To MSG or Not To MSG?



Graphic: en.wikipedia.org

Monosodium glutamate, or MSG, is a food additive that was patented more than 100 years ago, in 1908, by Dr. Kikunae Ikeda at the University of Tokyo. MSG is the salt form of glutamic acid, a non-essential amino acid that our bodies make and use as a neurotransmitter. When glutamic acid is broken down by cooking, fermenting or other processes, it becomes glutamate. Add that to water, and you've got MSG.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that MSG is "generally declared as safe" but it's use in food remains fairly controversial. Researches have been unable to identify a specific link between MSG and reports of various adverse reactions to foods that contain it, like headaches, chest pain and nausea. These reported symptoms have been dubbed MSG symptom complex" and "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" - the latter a misnomer, considering MSG is also used in cuisines from other countries or regions, including Japan (Ajinomoto) and North America (Accent).

Because potential health risks haven't been ruled out definitively, the FDA requires that foods containing MSG must list it on the label. But, because MSG is one form of a naturally occurring amino acid that can be found in varying levels in many different foods, the labeling language that should be used is unclear. Simply citing that the food contains "No MSG" isn't sufficient when it includes ingredients like hydrolyzed vegetable protein, yeast extract or protein isolate, which all can naturally contain glutamic acid and its salts. The food industry uses terms like "natural flavor" to mask the amount of potential MSG or other glutamate content.

Photo: www.umamiinfo.com

So, why use it when there's so much controversy? It's all about umami. This fifth taste sensation - which has been added to sweet, salty, bitter and sour - refers to the naturally savory flavors of foods like cheese, meats and tomatoes. MSG in particular imparts umami. (That konbu broth we made for our week in Japan contains naturally occurring glutamate. Dr. Ikeda studied that kelp as the basis of his glutamate research and established the umami taste classification back in 1908, but it wasn't widely accepted until the 1980s.)

You can decide for yourself whether to include MSG in your cooking. Since I don't have it already in my pantry, I'll just leave it out. I've never thought that my cooking is unsavory, but perhaps I just don't know what I'm missing.