Consumption of Ajinomoto (Monosodium Glutamate) containing foods
Is this good for the human body?
- Part 1 -

Dr. Nomika Oinam *

The literal translation of Aji no Moto is "Essence of taste" used as trademark for Monosodium glutamate (MSG). Although they occur naturally in many foods, the flavor contributions made by glutamic acid and other amino acids were only scientifically identified early in the twentieth century.

The substance was discovered and identified in the year 1866, by the German chemist Karl Heinrich Leopold Ritthausen. In 1907 Japanese researcher Kikunae Ikeda of the Tokyo Imperial University identified brown crystals left behind after the evaporation of a large amount of kombu broth as glutamic acid.

These crystals, when tasted, reproduced the ineffable but undeniable flavor he detected in many foods, most especially in seaweed. Professor Ikeda termed this flavor umami. He then patented a method of mass-producing a crystalline salt of glutamic acid, monosodium glutamate.

FORMULA:-
COOH(CH2)2CH(NH)2COONa

IUPAC name
Sodium (2S)-2-amino-5-hydroxy-5-oxo-pentanoate

Molecular formula:

PROPERTIES:

Molar mass: 169.111
Melting point: 225 Deg
Solubility in water: very soluble in water

Ajinomoto is the brand name of Monosodium glutamate in Japan. It was introduced in the market 90years back. Ajinomoto Company marketed the product referred to as Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) as food seasoning under the brand name AJI-NO-MOTO in the year 1909.

Thus was born ajinomoto, a taste/flavor promoter. It is widely used in the food processing industries. The product was introduced in India in 1961.

There are two prevalent schools of thoughts. One group support the use of ajinomoto, as they believe it is a safe ingredient to use just like salt or sugar.

There is another group, which is against the use of ajinomoto, as they believe that it is not safe and causes severe health problems.

There are several aspects to this whole debate right from the definition of glutamate to misconceptions to approvals plus a host of related aspects.

The Term Glutamate:

Glutamate is found in two forms - 'bound' glutamate which is linked to protein and 'free' glutamate which is not linked to protein. Only free glutamate improves the taste of food. When glutamate is added to foods it provides the same taste as the glutamate that occurs naturally.

The 'free' glutamate is present in dal varieties. Vegetables, especially tomatoes and mushrooms, are rich in glutamate which gives these foods their distinctive taste. Glutamate is also a natural part of body metabolism and is actually produced by the human body in amounts of about 50 grams per day.

Due to the controversy surrounding MSG (ajinomoto) research works are done all over the world after complains were received by different food development association all over the world. The governing body has ordered the processed food producers to put label along with the amount added on each and every product.

Free glutamate may also be present in a wide variety of other additives, including: hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed yeast, yeast extract, soy extracts, protein isolate, "spices" and "natural flavorings."

The food additives disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate are useful only in synergy with monosodium glutamate-containing ingredients, and provide a likely indicator of the addition of monosodium glutamate to a product. For this reason, labels such as "No MSG" or "No Added MSG" to be misleading if the food contains ingredients that are sources of free glutamate, such as hydrolyzed protein.

Almost 30 years have elapsed since physicians and scientists began publishing well-documented accounts of serious, even life-threatening effects from the ingestion of small amounts of MSG (as served up in a bowl of wonton soup containing only 2.5-3 grams).

In sufficient quantities, it is toxic to everyone (the degree of reaction depends upon individual tolerance levels and dosage), but for those who can't metabolize it effectively, it acts like a poison that can trigger a combination of gastrointestinal, neurological, and psychological symptoms.

to be continued.....

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* Dr. Nomika Oinam is a Research Scholar presently residing in Bangalore. Her research field is the ill effect of Food Additives on the human body and she got her Doctoral Degree on Monosodium glutamate(ajinomoto). The writer can be contacted at nomidr(at)gmail(dot)com
This article was webcasted on May 27, 2009.

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