Monosodium glutamate or MSG has been known as one of the main ingredients in a food flavoring. The bad reputation has been widely debated in various circles. Although MSG became famous in the 1960s, but it actually has a long history.
Starting from Kikunae Ikeda, a professor at the University of Tokyo, who are interested in the unique taste of kelp (konbu). He suspects that there is an unknown component in the food. Then in 1907, he embarked on a project to try to identify the components of the dried konbu.
Within a year, he found the key to the delights of the glutamic acid content. The findings complement previous four types of taste-sour, sweet, salty, and bitter-and named umami (from the root word in Japanese umai which means delicious).
Since that discovery, the Japanese produce glutamic acid by extraction from natural materials. But because the market demand continues to soar, 1956 began discovered how the production of L-glutamic acid by fermentation. L-glutamic acid this is the core of MSG, which is shaped like a white grain of salt. MSG itself actually does not have a taste. However, when added to the diet, will form a free glutamic acid captured by specific receptors in the brain and presented the basic tastes in food are becoming much more savory.
Since 1963, Japan joined Korea pioneered mass production of MSG, which later developed throughout the world, including Indonesia. Until now, the use of MSG in food is still being debated. Many say that the consumption of MSG can lead to cancer ignorance.
Actually, glutamic acid naturally found in plant and animal tissues such as: tomatoes, broccoli, mushrooms, peas, cheese, meat, fish, even in breast milk 20 times greater than cow's milk. To note, glutamate not only into the body with the food supply, but also synthesized by the body in which the body makes its own glutamate for a variety of purposes that the essential functions.
In 1959, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States classifies MSG as "Generally Recognized As Safe" (GRAS), just as salt, vinegar, and baking. But in 1968, there were reports in the New England Journal of Medicine about the complaint several disorders after eating at a Chinese restaurant so-called "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome". MSG is suspected as the main cause, but until now have not been reported scientific evidence.
Report of the American Federation of Societies for Experimental Biology (FEDSA) in 1995 also mention, in general MSG is safe if consumed in reasonable limits. In addition, they stated that there was no evidence if MSG cause serious medical problems and long-term. As for diseases such as Alzheimer's neurological disorders and Hungtinton, not obtained relationship with MSG consumption.
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