Flavour Enhancer 621: Safe or Sus?

NUTRITION AND DIETS / WRITTEN BY SKYE MOORE DIETETICS STUDENT, EDITED BY KELSEY MOORE, RD

Updated: February 22, 2023

Today we are talking about the most highly debated seasoning to grace our kitchen tables… MSG, also known as flavour enhancer 621!

Chances are, you’ve eaten it. Chances are, you’ve heard it's bad for you. And chances are, you might not have a clue what it really is. 

Food companies love to market their products to consumers as “healthier” by telling us what’s not in them. For example, “fat-free”, “gluten-free” and in this case “MSG-free”. 

But should we feel safer knowing that our food doesn’t contain MSG? Would you be surprised to learn the answer is no? 

Keep reading to see what the research really says about MSG and whether it's safe or sus! 

What is Flavour Enhancer 621?

Flavour Enhancer 621 is a food additive more commonly known as MSG (monosodium glutamate) and, as the name implies, it’s added to food to enhance its flavour. When there are numbers in an ingredient, like 621, or big sciencey-type words like monosodium, our initial reaction is to think that it must be bad for us. But let me break down what these words mean and reveal to you how unscary MSG really is. 

MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)

MSG is the sodium salt of the amino acid, glutamic acid (glutamate). It is produced through a natural process called fermentation, similar to that used to make yogurt and wine.

MSG is made up of three components: water, sodium and glutamate. The glutamate portion of MSG is what acts as the flavour enhancer for our foods. 

Glutamate

Glutamate is the amino acid in MSG. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and so glutamate occurs naturally in many of the plant and animal protein foods that we eat. Natural?! Now that’s not a word you often hear associated with MSG. 

You might be thinking, well the glutamate that occurs naturally in foods must be healthier than the glutamate that is added to foods in MSG. But that’s wrong. The naturally occurring glutamate and the glutamate present in MSG are treated exactly the same by our bodies!

What Foods Contain MSG? 

So now that we have gotten through that boring science talk and you know the basics of what MSG is, I’ll give you some insight into what foods contain MSG. Remember when I said that glutamate occurs naturally in foods…well, I wasn't lying. You might be shocked to hear that you have likely been eating a component of MSG, ie glutamate, every day without ever knowing. 

Natural Sources

Glutamate is naturally found in foods such as: 

  • Grapes
  • Tomatoes
  • Mushrooms
  • Cured cheeses and meats
  • Fruit juices
  • Tomato juices
  • Broccoli
  • Peas
  • Walnuts
  • Fish sauce

What about MSG? MSG is often used as any other seasoning during cooking or like a salt shaker on your kitchen table, so it can be added to just about anything and everything. But there are also a ton of foods that it is added to during processing! 

Added Sources

Glutamate is added in the form of MSG to foods such as:

  • Canned vegetables
  • Condiments
  • Deli meats
  • Potato chips
  • Soup
  • Soy sauce
  • Broths
  • Gravy mixes
  • Prepared meat products
  • Meat, poultry, and seafood

Why is MSG Added to Foods?

Umami

You might be surprised to learn that MSG doesnt have its own unique flavour. Rather, MSG is added to foods to intensify the umami flavour already present in the food. Umami is described as being a savoury, meaty, rich flavour and it is considered to be the 5th basic taste along with salty, sweet, sour and bitter. 

Cut Down on Salt

A less talked about reason that MSG is used as an ingredient is that it can reduce the amount of added salt. MSG has ⅓ the amount of sodium as standard table salt therefore, when we use MSG during cooking we can cut back on how much salt we use to flavour things. 

Bad Reputation Rooted in Racism

MSG continues to be a controversial topic within the health and wellness world, but where did its bad reputation come from? Let me share a quick history lesson on MSG. 

Chinese Restaurant Syndrome 

In 1968, a man reported that he experienced symptoms including neck numbness, weakness and palpitations after eating a meal that contained MSG at a Chinese restaurant (1). Although there was absolutely zero scientific evidence to verify whether his symptoms were associated with MSG, a report was published and more people started to claim a wide range of side effects following MSG consumption (1).

These symptoms were coined “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” and included side effects such as (1): 

  • Burning sensation in back of beck, forearms and chest
  • Facial pressure/tightness
  • Chest pain
  • Headache
  • Nausea 
  • Palpitation
  • Numbness in back of beck, radiating to arms, and back
  • Tingling, warmth, weakness in face, temples, upper back, beck and arms
  • Brocnhospasm
  • Drowsiness
  • Weakness 

MSG had been safely used in many Asian households and restaurants for years, however, this “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” created widespread panic surrounding the safety of MSG and initiated an anti-MSG movement. The name itself has racist undertones and the unvalidated claims resulted in Chinese food and overall Asian cuisine becoming stigmatized. 

You may recall Chinese restaurants displaying signs advertising they were “MSG-free” or “No MSG” due to the unfounded fears of consumers. The fear that eating at Chinese restaurants could make you sick dug its claws into the American people and science has been attempting to remove those claws ever since.

