[Fwd: MSG is Hidden in Foods with labels that Say No Added MSG]

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No MSG, No MSG, No MSG, No MSG, No MSG, No MSG, No MSG, No MSG

http://www.truthinlabeling.org/nomsg.html

 

MSG is hidden in food with labels that say " No Added MSG

" No MSG Added, " and " No MSG "

 

-- like " McKay's Chicken Style Instant Broth and Seasoning "

 

-- like " Spice Bouquet " Adobe seasoning

distributed by Cam International Trading Corp of Malverne, New York

" Ingredients: Salt, dehydrated garlic, hydrolized vegetable protein,

black pepper and other herbs and spices. No additives or MSG. "

 

Manufacturers are acutely aware that many consumers would prefer not to

have MSG (1) in their food.(2) Some manufacturers have responded by

using " clean labels, " i.e., labels that contain only ingredient names

they think consumers will not recognize as containing MSG -- names such

as " hydrolyzed soy protein. " Others advertise " No MSG, " " No MSG Added, "

or " No Added MSG, " even though their products contain MSG.

 

Most offenders are small processors who are possibly being misguided by

the FDA, the USDA, and/or consultants. Hain and Campbell's, both large

companies, are among those who have been alerted to both the deception

that they are perpetrating and the illegality of what they are doing,

yet continue with what the FDA has termed deceptive and misleading

labeling.

 

Placing " No MSG, " " No MSG Added, " or " No Added MSG " on food labels has

been deemed by the FDA to be false and misleading under section

(403)(a)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act when the label

also lists any hydrolyzed protein as an ingredient since it contains

MSG. " (3) Thus, to advertise " No MSG, " " No MSG Added, " or " No Added MSG "

when there is MSG in a product is illegal.

 

At one time, the FDA responded to the illegal use of the term " No MSG

Added, " with both a Regulatory Letter and threat of seizure and

injunction in case of non-compliance.(4) At one time, State Attorneys

General sued manufacturers that made such claims, and won consent

decrees from them, and sometimes imposed fines.(5-6) But when the FDA

began to look the other way, and the State Attorneys General turned

their attention to other matters, the deceptive and misleading use of

" No MSG " and No Added MSG " once more began proliferating.l

 

Following the FDA's announcement in 1995 that " ...FDA considers foods

whose labels say " No MSG " or " No Added MSG " to be misleading if the food

contains ingredients that are sources of free glutamates, such as

hydrolyzed protein, " (7) the incidence of such misleading and deceptive

labels regulated by the FDA began to decline. At the same time, similar

labels regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

continued proliferating. At the USDA they don't simply fail to enforce

the regulation. The USDA actually approves labels of meat and poultry

products that claim " No MSG, " " No MSG Added, " or " No Added MSG " when

they contain free glutamic acid.

 

Clearly, it is false and misleading to claim " No MSG " or " No MSG Added "

on a product label when MSG is present, even if it is present as a

constituent of an ingredient.

 

Those making such claims should be able to demonstrate, through valid

tests for free glutamic acid content, that there is zero free glutamic

acid in their products.

 

Even if one could assume that a particular label reflected the

ingredients actually in the product (which one cannot), review of

product labels to determine the presence of MSG would not be

satisfactory, and will not substitute for analysis of end product.. The

number of products/ingredients /substances that contain MSG is not

finite, i.e., new ingredients that contain MSG are invented and/or

renamed every day. To keep track of them would be virtually impossible.

Moreover, MSG can be freed from protein during processing or manufacture

given appropriate conditions. For example, any ingredient that contains

a bit of protein can be hydrolyzed if hydrochloric acid, enzymes, heat,

and/or other substances or conditions that cause glutamic acid to be

separated out of its host protein are present. Hydrolyzation of protein

inevitably creates some (processed) free glutamic acid (MSG).

 

Only if there is zero free glutamic acid in an end product can one

legitimately claim that there is no MSG. The burden of proof for a claim

about the absence of MSG must lie with those making the claim.

 

If you write or call to ask whether or not there is MSG in a product...

 

If you want to find out if there is processed free glutamic acid (MSG)

in a product, you must ask the manufacturer for information about " free

glutamic acid. " Don't ask about " MSG. " Manufacturers find it convenient,

when speaking to consumers, to tell them that there is no " MSG " in their

product, meaning that there is no ingredient called " monosodium

glutamate. " Even if a manufacturer tells you there is no MSG in a

product, there may be autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed pea protein,

carrageenan, sodium caseinate, enzymes, and a whole slew of other

ingredients that contain or create processed free glutamic acid (MSG)

during manufacture.

