Enjoyment of taste should be one of the greatest pleasures in human life. However, ageing comes with a close association with decreased taste sensitivity. Loss of adequate gustatory function may induce poor appetite, reduced dietary intake, and weight loss, particularly in the elderly. In developed countries, gustatory function is generally assessed using the filter paper disk test, in which a filter paper soaked with a taste-inducing chemical solution is placed on specific areas of the tongue and oral cavity. However, this test only assesses four of the five basic tastes; sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. In this article, Let us analyse the chemistry, role of MSG as flavour enhancer and its Health implications with an overview of the Food Regulatory Authority about its usage.

Monosodium glutamate is a salt containing glutamate – an amino acid present in human bodies that plays a vital role in metabolism and communication of human neurons. It is a sodium salt of glutamate. Glutamate is an amino acid (building block of proteins) that occurs naturally in foods like tomato (246 ppm), cheddar cheese (182 ppm), corn (106 ppm), green pea (106 ppm), onion (51 ppm), cabbage (50 ppm), spinach (48 ppm), mushroom (42 ppm), chicken (22 ppm) and breast milk (19 ppm), (Source Journals). Japanese renowned chemist Kikunae Ikeda first produced it, in the year 1908. Ikeda identified glutamate as the key compound that gives dried seaweed its flavor, and worked on to develop it in the form of MSG, which could easily be used in food. Glutamate, and its salts contain sodium, potassium, magnesium, ammonium or calcium, which are now added to foods as flavor enhancers on daily basis and not just continental, Chinese food. As per the regulations from FDA, PFA, FSSAI and other regulatory bodies, these salts are listed as E-numbers (E620 to E625) in food labeling. But foods with high levels of glutamate, such as mushrooms, cheeses and fruit juice, won’t be labeled. Despite the popularity of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) and its usage in the food industry worldwide, MSG has always been circulating around the controversies about its ill health effects. Whether Is it safe for infants, Younger children and old aged persons to consume. The permissible levels of use and its consumption; are some of the major key concerns among most of the consumers. Although glutamate is naturally present in many foods, and is frequently added to enhance flavor. Monosodium glutamate is commonly known as ajino-motto with the market identity and is the most widely used food additive valued for its flavor enhancing properties. After consuming the body uses glutamic acid as a fine tuner for brain functioning, Glutamate acts like a neurotransmitter in the brain, which plays a crucial role in memory and learning as well as a protein building block and contributes greatly to the characteristic ‘umami- the fifth taste’ of foods. The tongue has five kinds of basic taste-sensing receptors: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and the most recently discovered one, umami. Table salt (NaCl) activates; no surprise here; the salty sensors. MSG hits up the “umami” sensors. This taste is often described as brothy, savory, or meaty. Glutamates are found most often in fermented foods, like soy sauce or hard cheeses, and gives them an added flavor burst. Hydrolyzed proteins and yeasts also yield glutamates. When used in small amounts (much less than table salt), MSG adds this additional dimension to the food’s flavor profile. Overuse of MSG, often as a substitute for more expensive ingredients, can result in flavors that many people find unpleasant. Though an extremely small portion of the population (probably less than 1%) exhibits intolerance to MSG as individuals can to any food, it is a safe food ingredient in use for more than a century. Due to the presence of naturally occurring glutamate in our body, the body does not distinguish between natural glutamate from foods and the added ones.

Now a days food items adulterated with Monosodium Glutamate, called in markets in the form of tasting powder, flood the markets goes unnoticed, hence posing serious health hazard to consumers. The experts cautioned that due to (Monosodium Glutamate), people are suffering from severe diseases. The usage of MSG is strictly prohibited under the law any violation of the provisions of FSS Act/Rules & Regulations and is liable for penalties which may invite prosecution.
One of the studies conducted by researchers confirmed after taking samples of these tasting powders and confirmed that MSG is added to majority of the foods people regularly eat, especially in the restaurants, street-foods, hawkers and renowned hotels. “MSG is used in canned soups, crackers, meats, salad dressings, frozen dinners and much more. It's found in restaurants, cafeterias and, amazingly, even in baby food and infant formula, while MSG's benefits to the food industry are quite clear, this food additive could be slowly and silently doing major damage to the health of people,” (Source Experts). It appears to be no solution to the menace of food adulteration. Researchers explain that MSG is an excite toxin, which means it overexcites your cells to the point of damage or death, causing brain damage to varying degrees and potentially even triggering or worsening learning disabilities, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease and more. A Chinese-American doctor from Maryland reported that he had experienced symptoms of neck numbness, weakness and palpitations after eating foods containing MSG. Review from the readers soon followed, claiming a wide range of side effects. Since then, other more common symptoms have been added to the syndrome including headaches, migraines, numbness/tingling, chest tightening, heart arrhythmia, anxiety, irritability, irritable bowel syndrome, restlessness, sleep disturbance, flushing, muscle tightness and behavior problems in children. Meanwhile it is been seen that food items adulterated with non-permitted synthetic colors available in the market for consumers goes unnoticed by the regulatory authorities, posing serious health hazard to consumers and challenging officials to eradicate the menace. The other health effects of MSG are High Cholesterol, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excessive body fat, Sterility in females and it may also cause high blood pressure, water retention during pregnancy, Migraine Headaches, Abnormal heart beats, chest pain, cardiac muscle arrest, Numbness, tingling or burning sensations in face and neck, Asthma problems, Weight gain, Hypertension, Sleep related breathing problems, Snoring, Cancer incidence increasing and Sleeplessness.

