 Piles of instant noodles, one of the monosodium glutamate (MSG)-heavy products, are stacked at a hypermarket in this file photo. Food makers and civic groups oppose the Korea Food and Drug Administration's decision that MSG used as a food additive is safe. / Korea Times File |
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Food makers and civic groups are up in arms over the Korea Food and Drug Administration's latest decision that monosodium glutamate (MSG) used as a food additive is not dangerous.
While manufacturers hail the announcement as reassuring the safety of their products, civic activists denounce it as an ``encouragement for excessive intake.''
So the old topic resurfaces: Is MSG really safe?
MSG is a kind of amino acid and exists in natural products such as seaweed, corn, tomatoes and meat. The processed product is used as a food additive and is known to enhance flavors four-fold. MSG is used in instant noodles, ham, dumplings and other processed foods.
For over two decades the effects of MSG on humans has remained controversial.
Some people have reported short term reactions including headaches, flushing, sweating, numbness, fluttering heartbeats and feelings of weakness.
A Seoul National University research team said children who eat one-third of a pack of instant noodles containing MSG everyday have twice the chance of suffering from atopic eczema compared to those who do not, after studying 468 primary school students.
Still, scientists cannot verify the direct relationship between the two and the U.S. FDA has classified it as ``generally recognized as safe.'' The American authorities only mandate food makers to notify of MSG usage.
Matter of Modesty
Lotte, one of the largest domestic food manufacturers, consulted the KFDA after public antipathy emerged on its newly released instant noodle containing the ingredient.
While most of its competitors such as Nongshim and Samyang are selling non-MSG noodles, Lotte claimed the substance is safe enough for use.
The food administration said on March 31 that MSG is safe if people consume it in moderate amounts. It also suggested that by using MSG, one will feel less inclined to use salt, lessening sodium intake.
``The rivalry among food makers has deepened this worthless conflict,'' a KFDA official was quoted as saying to a local daily.
In a previous interview with The Korea Times, former KFDA front man Yoon Yeo-pyo said the authorities are monitoring the use of MSG. ``Like many other things, it is a matter of moderation. MSG will be monitored, not condemned.''
Some nutrition experts admitted that the topic is as delicate as other matters. ``Substitutes are not always so safe either. Those chemically regenerated additives could also trigger harm in the human body but food makers will be more than reluctant to exclude them because foods won't taste the same,'' ShinKwon Hwa-jung of Environmental Justice said.
Still, many civic activists criticized the KFDA for giving the green light to the use and consumption of MSG. ``The KFDA set guidelines for children's foods last year where instant noodles were among items banned from MSG usage,'' Choi Jun-ho, spokesman for the Korean Federation for Environmental Movement, said.
``MSG could also trigger obesity because it leads people to indulge in eating. When the social trend is moving to lessen its use, the KFDA is almost 'encouraging' people to consume it by guaranteeing its safety all of a sudden,'' he added.
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