What is MSG and How is it Made? | MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) | Ajinomoto Group Global Website - Eat Well, Live Well. (2024)

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What is MSG and How is it Made? | MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) | Ajinomoto Group Global Website - Eat Well, Live Well.? ›

Today, the MSG (monosodium glutamate

In many countries MSG goes by the name “China salt”. Beside its flavour enhancing effects, MSG has been associated with various forms of toxicity (Figure 1(Fig. 1)). MSG has been linked with obesity, metabolic disorders, Chinese Restaurant Syndrome, neurotoxic effects and detrimental effects on the reproductive organs.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer often added to restaurant foods, canned vegetables, soups, deli meats and other foods. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified MSG as a food ingredient that's generally recognized as safe.

Glutamate is an amino acid naturally found in many foods. There's no evidence that MSG is the big, bad food additive it's been labeled. In moderation, it can make your meal more delicious without the added sodium. If you are concerned about MSG, talk to your health care provider or a registered dietitian.

If you're at your local grocery store, head to the spice aisle near the salt and look for Ac'cent. You can also buy MSG directly from spice and seasoning retailers. Regardless of where you find MSG, it's a simple, safe and fun way to add some sparkle to whatever you're eating.

In particular, the US Institute of Medicine suggests using MSG as a lower-sodium alternative to salt and as a way to help food taste good. That being said, you don't need to rush to the market to stock up on MSG.

The European Union classifies it as a food additive permitted in certain foods and subject to quantitative limits. MSG has the HS code 29224220 and the E number E621.

For starters, it acts as a neurotransmitter — a chemical substance that stimulates nerve cells to transmit signals ( 1 , 2 ). Some studies claim that MSG can lead to brain toxicity by causing excessive glutamate levels in the brain to overstimulate nerve cells, resulting in cell death ( 2 , 7 ).

MSG is used as a flavor enhancer and has been commonly associated with a multitude of symptoms including headache, myalgia, back pain, neck pain, nausea, diaphoresis, tingling, flushing, and chest tightness.

Drinking several glasses of water may help flush the MSG out of your system and shorten the duration of your symptoms.

Does McDonald's use MSG? ›

The first is that the majority of people simply do not know MSG occurs naturally in fermented foods, hard cheeses, tomato paste, some vegetables, etc. Not exactly. McDonald's does not add MSG (monosodium glutamate) to its food, but they do use ingredients like hydrolyzed vegetable protein in several products.

MSG is also found in many processed and packaged foods, and in many hot dogs and lunch meats. Condiments like salad dressing, mayonnaise, ketchup, and barbecue sauce also frequently contain MSG, as do packaged seasoning blends, frozen pizzas, and instant noodles.

Since then, research has debunked the myth that MSG is a villainous ingredient, and research shows that in small amounts, it doesn't cause any significant or lasting harm. Registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD, LD, explains what MSG is, how it got such a bad rap and what we now know to be true about it.

What is MSG Made of? Today, the MSG (monosodium glutamate) produced by the Ajinomoto Group is produced through fermentation of plant-based ingredients such as sugar cane, sugar beets, cassava or corn. MSG is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, one of the most common naturally occurring amino acids.

The only real difference is that the glutamate you get from mushrooms (and tomatoes, parmesan, soy beans, broccoli) is natural, rather than extracted and crystallized like shakers of pure MSG.

First reported in 1968 as Chinese restaurant syndrome,¹ some people have described symptoms including a burning sensation at the back of the neck and on the forearms and chest; headache; chest pain; numbness at the back of the neck and radiating to the arms and back; nausea; and palpitations after consuming MSG.

Is MSG illegal in Australia? The short answer to that is No. MSG is a legal food additive in Australia. Food Authority NSW says this: “In Australia and New Zealand, no food additive — including MSG — is approved for use in food until its safety has been established by FSANZ.”

While MSG symptom complex may be related to MSG intake, researchers are still not sure what causes the symptoms. While MSG does not affect most people, some people self identify as sensitive to it or other food additives.