Regulations related to use:

There has been some controversy in recent years about whether MSG is entirely safe for human consumption. For people who are intolerant to MSG, they would argue that MSG is bad for everyone and should be avoided at all costs. MSG has been studied for more than 30 years in Australian and overseas researching what the effects of MSG are on the body. Food Standards Australia/New Zealand (FSANZ) has ruled it safe for consumption at the current levels. The US Food and Drug (FDA) and World Health Organisation (WHO) also agree that MSG is safe to add to foods. No country has banned the use of MSG in foods consumed by adults however 50 countries have banned its use in baby food. A review of the data from the world’s top scientific sources reveals that MSG is safe for human consumption. Numerous international scientific evaluations undertaken over many years have placed MSG on the GRAS (generally regarded as safe) list of food additives approved by the US-FDA, along with many other common food ingredients such as salt, vinegar and baking powder. Under the Indian food laws, MSG is a permitted additive in foods. The European Community’s Scientific Committee for Food confirmed the safety of MSG. The Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization also placed MSG in the safe category for food additives. The food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) banned Maggi noodles few years back owing to presence of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) in higher content. The FSSAI, is the apex Indian food regulator, says that consumers should be facilitated to exercise informed choices in respect of what they eat. Paving the way for MSG in food stuffs, the FSSAI, in an order has said, "Under regulation of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives), Regulations, 2011, MSG, a flavor enhancer may be added to specific foods subject to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) level and under proper declaration of the of the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labeling) Regulations, 2011." At present, there are no specified limits fixed by FSSAI or by global standards for MSG. Presently, there is no analytical method to determine whether MSG was added to a product during its manufacture or was naturally present in the product. This can however be checked through inspection of the manufacturing premises. In order to ensure that consumers are facilitated to exercise informed choices in respect of what they eat, proceedings may be launched against FBOs only when the labels states 'No MSG' or 'No added MSG' and MSG is actually found in the impugned foodstuff. FSSAI has issued instructions to the Commissioners of Food Safety that specific enforcement and prosecution may not be launched against the manufacturers of noodles or pasta on account of presence of MSG/Glutamic Acid unless it is ascertained by the department that MSG flavor enhancer (INS E-621) was deliberately added during the course of manufacture without required declaration on the label as indicated.

Given these facts, it is no surprise that MSG is greatly popular among chefs and the food industry across the world. Another issue that has cropped up in the debate over MSG is whether it is an allergen or not. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, it is not. The US Food and Drug Administration has found no evidence to suggest any long-term, serious health consequences from the consumption of MSG. However, it is true that some people might be sensitive to MSG, just as to many other foods and food ingredients. Because of any individual sensitivity that may occur, the food labels are required to indicate the presence of MSG. The phrase “contains glutamate” appears on labels of foods containing MSG. There is general consensus in the scientific community that MSG is safe for the adult population. While MSG may be considered safe for children, it may be prudent to limit its intake during pregnancy. Some preliminary scientific studies suggested an association with high doses of MSG and increased risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome. However, more empirical studies are needed to elucidate causal inference. But by no means can MSG be categorized as a toxic, unsafe ingredient. The ongoing confusion about MSG requires us to differentiate and distinguish this from the natural glutamate present in foods. What is needed is a complete relook on the food safety issues including hygiene, microbial safety, contaminants, adulterants, additives and allergens, rather than bans on individual food items.

Note: (The author is an Aspiring Food Technologist/Writer and opinions expressed in this article are based on scientific research carried by scholars, and has nothing to do with the organization he works for).