Good nutritional habits never get old. Yet malnutrition is a serious health problem among the nation's elderly. Studies have shown that adding glutamate to blended or table of food improves appetite and reverses the effects of anorexia among the elderly in long-term care settings. MSG has added to foods since the turn of the century and is classified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) food ingredient.