The Difficulty in Keeping MSG Free |
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| Written by Jack Samuels |
| February 16 2004 |
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Individuals who suffer adverse reactions from processed free glutamic acid (MSG) vary in their tolerance for the substance. Many MSG-sensitive individuals have found that once sensitized to MSG, their tolerance for MSG decreases over the years, and that it may be lowered by extreme exercise and/or ingestion of any alcohol just prior to or just following MSG ingestion. As the food and chemical industries have developed new food additives that contain MSG, and as the FDA has approved such additives, it has become increasingly difficult for MSG-sensitive individuals to stay healthy, particularly those with little tolerance for the substance. This fact is complicated by the fact that in 1998, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a regulation allowing residues of glutamic acid on all agricultural commodities, providing that the glutamic acid is used as a growth enhancer and that good farming practices are employed (40 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 180.1187). This EPA action allowed the approval of AuxiGro, a pesticide/fertilizer/fungicide that contains 29.2 percent processed free glutamic acid, and legalized the use of at least two fertilizers that contain processed free glutamic acid that occurs as a result of the hydrolysis of proteins. The two fertilizers made with hydrolyzed protein, "Omega Protein Refined/Hydrolyzed Fish Protein" and "Steam Hydrolyzed Feather Meal," are used on some organic crops. The food ingredient "citric acid" provides us with a good example of why MSG-sensitive people with little tolerance are having difficulty staying well. Many people believe that "citric acid" comes from citrus fruits, and since most people can tolerate citrus fruits, "citric acid" should not be a problem. However, most of the "citric acid" used today is made from corn rather than from citrus fruits. The Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) is a major producer of "citric acid." "Citric acid" is produced by fermentation of crude sugars. When "citric acid" is produced from corn, manufacturers do not take the time or undertake the expense to remove all corn protein. During processing, the remaining protein is hydrolyzed, resulting in some processed free glutamic acid (MSG). "Citric acid" may also interacts with any protein in the food to which it is added, freeing up more glutamic acid. A visit to the grocery store to read labels will quickly demonstrate that "citric acid" is being widely used in processed foods. Its use appears to be increasing and, as this occurs, it appears that, based on interactions with MSG-sensitive individuals, more and more MSG-sensitive people are reacting to "citric acid." Its uses in food include flavoring, balancing of acid-alkalinity levels, as a preservative, as a firming agent and as an antibacterial agent. Consumers will find no reference to the presence of free glutamic acid on the labels of foods that contain "citric acid." Making it even more difficult for the MSG-sensitive individual, in February of this year, the FDA approved Sanova, an antimicrobial rinse, for use on red meats. The product, composed of "sodium chloride" and "citric acid," is claimed by its manufacturer, the Alcide Corporation, to kill 99 percent of pathogens on carcasses. Sanova is also approved for use on poultry carcasses, fruits and vegetables. Efforts are underway by the manufacturer to approve the rinse for use on processed foods. Foods treated with Sanova are not required to disclose the fact that "sodium chloride" and "citric acid" were used on them. If something is not done soon to redirect the FDA and EPA and begin to control the use of toxic additives in and on our food, health care costs will continue to rise. Â This article appeared in Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, the quarterly magazine of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Summer 2000. About the Author
 Comments (6)
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written by Chris, Apr 10 2010
Citric acid used to be mainly made by aspergillus niger but now is mostly made by types of candida yeasts. ADM does try to remove all of the proteins and solids after the citric acid is produced but it is really hard to remove everything. My dad works for ADM and used to work in the department that retrieves the citric acid and it is a complicated process. I think citric acid is mostly used to give a sour taste to food (I have eaten a tiny bit of nearly pure citric acid and it was the most sour thing I have ever eaten) and I know that soft drink companies use citric acid. I also know that animals (including humans) produce citric acid naturally. Some citric acid is made from citrus fruit but it is a very little amount. Also those people that can tolerate citrus fruits I think it is because the concentration of citric acid isn't high enough (a lemon is 4% citric acid). Sorry to hear about those bad experiences, and I really do hope that you all don't have anymore.
it might not only be the corn but aspergillus niger and molasses
written by badintense, Mar 09 2010
I found this on another blog on the citric acid subject:
The manufactured kind is made by fermenting aspergillus niger (a bacteria like penecillin) with sugar (like molassas) and the end product is citric acid. I seem to be sensitive to aspergillus niger - also other products that use it (fermented soy/tamari sauce, miso, many items with citric acid, and my father has allergic reactions to the statin made with aspergillus niger - I also have had an allergic reaction of hives develop from using betadine which has citric acid as a preservative). If you are reacting in some way to citric acid, it could be that it is a reaction to aspergillus or something else.
Fighting for our lives
written by John G, Mar 02 2010
My wife has suffered from the impact of MSG since the 1970s when artificial MSG became prevalent. Sadly, no one could diagnose the problem and relieve the pain, because of the misleading labeling issues. Several years ago, we finally proved it was MSG and have worked very hard since to cook from scratch and develop a reservoir of recipes that allow us to eat almost anything we want while eliminating the dabilitating mirgraines.
