Why is Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) in news?

Monosodium Glutamate

Why is Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) in news?

·         Monosodium glutamate also known as sodium glutamate is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, one of the most abundant naturally-occurring non-essential amino acids. MSG is found in tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, potatoes, mushrooms, and other vegetables and fruits.

·         MSG is used in the food industry as a flavor enhancer with an umami taste that intensifies the meaty, savory flavor of food, as naturally occurring glutamate does in foods such as stews and meat soups. This was first prepared by Japanese biochemist Kikunae Ikeda, who was seeking to isolate and duplicate the savory taste of kombu, an edible seaweed used as a base for many Japanese soups. MSG as a flavor enhancer balances, blends and rounds the perception of other tastes. It is particularly popular in Korean, Japanese and Chinese cuisine.

·         The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given MSG its generally recognized as safe (GRAS) designation. A popular belief in the Anglo sphere holds that large doses of MSG can cause headaches and other feelings of discomfort collectively known as Chinese Restaurant Syndrome; however, in controlled studies scientists have been unable to trigger such reactions consistently. The European Union classifies it as a food additive permitted in certain foods and subject to quantitative limits. MSG has the HS code29224220 and the E number E621.

Chemical formula	C5H8NO4Na
Molar mass	169.111 g/mol
Appearance	White crystalline powder
Melting point	232 °C (450 °F; 505 K)
Solubility in water	74 g/100 mL

Chemical names and identifiers

·         Mono sodium glutamate

·         Sodium 2-aminopentanedioate

·         Glutamic acid, monosodium salt, monohydrate

·         L-Glutamic acid, monosodium salt, monohydrate

·         L-Monosodium glutamate monohydrate

·         Monosodium L-glutamate monohydrate

·         MSG monohydrate

·         Sodium glutamate mono hydrate

·         The Maggi controversy brought Monosodium Glutamate into controversy once again. 

·         An officer from the Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration ordered tests on a dozen samples of Nestle's Maggi instant noodles at the state laboratory in Gorakhpur.

·         The tests were repeated at the Central Food Laboratory in Kolkata also.

·         Nestle claimed that Maggi does not contain MSG.

·         But both the tests confirmed the existence of MSG.

·         Central Food Laboratory reported that along with MSG, Maggi also contains lead more than permissible levels.

·         Maggi contains 17.2 parts per million (ppm) lead whereas the permissible limit is 0.1 - 1.4 ppm.

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG):

·         Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid.

·         Glutamic acid is a non-essential amino acid. It means this amino acid can be synthesised within human body.

·         Kikunae Ikeda, a Japanese biochemist discovered a method to extract monosodium glutamate from wheat and defatted soyabean. 

·         He was the person who gave Monosodium Glutamate its name and patented the manufacture of monosodium glutamate.

·         Ajinomoto was the first company to market MSG under the trade name Aji no Moto.

Natural sources of Monosodium Glutamate:-

Tomatoes

Parmesan Cheese

Potatoes

Mushrooms 

Properties of Monosodium Glutamate [MSG]:-                  

·         Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer. 

·         Taste:- MSG has umami taste due to glutamate. 

·         Umami taste can be described as a pleasant brothy or meaty taste.

·         MSG contains about one third of the sodium of table salt and is used in smaller amounts.

·         When monosodium glutamate is used in combination with a small amount of table salt, it can help to reduce the total sodium in a recipe by 20-40 per cent while maintaining flavour.

Safety concerns regarding MSG:

·         US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified MSG as a food ingredient that is "Generally recognized as safe".

·         But the use of MSG remains controversial. That is why, when MSG is added to food, the FDA requires that it be listed on the label.

·         Some medical experts call MSG as carcinogenic i.e. cancer causing.

·    According to some medical professionals, MSG inhibits neurological functions like memory and learning.

·    A study reveals that children who consume excess MSG are shown to have behaviour problems.

·     Many a times, MSG is linked with "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" because symptoms were observed after consumption of a Chinese meal and MSG is widely used in Asian cooking.

Symptoms related to Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

·         Headaches

·         Burning sensations along the back of the neck

·         chest tightness

·         nausea

·         sweating

·         Asthma attacks

·         Obesity

·         Weakness

·         Fertility - A research done in rats showed that MSG affected male fertility. 

MSG was proven to interfere with ova and follicle releases disrupting fertility.

Researchers have not confirmed these observations on humans yet.