Does MSG Cause Side Effects?

Scientists have studied the symptoms of “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” and their relationship to MSG for decades. So are these side effects connected to MSG? Let’s look to the research for some insight and see what the experts say.  

The Facts

Extensive research over the past 40 years has verified that there is no clear evidence of a link between MSG consumption and the side effects associated with “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” (1), (2), (3).

Research has identified that a small number of sensitive individuals may experience side effects like a headache, tingling or palpitations, after consuming MSG (2). However, the symptoms are mild, short-lived and do not require treatment.

Moreover, the dose required to trigger these symptoms is 3 grams or more of MSG consumed with zero food (2). A typical serving of food enhanced with MSG contains less than 0.5 grams of MSG. Therefore, it would be very unusual for an individual to consume 3 grams of MSG in one sitting.

So….. Is it Safe or Sus? 

MSG is safe. I repeat, MSG is safe. 

The research has revealed that MSG is safe when consumed in moderate amounts. The intention of MSG is to flavour foods similar to any other seasoning. Therefore, there are no safety concerns when people use MSG as it was intended to be used.    

Who Says it’s Safe? 

MSG has been validated and endorsed as a safe substance that does not pose a health hazard to people by the following health agencies and organizations worldwide:

Who Should Avoid MSG?

Sensitivity 

Just like any other food or ingredient, someone might be sensitive to MSG. If you are an individual who experiences symptoms then the best treatment for the prevention of these symptoms is to avoid consuming foods with glutamate or MSG. If that is the case, then I want to share how you can avoid MSG as well as some food for thought.  

Before I do that, I want to provide a bit of insight into testing for allergies and sensitivities. Food sensitivity tests, also known as IgG tests, are not recommended for diagnosing food allergies or sensitivities. 

If you experience undesirable symptoms after consuming MSG, glutamate or any food for that matter, I encourage you to seek further care from your doctor who can refer you to an allergist. An allergist can provide appropriate testing and interpretation of the results. 

How to Avoid MSG? 

If you are sensitive to MSG or if you choose not to consume MSG for other reasons, then here are 3 tips on how to avoid MSG in your diet. 

  1. When eating at a restaurant, you can request that MSG not be added to your food
  2. Read the ingredients label on processed food, and avoid products that contain MSG
  3. Avoid foods that are naturally a source of glutamate

Food For Thought

Let’s take a step back for a second and look at the whole picture, or in this case the whole plate. 

What foods often contain MSG? 

Highly processed foods. 

And what do these highly processed foods have in common? 

They are typically high in fat and salt. 

Eating a large amount of any type of highly processed food may often cause less-than-desirable symptoms. Therefore, you may want to reconsider whether it's the MSG itself or the foods that we often add MSG to that are causing the unwanted side effects. 

You also may want to consider how natural sources of glutamate are present in a number of foods that many people eat daily like tomatoes, cheese and mushrooms. Do we often hear people complaining about having a migraine or numbness after eating pasta loaded with tomatoes, mushrooms, and parmesan cheese? I think not.

Labelling 

Wondering how you can identify whether or not a food has MSG in it?

MSG vs Glutamate

MSG is considered to be a food ingredient, and must be included/declared in the ingredients list as “monosodium glutamate” or “flavour enhancer 621” when it is added to food.

If a product includes a glutamate-containing food ingredient like autolyzed yeast extract this ingredient must also be declared on the food label. 

No labelling requirements exist for foods that naturally contain glutamate, like tomatoes and, therefore, glutamate will not be included in the ingredients list. 

Misleading Labels 

Some companies use the misinformed fear of MSG to their advantage by sprawling claims such as “no added MSG” or “contains no MSG” on their products. Canada prohibits companies from using claims like this however, if you travel to America there is a chance you might encounter these claims on products.

Health Canada says that claims such as this can be misleading because MSG can be added to foods in other forms such as soya sauce or hydrolyzed vegetable protein. Similarly, these products that claim to be “MSG-free” could contain foods with naturally occurring glutamate like mushrooms.  

Deliciously Savoury & Decidedly Safe

MSG, less commonly known as flavour enhancer 621, is a food additive that enhances the taste of our foods by emphasizing a deliciously savoury flavour known as umami. 

Despite research repeatedly debunking the myth that MSG is toxic, its use in our food system is still highly debated. Nevertheless, there is no reason for you to feel unsafe consuming MSG as it is not a health hazard. 

So feel free to add a few shakes of MSG when cooking savoury dishes or a sprinkle at the kitchen table worry-free. I think you’ll enjoy the enriched flavour it imparts to your food!

References:

  1. Williams, A. N., & Woessner, K. M. (2009). Monosodium glutamate 'allergy': menace or myth?. Clinical and experimental allergy : journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 39(5), 640–646. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2222.2009.03221.x
  2. The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 130, Issue 4, April 2000, Pages 1058S–1062S, https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/130.4.1058S
  3. Freeman, M. (2006). Reconsidering the effects of monosodium glutamate: A literature review. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practionoers, 18(10), 482-486. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-7599.2006.00160.x