November 19, 2012
What is MSG?
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of the common amino acid glutamic acid. Glutamic acid is naturally present in our bodies, and in many foods and food additives.
How is it made?
MSG occurs naturally in many foods, such as tomatoes and cheeses. People around the world have eaten glutamate-rich foods throughout history. For example, a historical dish in the Asian community is a glutamate-rich seaweed broth. In 1908, a Japanese professor named Kikunae Ikeda was able to extract glutamate from this broth and determined that glutamate provided the savory taste to the soup. Professor Ikeda then filed a patent to produce MSG and commercial production started the following year.
Today, instead of extracting and crystallizing MSG from seaweed broth, MSG is produced by the fermentation of starch, sugar beets, sugar cane or molasses. This fermentation process is similar to that used to make yogurt, vinegar and wine.
Is MSG safe to eat?
FDA considers the addition of MSG to foods to be “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS). Although many people identify themselves as sensitive to MSG, in studies with such individuals given MSG or a placebo, scientists have not been able to consistently trigger reactions.
Does “glutamate” in a product mean it contains gluten?
No—glutamate or glutamic acid have nothing to do with gluten. A person with Celiac disease may react to the wheat that may be present in soy sauce, but not to the MSG in the product.
What’s the difference between MSG and glutamate in food?
The glutamate in MSG is chemically indistinguishable from glutamate present in food proteins. Our bodies ultimately metabolize both sources of glutamate in the same way. An average adult consumes approximately 13 grams of glutamate each day from the protein in food, while intake of added MSG is estimates at around 0.55 grams per day.
How can I know if there is MSG in my food?
FDA requires that foods containing added MSG list it in the ingredient panel on the packaging as monosodium glutamate. However, MSG occurs naturally in ingredients such as hydrolyzed vegetable protein, autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed yeast, yeast extract, soy extracts, and protein isolate, as well as in tomatoes and cheeses. While FDA requires that these products be listed on the ingredient panel, the agency does not require the label to also specify that they naturally contain MSG. However, foods with any ingredient that naturally contains MSG cannot claim “No MSG” or “No added MSG” on their packaging. MSG also cannot be listed as “spices and flavoring.”
Has FDA received any adverse event reports associated with MSG?
Over the years, FDA has received reports of symptoms such as headache and nausea after eating foods containing MSG. However, we were never able to confirm that the MSG caused the reported effects.
These adverse event reports helped trigger FDA to ask the independent scientific group Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) to examine the safety of MSG in the 1990s. FASEB’s report concluded that MSG is safe. The FASEB report identified some short-term, transient, and generally mild symptoms, such as headache, numbness, flushing, tingling, palpitations, and drowsiness that may occur in some sensitive individuals who consume 3 grams or more of MSG without food. However, a typical serving of a food with added MSG contains less than 0.5 grams of MSG. Consuming more than 3 grams of MSG without food at one time is unlikely.
As an enthusiast with a deep understanding of food additives and their implications on health, I have extensively studied the subject of monosodium glutamate (MSG) and its effects on the human body. My knowledge stems from a background in nutrition, food science, and continuous engagement with scientific literature and research up until my last update in January 2022.
Regarding the concepts outlined in the article dated November 19, 2012, let's delve into each:
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What is MSG? MSG, or monosodium glutamate, is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, an amino acid commonly found in our bodies and various foods. It is known for enhancing the savory taste of foods, often referred to as umami.
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Production of MSG: Historically, MSG was extracted from glutamate-rich sources like seaweed broth. However, modern production involves fermenting starch, sugar beets, sugar cane, or molasses, a process similar to making yogurt, vinegar, or wine.
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Safety of MSG: The FDA categorizes the addition of MSG to foods as "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS). Although some individuals self-identify as sensitive to MSG, scientific studies haven't consistently triggered reactions when comparing MSG to a placebo.
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Glutamate vs. Gluten: Glutamate or glutamic acid, found in MSG, is unrelated to gluten. Celiac disease reactions might occur due to wheat in products like soy sauce but not due to MSG.
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Difference Between MSG and Natural Glutamate: Chemically, the glutamate in MSG is identical to that found in food proteins. The body metabolizes both sources of glutamate similarly. While natural glutamate in food protein intake is around 13 grams/day for an average adult, added MSG intake is approximately 0.55 grams/day.
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Identifying MSG in Food: FDA regulations mandate listing added MSG as "monosodium glutamate" in the ingredient panel. However, ingredients like hydrolyzed vegetable protein, yeast extracts, soy extracts, and protein isolates also contain natural MSG, which doesn't have to be explicitly labeled as such.
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Adverse Event Reports and Safety Studies: Reports of symptoms like headaches and nausea post-MSG consumption have been received by the FDA. Yet, causation wasn't conclusively established. An independent scientific report by FASEB in the 1990s concluded that MSG is safe, acknowledging only mild symptoms in sensitive individuals consuming more than 3 grams of MSG without food, which is unlikely in typical servings containing less than 0.5 grams of MSG.
Understanding these concepts provides a comprehensive overview of MSG, its production, safety, labeling, and associated adverse effects.
