Monosodium glutamate in food

OW Lau, CS Mok. Indirect conductometric detection of amino acids after liquid chromatographic separation. Part II. Determination of monosodium glutamate in foods. Anal Chim Acta 302 45 -52, 1995. 

Woessner, K.M. 2008. Monosodium glutamate. In Food Allergy. Adverse Reactions to Foods and Food Additives, 4th ed., D.D. Metcalfe, H.A. Sampson, and R.A. Simon, Eds., pp. 369-376. Blackwell Publishing, New York. 

TABLE 27.1 Different Enzymatic Flow Methods for Determining Monosodium Glutamate in Food Samples... 

L-glutamic acid and its ammonium, calcium, monosodium, and potassium salts were evaluated by the Joint FAOAVHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) in 1988 (6). Because human studies had failed to confirm involvement of monosodium glutamate in the Chinese restaurant sjmdrome or other reactions, the JECFA classified glutamic acid and its salts under the heading acceptable daily intake (ADI) not specified. The Scientific Committee for Food (SCF) of the European Commission reached a similar conclusion in 1991, and the conclusions of a subsequent review by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) and the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) did not discount the existence of a sensitive subpopulation but otherwise concurred with the evaluations of JECFA and the SCF. 

No interaction between monosodium glutamate per se and MAOIs has been established, although it should be pointed out that the number of subjects studied was very small. It is quite possible that the anecdotal reports were due to the tyramine content of the foods, and not to monosodium glutamate. In Hong Kong, patients on MAOIs are not advised to avoid monosodium glutamate, but are instrueted to avoid excessive soy sauce because of its possible high tyramine eontent. ... 

Krishna Veni, N., D. Karthika, M. Surya Devi, M. Rubini, M. Vishalini, and Y. Pradeepa. 2010. Analysis of monosodium l-glutamate in food products by high-performance thin layer chromatography. J. Young Pharm. 2 297-300. 

A seasoning is anything that enhances in flavor or appearance, or gives reflsh to foods. Spices, condiments, and salt or monosodium glutamate (MSG) are all seasonings (see Amino acids (msg)). 

In the food industries a number of amino acids have been widely used as flavor enhancers and flavor modifiers (see Flavors and spices). For example, monosodium L-glutamate is well-known as a meat flavor-enhancer and an enormous quantity of it is now used in various food appHcations (see Amino acids, L-MONOSODIUM glutamate (MSG)). Protein, hydroly2ed by acid or en2yme to be palatable, has been used for a long time in flavoring agents. 

Monosodium glutamate (e.g., in Chinese food, seasoned salt, and instant foods)... 

Food and feed additives do not stand back with regard to the diversity of products. They extend from minerals, mainly calcium, phosphorus, and potassium, to amino acids, vitamins and natural spices. All in all, there are several hundred individual compounds used as feed and food additives. The most expensive product is saffron, made from the stigmas of the saffron crocus flower. The yearly production amounts to about 700,000 kg, and the spice is retailing for about 2500/kg. Amino acids play a big role the largest product is monosodium glutamate (MSG), with a yearly production of 1.5-2 million tons and a price of about 2.30 per kilogram, followed by L-lysine (850,000 tons/ 1.50/kg), D,L-methionine (600,000 tons/ 3/kg), L-threonine (85,000 tons, 3.40/kg), and L-tryptophane (1750 tons/ 24/kg). Major producers of... 

The flavor enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG) is currently used in virtually every type of savory prepared-food. Unfortunately, MSG has several deleterious side effects on a large proportion of the population. Fortunately, a naturally occurring peptide isolated from a muscle food (beef) can serve not only as a potential replacement for MSG but also as a nutritional adjuvant. The peptide, called BMP or beefy meaty peptide, acts as a flavor enhancer and is found to occur naturally in beef Chapter 6). Research on BMP suggest that it is not only non-allergenic but, by virtue of its protein composition, is a nutritionally sound replacement for MSG. 

Salt is the best known taste enhancer for a variety of foods. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) and nucleotides, such as inosine monophosphate (IMP) and guanosine monophosphate (GMP), are known to enhance flavor and are recognia as the "umami taste" in Oriental cuisine. They have longer aftertastes than the "basic... 

Sodium Ion. The excessive intake of sodium ion coming from other than NaCl should be noticed, though reduced intake of NaCl is now a matter of great concern. Monosodium glutamate (MSG), for instance, is a subject of discussion. Since MSG effectively provides umami taste, it has been very popular as a Japanese seasoning. In the United States, MSG has currently been mark as a cause of "Chinese restaurant syndrome". In addition, beef, liver, blood and their processed foods contains a large amount of sodium ion. Sine sodium ion combines with aspartic acid and glutamic acid residues in protein, study of affinity of acidic amino acids to sodium ion has to be set out first. 

Monosodium glutamate lor many years has been the best known and most widely used of the flavor enhancers. MSG is normally effective in terms ol a relatively few pans per thousand, but far less powerful than the newer flavor potentiators. Like enhancers, potentiators do not add any taste of their own to food substances, but intensify the taste response to the flavorings already present in the food. Because a potentiator is more powerful, smaller quantities of the substances are required than in the Case of the enhancers. Generally, the available potentiators are from about 15 to nearly 100 times more effective than tile enhancer. 

---