should not be assumed to match another.

For another pantry label that lists hydrolyzed soy protein, see Does Kikkoman Have Gluten? It Lists Wheat; La Choy Doesn't.

What Is the Side-by-Side Label Comparison at a Glance?

The table below lists the panel details side by side. Items marked 'Not disclosed' were not available in the cited sources.

Item	Knorr Granulated Chicken Bouillon	Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base (8 oz)
Monosodium glutamate named	Yes, third ingredient	No
Disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate	Yes	Yes
Hydrolyzed protein	Not listed	Hydrolyzed soy protein
Milk-derived ingredient	Not listed	Whey
Sulfite statement	Caramel color (contains sulfites)	Not listed
Serving size	3/4 tsp (3 g)	1 tsp
Sodium per stated serving	540 mg (23% DV)	680 mg (30% DV)
Calories per serving	0	10
Servings per container	380	38
Preparation ratio	3/4 tsp per 1 cup boiling water	Not disclosed
Free glutamate amount	Not disclosed	Not disclosed

The table shows the label facts side by side; neither product is ranked here.