Author: Ronald Walker, School of Biological Sciences, University of Surrey, UK; John R. Lupien, Food and Nutrition Division, FAO, Roma, Italy

Year: 2000

Summary: This review discusses the safety evaluation of MSG by various regulatory bodies. It was found that regulatory evaluations by JECFA, SCF, and other bodies have found MSG safe for consumption. No adverse effects have been observed in conventional toxicity, reproduction, or teratology studies. Despite some concerns about potential central nervous system lesions in neonates, human studies have not linked MSG to “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” or other intolerances. Overall, MSG has been deemed safe with an “acceptable daily intake not specified,” confirming its safety for all age groups.

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Author: Food Standards Australia New Zealand

Year: 2003

Summary: This safety assessment found that there is no convincing evidence that MSG is a significant factor in causing systemic reactions resulting in severe illness or mortality. The studies conducted to date on CRS have largely failed to demonstrate a causal association with MSG. Symptoms resembling those of CRS may be provoked in a clinical setting in small numbers of individuals by the administration of large doses of MSG without food. However, such effects are neither persistent nor serious and are likely to be attenuated when MSG is consumed with food. In terms of more serious adverse effects such as the triggering of bronchospasm in asthmatic individuals, the evidence does not indicate that MSG is a significant trigger factor.

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Author: H. N. MALLICK, Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi

Year: 2007
Summary:  There are important species differences and differences with age and routes of administration in the glutamate sensitivity of CNS. The brain in general is a net exporter of glutamate and the presence of the blood brain barrier prevents exogenous glutamate from acting on the brain.

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Author: Charles V. Vorhees, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Year: 2018
Summary: The study revisited a 1979 experiment that evaluated the potential
developmental neurotoxicity (DN) of dietary monosodium glutamate (MSG) in rats. The
study found four statistically significant effects out of 36 measured variables, none of which
were consistent or biologically meaningful. The study concluded that the 1979 findings
should not be used as a basis for regulatory changes regarding MSG without further
contemporary studies.

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Authors: Cécile Loïa, CITRAGE, Boissy St Léger, France, Luc Cynoberb, Laboratoire de Biologie de la Nutrition, Faculté de Pharmacie

Year: 2022

Summary:The review was conducted to assess the contribution of different dietary sources of glutamate, impact of glutamate form (free or protein-bound) and its safety. The review found no compelling evidence to indicate any ADI, stating that Glutamate should be considered as a safe nutrient before being considered as an additive. 

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Author: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)

Year: 1987

Summary: The committee concluded, based on the analysis of blood levels of glutamic acid in human subjects associated with various dietary regimens, that peak plasma levels are dependent on the food vehicles in which the compound is incorporated and that infants metabolise monosodium glutamate in a similar way to adults. In the light of all data, the committee allocated an ADI “not specified” to monosodium glutamate when incorporated into food or used as a condiment; this ADI applies to all glutamates, alone and in combination.

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Author: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
Year: 1974
Summary: An Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of 0–120 mg/kg body weight was allocated,
encompassing the L-glutamic acid equivalents of the salts; this was considered additional to
the intake from all nonadditive dietary sources. In the absence of human infant data at that
time, and in view of the observation that neonatal rodents appeared to be more sensitive
than adults to the neurologic effects of high blood levels of glutamate, it was stated that the
ADI did not apply to infants 12 wk of age.
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Author: Anca Zanfirescu, Anca Ungurianu, Aristides M Tsatsakis, George M Nițulescu, Demetrios Kouretas, Aris Veskoukis, Dimitrios Tsoukalas, Ayse B Engin, Michael Aschner, Denisa Margină

Year: 2019

Summary: The study provides a comprehensive examination of the potential health risks associated with MSG consumption. It surveys existing literature, focusing on preclinical studies and clinical trials. The review highlights various reported adverse effects, such as cardiotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, neurotoxicity, metabolic disorders, and behavioral changes.
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Authors: Ashley Roberts & Barry Lyncha, Intertek Scientific and Regulatory Consultancy Health, Environmental and Regulatory Services (HERS), Mississauga,ON, Canada, Barry Lyncha and Ivonne M.C.M. Rietjens, Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Year: 2018

