Learn Where MSG is Hidden

MSG has been used as an acronym for "monosodium glutamate" for years. MSG is a flavor enhancer and popular ingredient in many Asian cuisines. It is common enough knowledge that people can get MSG reactions that Chinese restaurants were advertising MSG-free on their food starting in the mid 1990s.  MSG reactions can include flushing, sweating, chest pain and weakness.   The most common symptom I see in my office are headaches or migraines.  Other symptoms include facial pressure, drowsiness, and numbness and tingling in the face, back, and arms.

MSG is a neurotoxin that is best to stay away from even if you don't notice any symptoms.  Actually we know it as MSG but it's more factual name is Manufactured free Glutamate or MfG.  Since it is common knowledge that we should not ingest MSG the food industry as come up with other names, 40 more names to be exact.  

One popular place where it can be found is in low fat or nonfat milk products and may diary products that contain carrageenan, guar gum and locust bean gum.  Protein powders contain glutamic acid, which , invariably will be manufactured with MfG.  Also if you see the word 'protein' by itself on any label it contains MfG.   Also hydrolyzed soy protein, hydrolyzed wheat protein, hydrolyzed pea protein, hydrolyzed whey protein, hydrolyzed corn protein and tomato protein all contain MfG.

In sensitive patients reactions have been reported from soaps, shampoos, hair conditioners and cosmetics where MfG is hidden in ingredients with names that include the words "hydrolyzed," "amino acids," and or "protein".  Most sun block, spf lotion and insect repellents also contain MfG.  

According to the manufacturer, Varivax-Merk chicken pox vaccine contains L-monosodium glutamate and hydrolyzed gelatin, both of which contain MfG.  The vaccine has been shown to cause brain lesion ni laboratory animals and cause obesity and reproductive disorders later in life.  It would appear that most, if not all, live virus vaccines contain some ingredient that contains MfG.

Some people have reactions to MfG even if it's a small dose and others need a large dose to feel MfG toxicity.  A reaction can occur immediately after ingestion or up to 48 hours.  The time lapse between ingestion and reaction is typically the same each time for a particular individual who ingest an amount of MfG that exceeds his or her individual tolerance level.  

All of the following contain MfG:

Names of ingredients that always contain MfG:

Glutamic acid (E 620) 
Glutamate (E 620)
Monosodium glutamate (E 621)
Monopotassium glutamate (E 622)
Calcium glutamate (E 623)
Monoammonium glutamate (E 624)
Magnesium glutamate (E 625)
Natrium glutamate
Anything “hydrolyzed”
Any “hydrolyzed protein”
Calcium caseinate, Sodium caseinate
Yeast extract, Torula yeast
Yeast food, Yeast nutrient 
Autolyzed yeast
Gelatin
Textured protein
Whey protein
Whey protein concentrate
Whey protein isolate
Soy protein 
Soy protein concentrate
Soy protein isolate
Anything “protein”
Anything “protein fortified”
Soy sauce
Soy sauce extract
Protease
Anything “enzyme modified”
Anything containing “enzymes”
Anything “fermented”
Vetsin
Ajinomoto
Umami
Zinc proteninate

Names of ingredients that often contain or produce MfG during processing:

Carrageenan (E 407)
Bouillon and broth
Stock
Any “flavors” or “flavoring”
Natural flavor
Maltodextrin
Oligodextrin
Citric acid, Citrate (E 330)
Anything “ultra-pasteurized”
Barley malt
Malted barley
Brewer’s yeast
Pectin (E 440)
Malt extract
Seasonings

*1 Glutamic acid found in unadulterated protein does not cause adverse reactions. To cause adverse reactions, the glutamic acid must have been processed /manufactured or come from protein that has been fermented.

*2 E numbers are use in Europe in place of food additive names.

The following are ingredients suspected of containing or creating sufficient processed free glutamic acid to serve as MfG-reaction triggers in HIGHLY SENSITIVE people:

Corn starch  
Corn syrup  
Modified food starch 
Lipolyzed butter fat  
Dextrose
Rice syrup
Brown rice syrup  
Milk powder 
Reduced fat milk (skim; 1%; 2%) 
most things “low fat” or “no fat”  
anything “enriched”
anything “vitamin enriched” 
anything “pasteurized”
Annatto
Balsamic vinegar
certain amino acid chelates (Citrate, aspartate, and glutamate are used as chelating agents with mineral supplements.)