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Chow Mein Headaches

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. - Your chest and head tighten, a numbness creeps up your back, a headache and vomiting sometimes follow.......with possible upper abdominal pain and discomfort as well.

It is known as Chinese Restaurant Syndrome, and although it has been around for many years, scientists' know little about how and why it occurs... and even less about its long term effects.

The one thing that they are quite sure about (but not positive) is that theme symptom are caused by a additive and flavor enhancer known as monosodium glutamate or MSG.

Although it was very much in the news in 1969... when MSG was voluntarily removed from baby foods after researchers and the Federal Food and Drug Administration questioned its safety to infant nervous systems - the American public has heard very little about this additive since that time.

But behind-the-scenes controversy still brews in the MSG manufacturing industry... which likens its product to mother's milk.

...The FDA which is still in the process of reviewing MSG safety ... Scientists and researchers who offer the usual mixed pro and con advice about the harm or safety of this substance.

While it is in the realm of harmful even possibly dangerous substances these questions have caused cries of outrage from legislators, consumer advocates and health food enthusiasts.

Some researchers maintain that Chinese Restaurant Syndrome and similar reactions to food that contain large quantities of MSG are largely "transient" problems and not much more than a minor nuisance.

The one absolute certainty about MSG is that it is virtually impossible to avoid it in prepared foods.

It is in canned vegetables - most frozen foods - TV dinners - -in soups - in soup mixes- salad dressings mayonnaise - baked goods and crackers.

Unfortunately, reading labels won't help those of us concerned with avoiding this substance because FDA standards are inconsistent.

Although MSG must be listed on soup labels for example, it doesn't have to be on mayonnaise (similar to dairy products- yes on cheese - no on ice cream or milk.)

This is because the FDA has established something known as a "standard of identity" for such items as mayonnaise.

Manufacturers now must list the ingredients unless they differ from the accepted formula.

It is also sold in what is known as a "free" form - by the brand name ACCENT - which is 100 percent MSG or Ajinomoto - and by other companies simply as MSG. It is also present in many herb, spice and salad dressing combinations.

While it is not sold as a salt substitute, MSG is often used as one by people on low sodium diets. However, little do these users know that besides glutamate, MSG contains sodium!

Researchers have found that those using MSG as a salt substitute may actually be consuming more salt than if they used table salt alone - since it takes three times as much MSG as salt to achieve comparable "saltiness."

The reason why MSG is in so many commercial foods, or added to them, is that it is a flavor enhancer, supposedly making foods taste "better."

It also stretches the flavor of foods, allowing manufacturers to add smaller amounts of the real (and more expensive) ingredients for flavor.

In processed foods, it restores flavor lost in overcooking, and in restaurants, it "holds" the flavor of foods that may sit for a long time. It is also used to overcome "steam table fatigue" of meats.

AND although MSG itself was removed from baby foods, it has since been replaced by hydrolized vegetable protein HVP which according to some research scientists isn't much different from MSG.

In recent years more items in health food stores have had HVP added to them - another reason for being on guard and always READ YOUR LABELS.

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