After several years of hard work we are almost ready to publish a cookbook dedicated to avoiding MSG and a few other heavy hitters. The cookbook shares our commitment and our success. It demonstrates how, with a little effort, anyone can avoid the chemical ridden food industry. A bonus for us is the huge savings made by buying in volume and buying source versus processed goods. Besides the food tastes far better that the commercial versions. So great is our displeasure for the food industry that we are now raising our own bees and working hard on a 4 season garden. We hope to help others make good food choices and make good food. And we hope others will commit to buying from food producers that place our health before excess profits and drive the corruption out of the food business. We need more WEB sites like this one (two thumbs up!!) fighting to get the word out. Looking for more information or recipes visit us at Healthylife.rmtrain.com, no marketing no sales, just good information. We point out food products we believe are safe, but make no money from such acknowledgements. By pointing out the good vendors as well as the bad we set a direction and buying patterns toward good health. The unscrupulous food processors have shown little concern for our health and in-turn we should make sure the are not profitable. Buying power is a strong vote; learning how to cook from scratch and that includes the fun stuff is a strategy that eliminates these corrupt vendors entirely and proves we don’t need them. If you start a WEB site remember to link to the other good WEB sites like this one and create multiple sources of information that strengthen credibility. This is a battle we must fight and win for us and future generations. Demonstrate by example, start a bee hive, create a garden, cook from scratch and share the wonder of homemade food. Others will not listen at first, but will often follow by example. Teaching is often not preaching, but sharing. It is easier to not fight back and it is always easier to let someone else carry the battle, but it is far more fun to get your hands a little dirty and be one of the little guys the took on the industrial giants. As for this site, impressive! Dr. John H. Glasgow
My symptoms from MSG
written by Nancy Bridgeman, Feb 19 2010
Of course we all avoided
MSG, but unbeknown to us, the food industry hid MSG from us by renaming it. The restaurants also had no fear of posting that they used MSG since nothing ever happened. I ate at a Mongolian Barbeque and before I ate the last bite, I was stricken. Not with the classic symptom of the migraine but a terrible burning of my esophagus. No amount of ice soothed it. Then my chin became hard from swelling. I took a benadryl and went home. I then took alka-seltzer, another benadryl. My face was now bright red, with hanging jowels. My pupils became dilated. Then I headed to the Emergency room. I began to wheeze and I was swelling from head to toe (three inches around the waist). Just as I got to the ER, I began to shake. They gave me an IV (steroids,benedryl,pepsid and asthma medication). They slapped an oxygen mask on. I shook about an hour, and then the burning moved down to my bladder. After this episode, I still didn't know about the hidden names for MSG. I kept getting hives, burning bladder and diarrhea and a burning esophagus. The Health Department said the restaurant was using tons of MSG without posting, I immediately turned to the web and found the "truth in labeling" site. Thank god for your site. I am now a walking msg detector. Our whole family has benefitted from your site. My daughter has psoriasis and was avoiding milk. But when she turned to soymilk it was just as bad, the same with rice milk and finally non dairy products. She had psoriasis on her face for five years and was trying to cover it up with makeup to no avail. Your site alerted us to carrageenan (hidden msg) that was in these products. Within two weeks her face returned to normal. I noticed that a recent acquaintance had scabs covering both arms and I told him about my daughter. The next time I saw him, a month later, they were gone! A director at a research facility mentioned that her husband had hives and that no doctor was able to help him including the allergy doctors. I said, does he drink diet coke? Yes he did. He discontinued the diet coke (aspartame and MSG) and the hives disappeared! The symptoms seem to have a wide range. Thank you so much for your site, it has saved us a lot of grief. Nancy Bridgeman
Emergency Room Visit Because of MSG Attack written by Nancy Bridgeman, Feb 19 2010
I went to the Hospital Emergency Room because of MSG at an oriental restaurant !!!
My daughter's Psoriasis largely cleared up after discontinuing 'Carragenan'. A former Bob Newhart actor had arm sores and scabs from wrist to shoulder, which cleared up within a month after discontinuing most MSG. My oriental Doctor and Dentist did not know that "citric acid" is an 'excitotoxin' made from corn, NOT citrus fruit. I have the same reaction from citric acid that I have with MSG, namely Bladder Infections and a Burning Esophogous (sp). Nancy
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| Last Updated on Friday, June 05 2009 18:10 |
Jack Samuels is a graduate of Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, where he received both a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in biology and a Master of Science in Hospital Administration degree. Mr. Samuels is co-founder and president of the Truth-in-Labeling Campaign (TLC) (
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little did i know how heavily processed soy is and how many msg additives are added to soy foods!
we used soy for almost 7 years before i finally figured out why i was so sick, in that time, i developed Morphea (a type of Scleroderma), chronic pain & fatigue, and lots of awful symptoms from the nutritional deficiencies that came becoz soy & its additives were gradually shutting down my entire digestive system. i had anemia (iron & b deficient), heart palpitations and restless leg every night (magnesium deficient), skin-hair-&-nail problems, symptoms of low thyroid (soy blocks thyroid hormone) and chronic stomach pain & IBS (soy shuts down digestive function, including digestive enzymes & stomach acid), and finally muscle wasting in my shoulders, upper arms, & legs... and drs couldnt seem to figure out why.
well, since i have been soy free for the past 3 years, most of these problems have improved... unfortunately, the autoimmune stuff i am stuck with for life.
but i have been feeling better.
until this year, when the digestive problems returned with a vengeance... but, lo & behold: CARRAGEENAN has turned out to be the new culprit! as well as several other gums, like Locust Bean & Guar.
now i avoid anything with carrageenan like the plague! including most dairy & non-dairy anything, and also muffins or other goodies from the supermarket bakery (its in the glaze that looks so fresh & moist), deli meats (especially Boars Head) and Rotisserie Chickens (its that glaze again)
After the first 3 or 4 days of even worse pain (withdrawels?)- my tummy troubles suddenly disappeared!
Miracle? or was it Poisoning? you decide!
i learned about the Carrageenan, as well as lots of other food processing revelations, from the extremely helpful folks at msgmyth.com. they have a wonderfully informative board, where absolutely anyone can ask all their msg or related questions and find the help and education they need. i would urge everyone who is concerned about the amount of chemicals used in modern foods, to please check it out, and consider joining the discussion!
if you are as msg (or other additive) sensitive as i and some of these other folks are, you need to find out more... what i didnt know could have cost me my life!