What is monosodium glutamate (MSG)?
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a sodium salt derived from the amino acid glutamic acid.
This acid can be found naturally in the body and in various foods and food additives.
MSG has a function as a seasoning similar to glutamate. This compound acts as a flavor enhancer and adds to the taste called “umami”.
Umami is a term that can best be described as a savory taste, like broth or meat. This taste is produced from MSG.
How is MSG made?
Monosodium glutamate can actually be found in several foods, such as tomatoes and cheese.
Many people around the world have been consuming foods rich in glutamate, such as seaweed broth which comes from several countries in Asia.
Then, a professor named Kikunae Ikeda succeeded in extracting glutamate from the broth in 1908.
This Japanese professor discovered that MSG has the function of giving a savory taste to soup. From here, MSG production begins and is marketed in various parts of the world.
Now, instead of extracting and crystallizing MSG from seaweed broth, it can be produced by fermenting starch, sugar beet, sugar cane or molasses.
Uses of MSG
As previously mentioned, MSG has an important function in flavoring food that has been used for hundreds of years.
Moreover, some people think that MSG is one of the five basic tastes.
It’s no wonder that many foods served in Japanese, Chinese and South Asian dishes use MSG.
For those of you who don’t have an appetite, MSG might be an alternative way to increase your appetite, if consumed within reasonable limits.
This is because the savory taste of this substance stimulates receptors on the tongue and digestive tract. This condition turns out to trigger the release of appetite-regulating hormones.
Even so, you still have to be careful in limiting consumption of foods that contain these compounds.
Instead of getting the benefits of MSG, the body is actually at risk of experiencing various diseases.
Is MSG safe to eat?
Reporting from the Food and Drug Administration in the United States, the addition of MSG to food is considered safe.
Even so, some people may feel sensitive to MSG which can trigger a number of disturbing symptoms.
Meanwhile, MSG is also safe for children. This is because their bodies metabolize glutamate in the same way as adults.
In fact, breast milk contains 10 times more glutamate than cow’s milk. However, of course the function of MSG and glutamate in breast milk will be different when they are processed in the body.
How much salt is in MSG?
Monosodium glutamate contains about one-third of the sodium of table salt and is used in small amounts.
If MSG is used by mixing a little table salt, this can help reduce the total consumption of sodium in food by 20-40%.
Even though salt consumption is reduced, MSG manages to maintain the taste in the food it is added to.
What are the effects of consuming too much MSG?
Although relatively safe, excessive consumption of MSG can certainly cause a number of side effects.
Side effects of excessive consumption of MSG are better known as Chinese Restaurant Syndrome or Chinese restaurant syndrome.
This term started to be coined after eating Chinese food and monosodium glutamate is used a lot in Asian food.
There are also a number of symptoms of Chinese restaurant syndrome, including:
1. headache,
2. blushing face,
3. sweating,
4. hard to breathe,
5. numbness, tingling, or burning of the face or neck,
6. heart pounding,
7. chest pain,
8. nausea, and
9. feeling weak.
However, researchers have not found clear evidence regarding the relationship between MSG and these symptoms.
However, they admit that a small percentage of people may experience reactions in a short time due to the consumption of MSG. The symptoms experienced are mild and do not require treatment.
The only way to prevent serious side effects is to avoid foods that contain MSG.
How to check for MSG in food
Normally, BPOM in most countries, including Indonesia, requires food manufacturers to include monosodium glutamate information labels.
This applies when the food contains added MSG. However, some foods contain MSG naturally, such as:
1. Yeast And Soy Extract,
2. isolate protein,
3. tomatoes, and
4. cheese.
That’s why, several food manufacturers that release food products with natural MSG content do not need to include the label.
Even so, even this type of food cannot claim the label ‘no MSG’ or no added MSG’ on the packaging.
Monosodium glutamate cannot be listed as ‘condiments and flavorings’.
How to limit consumption of MSG
Considering that excess MSG actually causes various disturbing symptoms, you can limit micin consumption by:
1. Choose fresh foods over packaged foods.
2. Read labels on food packaging carefully.
3. Avoid foods with high sodium content or canned foods.
4. Limit foods that contain high cholesterol.
5. Reducing the use of coconut milk and oil when processing food,
6. get used to cooking food by steaming or grilling.
7. Occasionally replace MSG or MSG with shallots, garlic, turmeric, or other natural flavor enhancers.