monosodium glutamate (MSG)

Common names: Sodium glutamate, Flavor enhancer 621, Aji-No-Moto (brand name), Vetsin (commonly used in Southeast Asia), E621 (European food additive code)

KIDSADVISORY SAFETY RATING

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Caution

Published by Dr. William Lin, MD — Last Updated on Jan 9, 2025

Medically reviewed by Dr. Patricia Shelton, MD

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a sodium salt of glutamic acid commonly used in the food industry as a flavor enhancer to intensify the umami taste in various products.¹ It is added to items such as soups, broths, canned vegetables, processed meats, and savory snacks to improve palatability.¹ MSG is also utilized in condiments and spice blends to enhance flavor profiles.¹

Despite its widespread use, MSG has been the subject of debate regarding potential health concerns.² Some individuals have reported symptoms like headaches and nausea after consuming foods containing MSG; however, scientific studies have not consistently demonstrated a direct causal relationship.² Regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), classify MSG as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) when used appropriately.²

Safety Overview

Regulatory Bodies

FDA (US)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies monosodium glutamate (MSG) as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) when used in accordance with good manufacturing practices.³ This classification indicates that MSG is considered safe for its intended use in foods.³

Health Canada

Health Canada recognizes MSG as a permitted food additive and has established standards for its use in various food products, aligning with international safety assessments.⁴

EFSA (Europe)

In 2017, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) re-evaluated the safety of glutamic acid and its salts, including MSG, and established an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 30 mg per kg of body weight per day.⁵EFSA noted that estimated dietary exposure to glutamates may exceed this ADI for some population groups.⁵

WHO

The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has evaluated MSG and assigned it a group ADI of “not specified,” indicating that, based on available data, the total daily intake of MSG does not represent a health concern.⁶

FDA GRAS

U.S. Food and Drug Administration – Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS)

Current Status

Classified

EWG Rating

Environmental Working Group

EWG Rating: The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has not identified any specific concerns regarding monosodium glutamate (MSG) in their Food Scores database.⁷
Level of Caution: While EWG’s Food Scores do not highlight particular issues with MSG, their Skin Deep® database notes that MSG is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).⁸
Possible Health Risks: The EWG’s Skin Deep® database indicates that MSG is generally safe; however, some individuals may experience mild symptoms like headaches or nausea, though such cases are rare.⁸

More about monosodium glutamate (MSG)

Soups and Broths: Canned chicken noodle soup, instant ramen noodles, bouillon cubes.
Processed Meats: Sausages, deli meats, frozen chicken tenders.
Snack Foods: Flavored potato chips, cheese puffs, savory crackers.

Historical Use

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) was discovered in 1908 by Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda, who isolated it from sea kelp to enhance the umami flavor in foods.⁹ Since then, MSG has been widely used as a flavor enhancer in various cuisines, particularly in Asian countries.⁹

Current Exposure

Today, consumers are frequently exposed to MSG through its addition to processed foods, canned soups, snack items, and restaurant dishes to enhance flavor.² Despite its widespread use, some individuals report sensitivity to MSG, experiencing symptoms like headaches and nausea, though scientific evidence does not consistently support these claims.¹⁰

Oxidative Stress and Neurodegeneration

Studies indicate that even low doses of MSG can increase oxidative stress markers, potentially leading to cellular damage and neurodegeneration.¹¹

Cardiac Toxicity

High doses of MSG have been associated with oxidative stress and structural changes in cardiac tissue, suggesting potential adverse effects on heart health.¹²

Hepatotoxicity

Research has shown that elevated MSG intake may exacerbate liver injury through mechanisms related to increased oxidative stress and inflammation.¹³

Headaches

Some individuals may experience headaches following MSG consumption, a condition sometimes referred to as “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome.”¹⁴

Toxicological Studies: Significant increases in systemic glutamate levels occur only after extremely high oral doses of MSG, specifically those exceeding 30 mg/kg body weight.¹⁵
Long-Term Safety: A comprehensive review indicated that while MSG is generally recognized as safe, further clinical and epidemiological studies are needed to conclusively determine its long-term safety, especially concerning chronic exposure.¹⁶

High-Risk Groups

Some studies have investigated the potential of MSG to trigger asthma symptoms; however, current evidence does not support a causal association between MSG consumption and asthma exacerbation.¹⁷

Health Impacts

Excessive intake of MSG has been linked to oxidative stress and neurological dysfunction in animal studies, suggesting potential risks for vulnerable populations.¹⁸

Recommended Intake

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has established an acceptable daily intake (ADI) for monosodium glutamate (MSG) at 30 mg per kg of body weight per day.¹⁹ This means that an individual weighing 70 kg (approximately 154 lbs) can safely consume up to 2.1 grams of MSG daily.

