Safety of branded instant noodles-A reality check.

Food labeling can be subtle as well as non-transparent as many consumers find themselves while shopping for their daily needs. For a common man many of the information presented by the manufacturers can be "Greek and Latin" but some at least understand the implications of such "facts" presented through the label. As a critic of food industry recently stated the industry can be the "masters of subterfuge" in saying less than what they really hide. What ever it be, food labeling rules do serve a useful purpose and can be made more transparent through consistent efforts in forcing the industry to be more truthful. Here is a typical case of instant noodles which have become popular, especially among the kids. Look at the label declarations made by different brands and what no consumer can make out are the code numbers mentioned for some of the ingredients used in the flavor mix that is added during the preparation process. 

No doubt the food safety authorities permit them to use code numbers, probably to make the system of identifying food ingredients uniform. But in what way this helps the consumer? This information may be as well not there and it will make no difference to the consumer. It is just unfortunate that industry is given this leeway to hide the nature of chemicals used and help it to sell the products more easily to the hapless consumer! Interestingly if we get a little deep into this trickery, it can be realized that industry has come up with alternatives to the erstwhile notorious Mono Sodium Glutamate ( MSG), once monopolized by the famous company Ajinomoto of Japan. After its safety credentials were seriously questioned, its use became highly regulated and the so called INS 627 or E 627 code numbered for sodium Guanylate and INS 631 or INS 631 code numbered for sodium Inosinate were introduced, essentially to obtain the same effect as that would have been generated with MSG. Incidentally these are claimed to be the imaginary fifth flavor called Umami and industry uses them to enhance the flavor of every food and use less salt in their formulations.   

There are two questions the industry and the safety regulators must answer while allowing the use of these chemicals by the food processors. First are these chemicals derived from meat scraps or fish waste? If so can the manufacturers use the green dot on the label to convince the consumers that their products are suitable for consumption by vegans as well as vegetarians?. According to literature, Guanylates and Inosinates can also be made from yeast through hydrolysis of the cells  or from starchy materials by the fermentation route but no one is sure whether the manufacturers use meat derived materials or plant based ones. Interestingly some of them declare use of yeast hydrolyzate also along with 627 and 631 and one wonders why they have to use yeast hydrolyzate which also contains 627 and 631? Could it be to camouflage the real identity of the source from which 627 and 631 are derived. Why not declare that 627 and 631 used in these flavor mixes are really derived from plant sources to satisfy the vegans and vegetarians? 

Second issue pertains to the safety of these additives. Scientific studies do not permit us to draw any firm conclusion because of lack of unanimity. Several reports indicate that at individual levels, 627 and 631 including their blends 635 can create health problems, at times becoming serious if not careful. If one reads the catalog of ill effects of these additives it could be construed as a list compiled by the adversaries who are firmly "convinced" about these "facts". Guanylates and Inosinates have been claimed to cause in humans several adverse effects like Ribo Rash, a form of irritable itchy skin syndrome, elevated heart beats, worsening of gout symptoms, causing migraine, insomnia, asthma, arthritis, sinusitis, etc. However these claims will have to be moderated in the light of the fact that the levels at which they are consumed through noodles can be well below the adversarial concentrations. Also to be borne in mind is that noodles can always be taken with out the flavor mix which contains 627, 631 or 635. 

V.H.POTTY

http://vhpotty.blogspot.com

http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

THE MSG "SAGA"-A NEW ROLE IN HEALTH BEING EXPLORED

Almost a century after its discovery and patenting a process for manufacture of Mono Sodium Glutamate popularly known as MSG, the controversy regarding its safety is still being debated though it is used extensively by the food industry as a flavor enhancer. It has an E number 621 which signifies that it is safe for human consumption, though compulsory labeling is mandated. In many countries there is no upper limit restriction for its use in any food. Oriental countries like Japan and China are the pioneers in this field with practically every food they consume containing MSG. Though it was made till some years ago using wheat gluten as the raw material by hydrolysis, emergence of gluten allergy amongst many people led to the development of alternate technology based on fermentation using starch as substrate.

Recognition of the fifth basic taste Umami as a new one besides the traditional salty, sweet, sourness and bitter tastes, owes its origin to MSG and the bound glutamate in products like tomato, cheese and cured ham are supposed to represent purest form of Umami taste. Added to this, specific receptors for Umami have been identified on human tongue confirming the existence of this fifth taste category. Ajinomoto Company is considered the pioneer in commercial manufacture and promotion of MSG globally and with an annual business turn over of more than $ 13 billion, it is a leading player in areas like food ingredients, pharmaceuticals, beverages, amino acids, specialty chemicals with operations in 122 countries. Naturally with such massive spread, clout and economic muscle Ajinomoto has been able to ride the storm caused by uncertainties regarding the safety of MSG.

More than 80% of the annual production estimated at 2.2 million tons is consumed in Asia with mainland China guzzling a whopping 1.2 million tons working out to 1.2 kg per capita consumption per year. Added at 0.1 to 0.8% to different foods, the main objective is to enhance the flavor of the final food preparation. While many consider MSG as one of the exitotoxins affecting brain functions, other critics point an accusing finger at MSG for a variety of reactions after consumption that include neurological problems, cancer, fibromyalgia, depression, obesity etc none of which has been supported by any scientific evidence. For fear of adverse effect on brain functions, MSG is not generally permitted in foods targeted at children below the age of 3 years because of their underdeveloped but growing brain. This situation is similar to the present state of HFCS which, though a natural constituent of sucrose, is being blamed by many as responsible for creating the obesity epidemic through foods rich in this sugar with not much scientific evidence to support such a theory.

