Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) E621

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), a flavour enhancer, is extensively used in savoury foods, snacks, soups, sauces and meat products.

It is frequently disguised in food products lists of ingredients as hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed yeast, yeast extract, gelatin, soy extracts, natural flavourings or calcium caseinate.

MSG crosses the blood/brain barrier. It has been linked with epilepsy-type 'shudder' attacks, allergies, nausea, headaches, eye inflammation, intestinal and skin disorders, brain oedema, and central nervous and vascular system problems. In animals, it has been seen to cause cancer and foetal abnormalities, and to damage DNA. It destroys nerve cells in the brain and has been associated with exacerbating Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

MSG's toxicity is thought to be cumulative, so even if an individual doesn't react immediately it could still cause problems over the long term. MSG has been banned from food produced specifically for babies and children under three years old. But that doesn't stop manufacturers from adding it to most crisps and other snack eaten by children.

Links

• www.foodcomm.org.uk
• www.holisticmed.com/msg
• www.msgexposed.com