Vegeta (condiment) facts for kids

Vegeta Product Packaging

Vegeta is a very popular mix of seasonings that makes food taste even better! It's made from dried vegetables, spices, and a special ingredient called MSG (monosodium glutamate). A company from Croatia called Podravka makes it. Many people in Eastern Europe use Vegeta when they cook.

How Vegeta Was Created

Vegeta was first made in 1958 in a place called Koprivnica, which was part of Yugoslavia back then. A smart chemical technician named Zlata Bartl led the team that invented it. She was already famous for making popular dried soup mixes.

The seasoning was first sold in 1959 and was called "Vegeta 40." It became so popular that by 1967, it was being sent to other countries like Hungary and the Soviet Union. Podravka still makes Vegeta in Koprivnica, and it's also made in other countries like Poland, Austria, Hungary, and Tanzania.

Vegeta's Big Success

Vegeta was a huge success for Podravka and helped the city of Koprivnica grow. Zlata Bartl, who created Vegeta, became known as "Auntie Vegeta" (or Teta Vegeta in Croatian). She was even made an honorary citizen of the city before she passed away in 2008.

In 2021, a company called Nielsen said that Vegeta was the best-selling all-purpose food seasoning in Europe! Today, you can find Vegeta products in 40 different countries around the world. There's even a special version of Vegeta that doesn't have added MSG for people who prefer that.

What's in Vegeta?

Vegeta is made from a mix of different ingredients that give it its special flavor. Here's what you'll find in it, based on the product packaging from 2008:

• Salt (up to 56%)
• Dried vegetables (about 15.5%), like carrots, parsnips, onions, celery, and parsley leaves
• Flavor enhancers, including MSG (up to 15%) and disodium inosinate. These help make the flavors in your food stronger.
• Sugar
• Spices
• Cornstarch
• Riboflavin, which is used to give Vegeta its yellow color.

Here's a table showing what 100 grams (g) of Vegeta contains on average:

See also

In Spanish: Vegeta (alimento) para niños