It is against this context that the recent reported alliance between the US Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Ajinomoto Company for taking up a joint R & D project to explore whether, this chemical used to enhance the taste of foods, has any beneficial effects on eating behavior and body weight management. According to the their agreed program trials are to be conducted by ARS' Western Human Nutrition Research Center (WHNRC) to assess in overweight women whether adding sodium glutamate to foods can facilitate a better control of appetite and caloric intake, and prevent body weight rebound following a period of moderate energy restriction and weight loss. This is based on the surmise that for many people, long term improvements in eating behavior and body weight control are difficult to maintain calling for an in-depth study on the mechanisms involved in such cases. The study team believes that MSG inclusion in regular diet can improve the quality and quantity of food consumed while at the same time providing "emotional and pleasurable" factors resulting in lesser motivation for consumption of calorie dense foods.

Though the alliance between the government agency and Ajinomoto with vast business interest in MSG may be controversial, the step may be in right direction as long as the industry partner in this study does not throw its weight around in influencing the study in any way favoring its interests. The ability of MSG in reducing sodium intake from savory foods is another interesting line of pursuit as there are some studies reporting 20% to 40% reduction in salt requirement to achieve acceptable taste when MSG was present in formulated food products at low concentrations. Probably while pursuing these studies in collaboration with Ajinomoto, USDA should keep in mind the concerns of a significant segment of the consumer population regarding the safety of MSG in general.

V.H.POTTY

http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

SAFETY OF MSG IN FOODS-NEW FINDINGS AND THEIR IMPLICATION

In their mad rush to have the eyes, ears and minds of innocent consumers, food processing industry is known to practice the art of "dressing up" their products and score against each other. The fact that in doing so they are compromising the quality of life of their customers by using many chemical additives, some approved and others under the GRAS list, is not realized. Mono Sodium Glutamate, popularly known as MSG is one such chemical approved for use in many countries, though there are some restrictions in its use in some products. Why one needs flavor enhancers, if good quality raw materials are used in the food preparation is beyond any body's comprehension. New studies throw more light on the repercussions of MSG use, especially amongst children.

To day thousands of products churned out by the food industry in Europe, the US, Australia, Japan and other advanced countries contain MSG at varying concentrations. The products include snacks, soups, sauces, meats, flavored potato chips and a host of others. Soy sauce which is an integral part of foods in China, Japan and other oriental countries, contains glutamic acid and this has been cited as the basis to deflect any question regarding the safety of MSG by chemical process by the manufacturers. Industry is well aware that though glutamic may be present in free form in many natural foods, it is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, the MSG that has the property of enhancing flavor dramatically because it easily dissolves and ionizes in aqueous phase. The mere presence of glutamic acid in a complex form need not necessarily cause any harm and hence such a stand may not be tenable. What is not made clear is how far the commercially made MSG is pure and what artifacts are generated with any adverse consequences during the manufacturing process.

While adults may have the biological ability to deal with MSG ingested through foods, what bothers concerned scientists is its devastating consequences in children. Unfortunately there are no clear guidelines that bar use of MSG in foods targeted at children though responsible industry players do not use it in such products. While children of 3 years of age and below are not supposed to be taking any foods containing MSG, in practice what prevents them from consuming products flavored with MSG available freely in the market? Is it not a tragedy that knowing pretty well that MSG can be risky, no one is seriously concerned about its ubiquitous presence in practically every food that is consumed to day? Is it absolutely necessary to boost the natural flavor by adding MSG at the expense of human health? Why does a society like that in the US, already over burdened with over-weight and obese people need further incentive to eat in the form flavor enhanced products? These are questions the world has to face one day and it is better to tackle the matter to day rather than leaving it to posterity to suffer the consequences.

It is ironical that a country like the US with most liberal view on MSG use, suffers maximum health damage because of wide scale manufacture and consumption of nutritionally unbalanced and health-wise unsafe foods. Within 10 years of clearing the use of MSG in food in the US, hundreds of studies had emerged showing adverse changes in the body and much data has accumulated as published articles in many reputed medical journals. Several rat studies revealed irreversible destruction of the retina after MSG ingestion. Other studies showed glutamate to be a major excitatory neurotransmitter that causes the inflammation of the nerve or brain cell within 90 seconds of contact and within 3 hours the brain cells were found to be dead. A relatively recent study dramatically brought out that the dendrites of the brain cell and the hypothalamus were being damaged by MSG. Dendrites are the branched projections (like antennas) of the brain cell that conduct the relay of information from brain cell to brain cell. The hypothalamus is critical for both learning and memory and controls the onset of puberty, growth regulation, appetite and sleep cycles. It regulates the pituitary gland which regulates the entire endocrine system. Damage to the hypothalamus has been linked to endocrine disorders and obesity. What an impressive credential for this flavor booster!

Unless the world acts now to ignore industry inspired studies carried out by obliging scientists, proclaiming the safety of MSG and take effective action to ban MSG from all foods, it may have to regret later.

V.H.POTTY

http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com