 

If you are told that all of the MSG in a product is " naturally

occurring, " thank the manufacturer for that meaningless information, but

explain that all processed free glutamic acid (MSG) is referred to as

" natural " by the FDA -- so " natural " tells you nothing. In fact, as the

word " natural " is defined by the FDA, the food ingredient " monosodium

glutamate " is " natural. "

 

It is the amount of processed free glutamic acid in the product that

will determine whether or not you might suffer an MSG reaction. If the

manufacturer claims not to know whether or not there is processed free

glutamic acid (MSG) in his or her product, ask that the product be

analyzed for free amino acids, including free glutamic acid. There are

tests for measuring free glutamic acid. The AOAC Official Methods of

Analysis (1984) gives one method. There are others. The cost of testing

should be no more than $100.

 

We have been advised by the FDA that if any such misbranded products are

brought to their attention, they will act to correct the situation. To

report misbranded products to the FDA, please call the FDA at

888-723-3366 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., eastern time - and keep a

record of your call.

 

The most recent submissions of illegal labeling from conscientious label

readers:

(Examples include names of ingredients that sometimes or always contain

or create MSG)

 

KcKay's Chicken Style Instant Broth and Seasoning

" NO MSG ADDED "

Autolyzed Yeast

(In addition, they use disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate --

expensive flavor potentiaters that work synergistically with processed

free glutamic acid (MSG) -- and, we are told, are only cost effective

when used with processed free glutamic acid (MSG))

 

Spice Bouquet Adobo seasoning

" No additives or MSG "

Hydrolized Vegetable Protein

 

Lightlife Foods Smart Ground

" No MSG "

Soy Protein Concentrate, Soy Sauce, Natural Flavors, Malt Extract, Wheat

Starch

 

Lightlife Foods Tofu Pups

" NO MSG "

Soy Protein Isolate, Yeast Extract, Carrageenan, Natural Smoke Flavor

 

Campbell's Healthy Request Cream of Mushroom

" No MSG "

Modified Food Starch, Whey Protein Concentrate, Maltodextrin, Flavoring

(In addition, Campbell's used disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate

-- expensive flavor potentiaters that work synergistically with

processed free glutamic acid (MSG) -- and, we are told, are only cost

effective when used with processed free glutamic acid (MSG))

 

Lawry's Tenderizing Beef Marinade Spices & Seasonings

" No MSG Added "

Modified Food Starch, Natural Flavoring

 

Simply Organic Macaroni & Cheese

" Our products DO NOT contain MSG, hydrolyzed vegetable protein... "

Natural Flavors, Organic Autolyzed yeast extract

 

Geno's All-In-One Sauce

" No MSG "

Soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce (...hydrolyzed corn and soy protein...),

Natural flavoring, Modified food starch

 

Cardini's Herb Poppy Seed Dressing (Low Fat)

" NO MSG ADDED "

Maltodextrin, Modified Food Starch, Whey Protein Concentrate, Natural

Flavor

 

Simply Organic spicy chili

" Our products do not contain MSG... "

Organic Autolyzed Yeast Extract

 

Modern Products All Natural Vege-Sal All Purpose Vegetized Seasoning Salt

" NO MSG ADDED "

Soy Sauce, Hydrolized Vegetable Protein

 

Hain Pure Foods All Natural Chicken Broth

" No Added MSG "

Chicken Broth, Chicken Base, Autolyzed Yeast Extract

 

Campbell's Healthy Request Minestrone

" Contains No MSG "

Contains: Chicken stock, high fructose corn syrup, chicken flavor,

Disodium inosinate, Disodium guanylate, Flavoring

(Disodium inosinate, Disodium guanylate are expensive additives that

work synergistically with processed free glutamic acid (MSG). It would

not be cost effective to use them if there were no processed free

glutamic acid (MSG) in the product.)

 

Blue Diamond Almond Toppers

" No MSG "

Nonfat milk solids, Cheese cultures, Enzymes, Maltodextrin, Enzyme

modified parmesan cheese, Torula yeast, Natural flavor, Disodium

inosinate, Disodium guanylate

 

Farm House Parmesan Pasta (Distributed by General Mills Sales, Inc.)

