Eat a bag of chips, slurp down a bowl of noodles, or tuck into a salami sandwich; There’s a good chance you’re also eating monosodium glutamate.
For decades, monosodium glutamate, better known as MSG, has found a place in many foods as a flavor enhancer.
But the spices that were ubiquitous during this time have a not-so-savory history.
The alleged side effects of MSG have traditionally been associated with eating Chinese cuisine and have been called “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome”.
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The term was first used in 1968 by a US physician who wrote a letter to the highly respected New England Journal of Medicine, in which he questioned some of the symptoms he was experiencing after eating at various Chinese restaurants.
This led to a wave of similar articles appearing in many medical journals and subsequently in the media; this has led to negative public perceptions about MSG and food at Chinese and Asian restaurants, as well as harmful race-based stereotypes about the cuisine.
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However, studies in recent years have failed to show a link between such widespread reactions and MSG consumption, and calls for the term to be canceled are increasing.
In 2020, the Merriam-Webster dictionary updated its definition of Chinese Restaurant Syndrome with the label “dated, sometimes offensive” by the company Ajinomoto, a long-time manufacturer of Japanese MSG seasonings.
In late August, a group of American chefs, food writers, dietitians, and public health scientists, supported by the Ajinomoto group, wrote an open letter to the New England Journal of Medicine calling for the “racist phrase” to be retired forever.
Yet MSG remains the subject of controversy when it comes to health.
We asked experts to answer five frequently asked questions about its science and safety.
What is MSG and how is it made?
We perceive five basic tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami (also known as salty).
Umami was first described by Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda in 1908. Umami attributed the meaty, savory taste found in kombu dashi, a traditional Japanese broth made from bonito and dried fish known as dried seaweed, to a chemical called glutamate.
Kombu is a type of giant seaweed. It is naturally rich in glutamic acid, which turns into glutamate when cooked. (Getty Images: K3)
Soon after, Dr Ikeda developed a seasoning by binding glutamate with sodium to produce the water-soluble crystalline salt we know as MSG. He later partnered with a company to commercialize the spice.
Today, MSG is made by fermenting starch, corn sugar or molasses from sugar cane or sugar beets.
Where is MSG found?
MSG is widely used as a flavor enhancer because it intensifies meat flavors.
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It is added to foods such as processed meats, condiments, spice blends, and snacks such as flavored chips and instant noodles. MSG is also present in manufactured ingredients such as yeast extract and hydrolyzed vegetable protein.
Apart from its full name, added MSG may be identified in a food label’s ingredient list as “flavor enhancer (MSG)” or by the food additive code number 621 or E621.
Our bodies also naturally produce small amounts of glutamate, and it is found in a variety of unprocessed foods, such as tomatoes and mushrooms.
When it occurs naturally in food or ingredients, it does not need to be included on food labels.
How does MSG interact with our body?
When we eat a mouthful of MSG-laden food, the glutamate part of the MSG molecule binds to the umami taste receptors on our tongue and around our mouth, giving us the famous meaty hit of MSG.
It also stimulates saliva production, allowing other taste molecules in food to better reach their receptors, making everything taste better, explains nutrition and food scientist Emma Beckett from the University of Newcastle.
Immediately after eating MSG, a small group of people may experience headaches, sweating, difficulty breathing, and facial tension.
However, although a very small portion of people have a true MSG sensitivity, Dr. Beckett says many studies fail to consider spices as the cause of these effects.
“Given the amounts in food, if people are having a reaction it is much more likely that it is something else in the food, other foods or drinks consumed at the same time, or something else in the environment.”
Is it safe to eat MSG?
Yes. According to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards, MSG is considered safe to consume and does not pose a health concern to the general population.
Emma Beckett says many common foods contain MSG, but reviews still tend to focus on Chinese foods. (Provided by: Emma Beckett)
“Too much of anything is a bad thing, but there are no studies showing any long-term adverse effects of regular MSG consumption,” says Dr Beckett.
He says the studies showing harm are at doses of MSG far above what people actually consume.
When it comes to creating delicious meals, it’s common to find chefs and food content creators on social media promoting a sprinkle of MSG to enhance their home cooking, like the recently viral cucumber salad.
And such small amounts of MSG may even be beneficial to one’s health.
“Adding MSG or MSG-containing seasonings to healthy foods such as vegetables and grains can be a great way to make them palatable so you eat more of them,” Dr Beckett says.
“If it’s a food that’s high sugar, high calorie, or high fat but also contains MSG, then MSG probably isn’t what we should be focusing on.”
Does MSG contribute to sodium intake?
It can. Public health nutritionist Kathy Trieu explains that consuming too much sodium in the form of regular table salt (sodium chloride) or MSG can lead to high blood pressure and an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.
As co-director of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Collaborating Center on Population Salt Reduction and at the George Institute for Global Health, Dr. Trieu is working towards the WHO’s global goal of reducing sodium intake by 30 percent by 2025.
MSG can be used instead of table salt to reduce sodium intake, says Kathy Trieu, but potassium-enriched salt is a better alternative. (Provided by: Kathy Trieu)
A WHO report last year showed that the world was not on track to achieve that goal.
The global average sodium intake for adults is estimated to be 4,310 milligrams per day (equivalent to 10.8 grams of table salt per day); This is more than double the World Health Organization’s recommendation of less than 2,000 mg of sodium (or less than 5 g) each day. daily salt).
However, Dr Trieu points out that MSG contains a third less sodium than regular table salt.
“Regular salt contains more sodium and is therefore worse for health,” he says.
Although there is no harm in using small amounts of MSG instead of table salt when cooking at home, Dr. Trieu says there’s an even better option: potassium-enriched salt.
“Like MSG, potassium-enriched salt contains less sodium but also more potassium.
“Potassium is a mineral often found in fruits and vegetables and actually reduces blood pressure and cardiovascular risk.
“There is compelling research showing that switching to potassium-enriched salt has health benefits.”