What is MSG (mono sodium glutamate) Can you tell me any more information about this food additive.?

Question

Thank you for your answers.

Answer 1

Monosodium glutamate is a food additive that works on the Umami taste (savoury flavour). Some say that it is bad for you, however it is widely consumed in the far east, where is is also known as gourmet powder.

Glutamates (and the savoury flavour they have) may be created naturally by boiling dried kombu seaweed; it can also come from dried shrimp or bonito flakes, or from fermented soy.

Answer 2

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer commonly added to Chinese food, canned vegetables, soups and processed meats. Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified MSG as a food ingredient that is "generally recognized as safe," the use of MSG remains controversial. It is used in western asian style restaurants.

It's commonly used in Asian style restaurants. Takeaway foods are often loaded with MSG. Some people have severe reactions to it.

MSG is found in a variety of processed foods.

Reactions, known as MSG symptom complex, may include:

Headache, sometimes called MSG headache

Flushing

Sweating

Sense of facial pressure or tightness

Numbness, tingling or burning in or around the mouth

Rapid, fluttering heartbeats (heart palpitations)

Chest pain

Shortness of breath

Nausea (feeling faint)

Weakness

However, symptoms are usually mild and don't require treatment.

Answer 3

There was this Japanese guy who always wondered why sea weed tasted so good.  Later in life, he was able to isolate the ingredient in sea weed that was the source of this 'enhanced' flavour.  MSG.  Yes, it is naturally occurring, but man, it's really nasty stuff and very bad for you.  I'm sure the MSG in seaweed is very very small, and not only that, naturally balanced with the rest of nutrients etc. of the sea weed.

"MSG is produced by fermentation. Certain bacteria convert molasses or starch hydrolyzate to l-glutamic acid, which is neutralized with sodium hydroxide to form MSG. Before fermentation was adopted, the main source of l-glutamic acid was extraction from wheat gluten, which contains as much as 25% of the amino acid by weight.

"The flavor-enhancing property of MSG was discovered in 1908 by Kikunae Ikeda, a chemistry professor at Imperial University of Tokyo and founder of Ajinomoto. He isolated the substance in a seaweed that for centuries Japanese cooks had been using to make food taste better and found that it was l-glutamate. MSG first came to market in 1909 under the trade name Aji-No-Moto. In the U.S., a popular brand is Accent."

They say it's safe and there's nothing wrong with it, but man, if I have a meal with it, I cannot taste it, but fist I am very very thirsty after my meal.  Then I get acne bumps, especially on my forehead.  And other symptoms.

Answer 4

u peeps know nothing bout chinese food...u guys exagerate alot about de fact that MSG is often found in chinese food...maybe in de USA or some western countries de chinese food there has lots of MSG but here in asia, most ppl still cook de TRADITIONAL way without MSG or artificial additives. Although some use it when operating big and busy restaurants to save time. If u eat a bowl of noodles with MSG and another without it, u would be able to taste the difference right away

Answer 5

This should hopefully help you:

http://www.glutamate.org/media/discovery...

Answer 6

All I know is that it is derived from a type of seaweed, I suppose it's one of those well kept "secrets"

Answer 7

Monosodium glutamate (commonly known as MSG) is a sodium salt of glutamic acid, a non-essential amino acid.

It is very often found in seasonings or Chinese food.

It has been found that monosodium glutamate can cause headaches or other symptoms in susceptible people.

Flavour Enhancer MSG or monosodium glutamate, is the sodium salt of L-glutamic acid. Interestingly, L-glutamic acid is a major component of almost every protein in the human body. It also is found naturally in plants and animals.

MSG is a flavor enhancer and vasodilator found in many processed foods. Food labels should be checked carefully.

Answer 8

Most of what has been offered here in answer to your question is fairly accurate so I needn't repeat what has been said except that in laboratory tests at Harvard and Tufts Universities it has been found that MSG kills brain cells in rats within twenty minutes.

Unfortunately, the FDA has not been known to be particularly correct in its findings and imprimaturs. They have issued too many recalls and warnings to be thought of as infallible. Not only that, but the political connections between their leadership and the corporations that produce substances and products  from Accent ( or commercially available MSG) to diet anything loaded with the poison Aspartame (Equal, Sweet and Low, Diet Soft Drinks etc.) is all too obvious.  Where money and manufacturing is concerned, everything is subject to careful scrutiny. Take a look at this review of Andrew Kimbrell's book, Your Right to Know to understand the connections I am talking about. http://www.your-vegetarian-kitchen.com/y...

Also the better Chinese Restaurants do not use MSG. If a restaurant does use it,  they must under law provide food prepared without it on request. Hence your need to ask if they use it in the food when you are ordering.  Many, many people have very severe reactions to it ranging from instant headache and migraine, to breathing issues. As I said Accent is one product on the market that is MSG. From where I sit it is to be avoided at all costs.