" No MSG "

Enzymes, Maltodextrin, Autolyzed yeast extract, Modified corn starch,

Natural flavor

 

The following label violations( were observed in 1999 on or after April

1, 1999

(Examples include names of ingredients that sometimes or always contain

or create MSG)

 

Briannas Home Style Blue Cheese Dressing

" NO MSG "

Contains: Cheese culture, Enzymes, Vinegar, Buttermilk powder, Natural

flavor, Citric acid

 

Campbell's Healthy Request Cream of Mushroom

" No MSG "

Contains: Modified food starch, Cornstarch, Whey protein concentrate,

Disodium inosinate, Disodium guanylate, Maltodextrin, Mushroom powder

 

Campbell's Healthy Request Chicken Broth

" No MSG "

Contains: Chicken stock, Chicken flavor (dried chicken stock, gelatin,

flavoring) Flavoring, Disodium inosinate, Disodium guanylate

 

Campbell's Healthy Request Hearty Chicken Noodle

" No MSG "

Contains: Chicken stock, Modified food starch, Maltodextrin, Disodium

inosinate, Disodium guanylate, Cultured whey, Modified food starch, Soy

protein isolate, Chicken flavor

 

Campbell's Healthy Request Hearty Tomato Ravioli with Vegetables

" NO MSG "

Contains: Carrageenan, Pasteurized part skim milk, Cheese cultures,

Enzymes, Modified food starch, Enzyme modified butter, Cream powder,

Nonfat dry milk, Disodium inosinate, Disodium guanylate

 

Dominique's New England Clam Chowder (Distributed by: American marketing

Team, Bloomfield, NJ)

" No MSG Added "

Contains: Modified corn starch, Isolated soy protein, Clam broth

concentrate, Yeast extract, Natural flavor

 

Franco-American SPACE GOOFS shaped Pasta with MEATBALLS in Tomato Sauce

" No MSG "

Contains: Soy protein isolate, Enzyme modified cheddar cheese, Enzyme

modified butter

 

Hain Pure Food All Natural Vegetable Broth

" No Added MSG "

Contains: Autolyzed yeast extract

 

Herb ox very low sodium Instant Broth & Seasoning Chicken Bouillon with

other natural flavors

" NO MSG ADDED "

Contains: Maltodextrin, Monoammonian glutamate, Gelatin, Citric acid,

Natural flavoring, Disodium inosinate, Disodium guanylate

 

Naturade Fat-Free Vegetable Protein

" CONTAINS NO MSG "

Contains: 4540 mg glutamic acid per serving

 

Newman's Own Ranch Dressing

" No MSG "

Contains: Natural flavor, Yeast extract

(Newman's has removed the " No MSG " claim from its label)

 

Tony Charchere's Lite Creole Seasoning

" NO MSG "

Contains: Maltodextrin

 

Let Us Hear From You

 

We thank all of you who have so generously shared information with us.

We would be pleased to publish additional examples of misbranded

products and note corrections made by manufacturers on this Web page.

Please send offending labels and corrected labels to the Truth in

Labeling Campaign, P.O. Box 2532, Darien, IL 60561 along with your name,

address, and phone number.

 

 

NOTES AND REFERENCES

 

1. Free form glutamic acid that occurs in food as a consequence of

manufacture.

 

2. National Food Merchandiser March, 1992. Page 16.

 

3. Janice F. Oliver, Director, Office of Regulatory Guidance, Center for

food Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA. Letter to Jack L. Samuels dated

December 5, 1991.

 

4. April 10, 1990 FDA Regulatory Letter to Fantastic Foods, Inc.,

Novato, CA.

 

5. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Plaintiff VS. S & B International

Corporation, Defendant. Civil Action - Equity No. 358 MD 1992

 

6. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Plaintiff VS Pepperidge Farm,

Incorporated Defendant Civil Action - Equity No 257 M.D. 1991

 

7. FDA Backgrounder. BG 95-16 (August 31, 1995)

 

8. Among the ingredients listed here, hydrolyzed vegetable protein,

yeast extract, autolyzed yeast extract, and gelatin always contain MSG.

Disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate are expensive additives which

work synergistically with MSG, and have little or no flavor-enhancing

capabilities of their own. The other ingredients often, if not always,

contain MSG.

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