For two decades, the glutamate industry, led by Ajinomoto Company, Inc. and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) maintained that MSG did not cause or exacerbate brain lesions or neuroendocrine disorders. Later, no longer able to deny the relationship between MSG and brain lesions, the glutamate industry, the FDA, and the USDA changed their argument for the safety of MSG to the argument that brain lesions and neuroendocrine disorders can be caused by MSG, but only in laboratory animals; and that what applies to those laboratory animals does not apply to humans. Finally, faced with growing consumer recognition that processed free glutamic acid (MSG) is causing adverse reactions in substantial numbers of people; and that the glutamate cascade is implicated in such disease conditions as addiction, stroke, epilepsy, degenerative disorders (Alzheimer's disease, ALS, and Parkinson's disease, for example), brain trauma, neuropathic pain, schizophrenia, anxiety, and depression; the glutamate industry changed its strategy. Instead of having the FDA claim that essentially no one is sensitive to processed free glutamic acid (MSG), Ajinomoto and friends would agree to labeling some processed free glutamic acid (MSG), but not all processed free glutamic acid (MSG). And they would only agree to labeling processed free glutamic acid (MSG) when found in amounts that far exceeded the amounts of processed free glutamic acid (MSG) presently found in processed food.

How much processed free glutamic acid (MSG) is there in a serving of processed food? There were a number of independent analyses of canned soups done several years ago, some of which were notorious for causing MSG reactions. Most of the soups contained about .6 grams of processed free glutamic acid (MSG) per serving. None contained as much as one gram.

How much processed free glutamic acid (MSG) does it take to cause an adverse reaction? No one knows, because no one has even tried to do a systematic study that would give us a clue. We do know, however, that in a number of published reports of adverse reactions, as little as .5 grams of processed free glutamic acid (MSG) caused adverse reactions. We also know that some MSG-sensitive people react to the minute amounts of processed free glutamic acid (MSG) found in binders and fillers (such as maltodextrin and corn starch) used in some pharmaceuticals.

Has the FDA actually proposed labeling some processed free glutamic acid (MSG)? No, they have not. In 1996 the FDA issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking which talked about possibly proposing labeling of some processed free glutamic acid (MSG). They did that because they were being sued, and, it would appear, they wanted to pretend they were doing something about labeling. They did that so they could tell legislators who inquired about labeling that the FDA was thinking about labeling. They did that with the hope that no one would notice that while it is true that "...oral ingestion of 3 or more grams (g) of [the ingredient] monosodium glutamate (MSG) without food can cause adverse reactions in certain otherwise healthy individuals...," it is also true that otherwise healthy individuals will react to less than 3 grams of processed free glutamic acid (MSG). They did that because there is no food in the market that contains as much as 3 grams of processed free glutamic acid (MSG) per serving. Not even the food ingredient "monosodium glutamate" contains as much as 3 gram of processed free glutamic acid (MSG) per serving. So if the sky fell in, and the FDA was forced to require labeling of processed free glutamic acid (MSG), they would be all set to propose a labeling requirement such that there would be no product out there that would have to be labeled.

It would appear that the FDA's next move is not to move. But if they are forced to move, which is doubtful, rest assured that they will do nothing that will be of benefit to people who are sensitive to processed free glutamic acid (MSG), or people who might simply want to avoid this toxic substance.
 
 
 

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This page was last updated on July 5, 2004.