General Safety Level: Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other health organizations.¹ Extensive research, including in vivo and in vitro studies, has not conclusively linked MSG consumption to serious health issues in the general population.²⁰
Sensitive Individuals: A small subset of individuals may experience mild and transient symptoms, such as headaches or muscle sensitivity, after consuming large doses of MSG without food.² However, controlled studies have not consistently reproduced these reactions, suggesting that such sensitivity is relatively rare.²¹

References

Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Monosodium glutamate (MSG).” Available at: https://www.britannica.com/science/monosodium-glutamate ↩︎
Mayo Clinic. “Monosodium glutamate (MSG): Is it harmful?” Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/monosodium-glutamate/faq-20058196 ↩︎
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “CFR – Code of Federal Regulations Title 21.” Available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=182.1 ↩︎
Health Canada. “Monosodium glutamate (MSG) and other sources of glutamate in foods.” Available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-safety/food-additives/monosodium-glutamate-questions-answers.html ↩︎
European Food Safety Authority. “EFSA reviews safety of glutamates added to food.” Available at: https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press/news/170712 ↩︎
World Health Organization. “JECFA Monographs: Monosodium L-glutamate.” Available at: https://apps.who.int/food-additives-contaminants-jecfa-database/Home/Chemical/2257 ↩︎
Environmental Working Group. “EWG’s Food Scores | Ingredient: MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE.” Available at: https://www.ewg.org/foodscores/ingredients/23420-MONOSODIUMGLUTAMATE/ ↩︎
Environmental Working Group. “EWG Skin Deep® | What is MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE.” Available at: https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredients/706068-MONOSODIUM_GLUTAMATE/ ↩︎
Food Insight. “MSG: A Brief History.” Available at: https://foodinsight.org/msg-a-brief-history/ ↩︎
Cleveland Clinic. “Is MSG Actually Bad for You?” Available at: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-msg-really-harmful ↩︎
Kesherwani, R., Bhoumik, S., Kumar, R., & Rizvi, S. I. (2024). Monosodium Glutamate Even at Low Dose May Affect Oxidative Stress, Inflammation and Neurodegeneration in Rats. Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry, 39, 101–109. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12291-022-01077-1 ↩︎
Hazzaa, S. M., El-Roghy, E. S., Abd Eldaim, M. A., & Elgarawany, G. E. (2020). Monosodium glutamate induces cardiac toxicity via oxidative stress, fibrosis, and P53 proapoptotic protein expression in rats. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 27, 20014–20024. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-020-08436-6 ↩︎
Asejeje, F. O., Gabriel, G. O., & Abiola, M. A. (2023). Monosodium glutamate aggravates lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury via inflammation and oxidative stress in rats. Nutrire, 48, Article 5. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41110-023-00188-w ↩︎
National Center for Biotechnology Information. (n.d.). Headache caused by monosodium glutamate. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/medgen/1835862 ↩︎
Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). The Safety Evaluation of Monosodium Glutamate. The Journal of Nutrition. Available at: https://jn.nutrition.org/article/S0022-3166%2822%2914037-X/fulltext ↩︎
Zanfirescu, A., et al. (2019). A Review of the Alleged Health Hazards of Monosodium Glutamate. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 18(4), 1111–1134. Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/1541-4337.12448 ↩︎
Monosodium glutamate. Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_glutamate ↩︎
Chukwu, C. N., Chukwu, C., Nwaorgu, J. U., Anthony, D. A., & Egbuonu, C. C. (2024). Thaumatococcus daniellii leaf extract attenuates monosodium glutamate–induced cerebral and cerebellar oxidative neurotoxicity in rats. Comparative Clinical Pathology. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00580-024-03621-2 ↩︎
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). (2017). Re-evaluation of glutamic acid (E 620), sodium glutamate (E 621), potassium glutamate (E 622), calcium glutamate (E 623), ammonium glutamate (E 624) and magnesium glutamate (E 625) as food additives. EFSA Journal, 15(7), 4910. Available at: https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/4910 ↩︎
In Vivo and In Vitro Studies Assessing the Safety of Monosodium Glutamate. Foods, 2023. Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/13/23/3981 ↩︎
Headache and mechanical sensitization of human pericranial muscles after repeated intake of monosodium glutamate (MSG). The Journal of Headache and Pain, 2012. Available at: https://thejournalofheadacheandpain.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1129-2377-14-2 ↩︎

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