Why MSG is not as dangerous as they think

110 years ago, July 25, 1908, a Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda filedThe chronicle of the Ajinomoto Group an application for registration of a patent on the production of monosodium glutamate - substances selected them popular in Japanese cuisine kombu seaweed. Since sodium glutamate is used as a food additive, whereby in food appears umami - the taste of high-protein products. At the same time the most supplements are not very good reputation. Remembering the story of the emergence of sodium glutamate and deal with whether it be afraid.

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Traditionally, since Antiquity basic flavors that distinguish between the man and his taste buds (by the way, not separately as is usually taught in school, and together), there were four, and each of these products was determined by chemical characteristics and their interaction with the human body. Thus, the sour taste of the product is determined by acidity, salty taste is felt due to sodium ions and some other metals (popularly - salt), which are perceived ion channel receptors on the tongue, and is responsible for the sensation of sweet receptor activation associated from

G-proteins- and the same processes are responsible for the bitter taste.

It is curious that for centuries people feel more alone, the fifth taste, not describe or to name who failed prior to the beginning of the last century. Everything changed thanks to the Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda, who at the beginning of the XX century worked at the University of Tokyo. Scientist intrigued by the taste of the broth dasi, Which is used as a base for many Japanese dishes: it can be described as "soft", salty, not salty and not similar to any one of the four common tastes.

Traditionally dashi made based on laminaria seaweed kombu (Laminaria japonica); Ikeda suggested that from kombu, you can get a substance which gives it a special taste. Scientists were able to extract glutamic acid - a white crystalline powder and odorless. Its taste is called umami Ikeda (from jap. 旨 味 - «nice»): If you can not remember it at once, the good examples of foods with umami - a cheese and dishes seasoned with soy sauce.

In order to use glutamic acid for industrial purposes, Ikeda synthesized from soy protein and wheat salt - monosodium glutamate, which then received a patent. Commercial production of monosodium glutamate (first - as a separate seasoning) in the early 20-ies do (under the supervision of Ikeda) Japanese company "Ajinomoto".

Since glutamic acid salts are known as food additive E621, or MSG (from the English. monosodium glutamate), and are used mainly as "odor and flavor enhancers." In Japan and other Asian countries, sodium glutamate is used to impart flavor of the food that "Minds", but in the Western countries, including in Russia, supplements, unfortunately, is not a good reputation.

While providing the usual trip to the store. Before customers - two jars of blueberry yogurt two different manufacturers. The first buyer to ask the price and will take a jar with a price tag less. The second buyer will pay attention to the product description on the label: it will determine the choice of the word "natural", "Bifidobacteria" and "contains natural berry" - let this yogurt is slightly more expensive. A third buyer, the most delicate and demanding, he turned to composition, testing it on the "naturalness". That in this case, means "natural," it is difficult to understand, but most people are looking for in the product «E-shki" - used in the manufacture of yoghurt food additives, which consist of a name and a number of letters E digits. It is usually assumed that the fewer the product is natural.

In simplified understanding of the third buyer is right by the yogurt with the least amount of nutritional supplements. In fact, modern food production is rarely complete without the use of additional tools. This, however, does not mean that all products "are crammed with chemistry" and to rid the body of diseases and ailments, you need to move into the village.

For example, most of the first category of food additives (colorants) are synthesized from the natural components - such as the yellow-orange colorants E100, curcumin, obtained from turmeric.

Code sodium glutamate has six figure and refers to the group flavor enhancers and flavor. Trust in him so even less than dyes: the average consumer is not always it is clear why it is necessary "to enhance the flavor," and why for the sake of sacrifice pristine naturalness product. Complemented by distrust of MSG by the fact that minds decided to rank as the main tastes mainly in Asian countries and in the developed countries of Europe and America. In Russia, however, we heard of him one. Furthermore, sodium glutamate, is very frequently found in the seasoning, the bundled for Instant noodles (most likely thanks to the Japanese tradition) and numerous snack like chips and crackers that for healthy foods are not considered at all.

In fact, if completely eliminate from your diet foods, which is listed on the label E621, leave in the dead village and eat vegetables from the garden and from the cow milk, get rid of glutamic acid in the body is not equal to all out.

Moreover, it is impossible in principle. Firstly, glutamic acid (and from it, as we remember to give sodium glutamate) - one of the twenty amino acids that make up proteins. This means that it contains not only protein foods (and both animal and vegetable origin), but also independently synthesized by the body. Endogenous glutamic acid is one of the excitatory neurotransmitters which activate numerous receptors in the nervous system of vertebrates, including, for example, NMDA-receptors, Dysfunction of which is associated with the development of many mental diseases and disorders, including clinical depression and schizophrenia.

Glutamic acid obtained from natural components organism cleaved in the same way as the added acid is artificially. Moreover, it is the same substance, just as salt - for better dissolution.

The only difference lies in the fact that due to the presence of sodium ions is added to the umami taste slightly salty taste.

Glutamic acid is a nonessential acid: in addition, it is synthesized by the body, its excess in the body is destroyed.

As for the excess sodium glutamate, then it does not exist in principle: for example, Codex Alimentarius (Code of international food standards), there is no indication of the recommended dose of substance use (unlike, incidentally, from the salt and sugar). Of course, MSG has a lethal dose: the rat experiments showedSubstance Name: Monosodium glutamate, what half-lethal glutamate dose is about 16 grams per kilogram of body weight. It is easy to compute that for a person weighing 70 kilograms similar dose is more than one kilogram of pure sodium glutamate. In other words, to die from an overdose of glutamate, a person need to eat in one sitting about two tons of potato chips from greed, you are likely to die faster than from an excess of "dangerous" substances.

That is why criticize certain foods because of the presence in it of sodium glutamate, considering it the root of all evil, it is inappropriate. With the same success can be criticized, for example, other substances notorious sources: chicken meat, spinach, tomatoes, and sardines own organism. And there are fast food chips and noodles still not recommended - but rather because of the imbalance of nutrients, rather than because of their taste umami.

see also

• Without E: 5 "dangerous" food additives, justified by science →
• 8 of the most dangerous, but permitted food additives →
• 3, common food additives, addictive →