Is the flavour enhancer a health risk?

Colombo, May 16 (Daily Mirror) - Monosodium glutamate (MSG), the main common food additive or flavor enhancer, has always come under scrutiny in Sri Lanka given its potential health effects. Is it really bad for your health?

While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers the addition of MSG to foods to be “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS), concerns persist over among consumers regarding its adverse reactions in the long run.

That’s why MSG has been a subject of controversy due to reported adverse reactions like headache, flushing, excessive sweating and chest pain.

However, researchers have found no clear proof of a link between MSG and these symptoms. Researchers admit, though, that a small number of people may have short-term and long-term reactions to MSG. The only way to prevent a reaction is to cut out foods that have MSG in them.

MSG has been used as a food additive for many years. During this time, the FDA has received many reports of concerning reactions that people have attributed to foods that had MSG in them. These reactions — called MSG symptom complex — include: headache, flushing, sweating, face pressure or tightness, lack of feeling (numbness), tingling or burning in the face, neck and other areas, chest pain.

Furthermore, MSG occurs naturally in ingredients such as hydrolyzed vegetable protein, autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed yeast, yeast extract, soy extracts, and protein isolate, as well as in tomatoes and cheeses.

People around the world have eaten glutamate-rich foods throughout history. Today, instead of extracting and crystallizing MSG from seaweed broth, MSG is produced by the fermentation of starch, sugar beets, sugar cane or molasses. This fermentation process is similar to that used to make yogurt, vinegar and wine.

Commenting on the concern, a senior official at the Health Ministry told Daily Mirror that MSG can serve as a substitute for salt, advocating for its moderate use.

"It is recommended that MSG is added in a pinch, but not in large amounts," the official emphasized. Excessive MSG intake, he warned, may pose long-term health risks.

Yet, ensuring the quality of MSG remains a challenge in Sri Lanka as the country lacks adequate laboratory facilities to rigorously test MSG content in food products, according to the expert.

This deficiency raises concerns about the accuracy of labeling and the safety of consuming MSG-containing foods. With limited testing facilities locally, understanding the truth about MSG becomes even more crucial for Sri Lankans.

Meanwhile, Public Health Inspectors' Union Head Upul Rohana told Daily Mirror that there are neither laws nor guidelines that demarcate the use of MSG in Sri Lanka.

“Therefore, we have no authority to conduct raids or to ask people not to eat food with MSG,” Rohana stressed.

MSG does cause controversy, but there is no conclusive evidence linking the consumption of MSG to a cause of cancer or to an increased risk of cancer.

“However, there are global studies, which suggest that MSG could trigger obesity, non-communicable diseases and damage nerve system. Further, the overconsumption of food with MSG can be addictive,” Rohana added.