Hotline: 0855.911.911 
RSS 
(VTC News) MSG is a commonly used seasoning in Vietnam and around the world. Many questions arise regarding its safety and how to use it…
MSG MSG is produced from raw materials such as sugarcane and cassava through microbial fermentation. The main component of MSG is glutamate – an amino acid that is also commonly found in natural foods.
Many health and medical organizations worldwide, such as JECFA (the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)), EC/SCF (the Scientific Committee on Food of the European Community), FDA (the US Food and Drug Administration), etc., have concluded that MSG is safe for both adults and children with no specified daily dose (the amount used depends on personal preference and taste).
In Vietnam, the Ministry of Health has included MSG in the "List of permitted food additives" since 2001.
Does MSG affect the nervous system?
The human body has "gut barriers" and "blood-brain barriers," mechanisms that prevent MSG or glutamate from the diet from entering the brain. Glutamate used for brain function is synthesized by brain cells themselves.
First, the "gut barrier" can be understood as meaning that most of the ingested glutamate is absorbed by the intestinal cells. Intestinal cells use glutamate as an energy source. Therefore, almost no glutamate enters the bloodstream. Second, the "blood-brain barrier" also prevents glutamate from the blood from entering the brain.
Thus, the use MSG As a seasoning in cooking, it does not affect the brain or nervous system.
Is it safe to use MSG for young children?
In 1987, the JECFA organization concluded: "The metabolism of MSG in children and adults is the same, and no risks to children have been indicated."
At the same time, studies have also shown that at different stages of a child's development, such as the fetal stage, the breastfeeding stage, and the stage from weaning onwards, the mother's use of MSG or the addition of MSG to the child's food does not affect the child's health.
Therefore, there are currently no recommendations to restrict the use of MSG for children. However, attention should be paid to combining natural foods to provide sufficient essential nutrients for young children, and the overuse of additives should be avoided.
Does MSG cause any discomfort (numbness, fatigue, facial flushing, etc.) after consumption?
In 1968, a scientist described several symptoms that appeared after eating at Chinese restaurants, such as numbness, shortness of breath, dizziness, and palpitations. This scientist hypothesized that the cause might be one of the widely used seasonings in Chinese cuisine, such as rice wine, soy sauce, salt, or MSG.
Regarding MSG, in 1987, based on research results, JECFA officially declared that MSG was not the cause of this syndrome. This conclusion has also been confirmed by many subsequent studies.
Therefore, MSG is not the cause of unpleasant symptoms such as numbness, fatigue, dizziness, etc., that some people may experience after eating dishes like pho, vermicelli, etc. It's possible that some people have an oversensitivity to the large amount of MSG used in street food (although the reaction is only transient and not serious; in this case, the amount used can be reduced) or it could be due to psychological factors in users after hearing a lot of negative information about MSG.
Should MSG only be added when the dish is almost cooked?
In typical cooking methods such as boiling, stewing, stir-frying, and deep-frying, the cooking temperature will vary. Generally, this temperature ranges from 130 to 190°C and usually does not exceed 250°C.
At this cooking temperature range, MSG It has been proven that it does not transform into components that are harmful to health.
Therefore, in principle, MSG can be added at any time during cooking. The exact timing depends on the dish and the cook's experience.
Doctor Nguyen Thi Thu Hau
Head of the Nutrition Department – Children's Hospital 2
MSG MSG is produced from raw materials such as sugarcane and cassava through microbial fermentation. The main component of MSG is glutamate – an amino acid that is also commonly found in natural foods.
Many health and medical organizations worldwide, such as JECFA (the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)), EC/SCF (the Scientific Committee on Food of the European Community), FDA (the US Food and Drug Administration), etc., have concluded that MSG is safe for both adults and children with no specified daily dose (the amount used depends on personal preference and taste).
In Vietnam, the Ministry of Health has included MSG in the "List of permitted food additives" since 2001.
 |
The human body has "gut barriers" and "blood-brain barriers," mechanisms that prevent MSG or glutamate from the diet from entering the brain. Glutamate used for brain function is synthesized by brain cells themselves.
First, the "gut barrier" can be understood as meaning that most of the ingested glutamate is absorbed by the intestinal cells. Intestinal cells use glutamate as an energy source. Therefore, almost no glutamate enters the bloodstream. Second, the "blood-brain barrier" also prevents glutamate from the blood from entering the brain.
Thus, the use MSG As a seasoning in cooking, it does not affect the brain or nervous system.
Is it safe to use MSG for young children?
In 1987, the JECFA organization concluded: "The metabolism of MSG in children and adults is the same, and no risks to children have been indicated."
At the same time, studies have also shown that at different stages of a child's development, such as the fetal stage, the breastfeeding stage, and the stage from weaning onwards, the mother's use of MSG or the addition of MSG to the child's food does not affect the child's health.
Therefore, there are currently no recommendations to restrict the use of MSG for children. However, attention should be paid to combining natural foods to provide sufficient essential nutrients for young children, and the overuse of additives should be avoided.
Does MSG cause any discomfort (numbness, fatigue, facial flushing, etc.) after consumption?
In 1968, a scientist described several symptoms that appeared after eating at Chinese restaurants, such as numbness, shortness of breath, dizziness, and palpitations. This scientist hypothesized that the cause might be one of the widely used seasonings in Chinese cuisine, such as rice wine, soy sauce, salt, or MSG.
Regarding MSG, in 1987, based on research results, JECFA officially declared that MSG was not the cause of this syndrome. This conclusion has also been confirmed by many subsequent studies.
Therefore, MSG is not the cause of unpleasant symptoms such as numbness, fatigue, dizziness, etc., that some people may experience after eating dishes like pho, vermicelli, etc. It's possible that some people have an oversensitivity to the large amount of MSG used in street food (although the reaction is only transient and not serious; in this case, the amount used can be reduced) or it could be due to psychological factors in users after hearing a lot of negative information about MSG.
Should MSG only be added when the dish is almost cooked?
In typical cooking methods such as boiling, stewing, stir-frying, and deep-frying, the cooking temperature will vary. Generally, this temperature ranges from 130 to 190°C and usually does not exceed 250°C.
At this cooking temperature range, MSG It has been proven that it does not transform into components that are harmful to health.
Therefore, in principle, MSG can be added at any time during cooking. The exact timing depends on the dish and the cook's experience.
Doctor Nguyen Thi Thu Hau
Head of the Nutrition Department – Children's Hospital 2
Comment 