Summary: The study was conducted to re-evaluate the safety of glutamate (MSG) consumption, and the ADI levels defined by EFSA in 2017. In conclusion, the study called for a revision of the current ADI for glutamate, arguing that the EFSA’s assessment does not align with the extensive body of scientific evidence supporting the safety of glutamate at higher levels of consumption.
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Author: David R. Tennant, Independent Scientific Adviser, Food Chemical Risk Analysis, East Sussex, East Dean, UK

Year: 2018

Summary: Intakes of glutamate can be derived from its natural occurrence as a constituent of proteins, from the presence of free glutamate in certain fermented foods, and from the addition of glutamic acid and glutamates to foods as flavor-enhancing additives. Findings: Intakes of glutamate following hydrolysis of dietary proteins can be as high as 440 mg/kg bw/day for toddlers and small children.
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Authors: Tushar Kanti Bera, Sanjit Kumar Kar, Prem Kumar Yadav, Prithwiraj Mukherjee, Shankar Yadav, Bishal Joshi from Department of Physiology, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Lumbini Zone, Nepal

Year: 2017

Summary: Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is one of several forms of glutamic acid found in foods, in large part because glutamic acid (an amino acid) is pervasive in nature. MSG is used in the food industry as a flavor enhancer with an umami taste that intensifies the meaty, savory flavor of food, as naturally occurring glutamate does in foods such as stews and meat soups. MSG has been used for more than 100 years to season food, with a number of studies conducted on its safety.

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Author: Helen Nonye Henry-Unaeze, Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Applied Food Sciences and Tourism, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria

Year: 2017

Summary: An evidence-based safety review of the flavor enhancer monosodium l-glutamate (MSG) was triggered by its global use and recent studies expressing some safety concerns.

It was found that the human body processes glutamate from both food and added MSG in the same way, without ethnic differences, and metabolizes it entirely within the gut and liver. Normal dietary levels of MSG are safe and well-regulated, with recent studies showing no consistent adverse reactions even in sensitive individuals.

It was concluded that high quality MSG is safe for all life-cycle stages without respect to ethnic origin or culinary background.

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Authors: Yoko Obayashi, IGTC and Yoichi Nagamura, Faculty of Health Science, Department of Clinical Nurition, Suzuka University of Medical Science, Japan

Year: 2016

Summary: Based on the systematic review, it was found that human studies are not consistent, and it was assumed that most studies used beverages as a vehicle were not properly blinded. It is suggested that a causal relationship between MSG and headache has not been proven. In addition, statistically significant differences in the incidence of headache were not observed when MSG was administered with food, except in one case of the female group where the blind integrity was questionable. It would seem premature to conclude that the MSG present in food causes headaches.
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Author: K Beyreuther, HK Biesalski, JD Fernstrom, P Grimm, WP Hammes, U Heinemann, O Kempski, P Stehle, H Steinhart and R Walker

Year: 2007

Summary: Glutamate from all sources is mainly used as energy fuel in the body. A maximum intake of 16.000 mg/kg body weight is regarded as safe. The general use of glutamate salts (MSG and others) as food additive can, thus, be regarded as harmless for the whole population.
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Authors: John T. Brosnan, Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University

of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Canada, Adam Drewnowski, Center for Public Health Nutrition, University of Washington, USA and Mark I. Friedman, Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Year: 2014

Summary: Such studies have been shown to have no relevance to animals or humans under normal or even extreme conditions of MSG ingestion. The fundamental reason is that glutamate is metabolically compartmentalized in the body, and generally does not passively cross biologic membranes. Hence, almost none of the ingested glutamate (including MSG) passes from the gut lumen into the circulation, and essentially none transits the placenta in either direction between maternal and fetal circulations or crosses the blood–brain barrier. Ingesting MSG (glutamate) in food, therefore, does not cause elevations in glutamate concentrations in brain.
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Authors: Octavia-Laura Moldovan, Aura Rusu, Corneliu Tanase, Camil-Eugen Vari
Year: 2021
Summary: This review was focused on the long-term toxicity of MSG – with its primary
purpose being a survey of the data regarding the consumption of MSG within safe limits.
The review, on the basis of scientific studies, stated that MSG, when combined with other
compounds, may offer benefits against toxic effects and even serve as a potential anti-
cancer agent.