{"id":2103,"date":"2022-03-24T16:20:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-24T16:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.truthinlabeling.org\/blog\/?p=2103"},"modified":"2022-03-24T16:20:03","modified_gmt":"2022-03-24T16:20:03","slug":"fda-turns-a-blind-eye-to-policing-no-msg-labeling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/truthinlabeling.org\/blog\/2022\/03\/24\/fda-turns-a-blind-eye-to-policing-no-msg-labeling\/","title":{"rendered":"FDA turns a blind eye to policing \u2018No MSG\u2019 labeling"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A group of California attorneys have filed a trio of lawsuits to try to stop food manufacturers from deceiving consumers with fraudulent \u201cNo MSG\u201d claims on food products that contain free glutamates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first complaint was filed against Campbell\u2019s in January in an action the lawyers hope will eventually represent millions of consumers across the U.S. who purchased Campbell\u2019s brand Swanson broth products with \u201cfalse and misleading \u2018NO MSG ADDED\u2019 claims.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was followed by two more class action complaints against Nissin Foods U.S.A. for its \u201cNo added MSG\u201d noodle products, and Del Monte Foods for its \u201cNo MSG,\u201d claim that prominently appears on College Inn broths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The FDA rule regarding such \u201cmisbranding\u201d is relatively simple \u2013 if you market a food product containing free glutamate in any form, you can\u2019t say it contains \u201cNo MSG\u201d or \u201cNo added MSG.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Names of ingredients in addition to MSG that contain MfG (manufactured free glutamate) include hydrolyzed proteins, yeast extract, whey protein and dozens of others<\/a>. And all those MfG-containing ingredients can trigger what consumers commonly call \u201cMSG reactions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Years ago, a group of states sued companies that misbranded products this way — and won. At about that time, the FDA sent out a warning letter to a company not targeted by the state actions, but even that was surprising since the FDA has been denying the toxic effects of MSG since 1968 when then FDA commissioner Herbert L. Ley Jr. was speaking out on the safety of MSG.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Considering how many manufacturers do this (see our list at the end of the products we\u2019ve found), it appears that Big Food has no fear the FDA will begin to enforce the law.  <\/s><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Label laundering<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last year we investigated several of these brands, including College Inn, calling the company to ask about its \u201cNo MSG\u201d claim when its products clearly contained MfG from numerous sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The College Inn customer service representative told us that the company had a \u201ccampaign\u201d to remove MSG from its products over 15 years ago when they were reformulated. \u201cMSG can\u2019t be hidden or called something else,\u201d we were told.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s true.\u00a0 The ingredient called monosodium glutamate, a.k.a. MSG can\u2019t be hidden.\u00a0 But the law says that since consumers frequently use the term MSG <\/strong>to mean all free glutamate, saying your product has \u201cNo MSG\u201d or \u201cNo added MSG\u201d when it contains free glutamate is considered \u201cfalse and misleading,\u201d and in violation of the Federal Food Drug & Cosmetic Act.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, College Inn is breaking the law \u2013 one that the FDA refuses to enforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attorney Jonas Jacobson, from the firm of Dovel & Luner in Santa Monica, California, who represents the plaintiffs in the three lawsuits hopes that they will soon be certified as class action complaints. Jacobson commented that \u201cthis labeling practice is misleading to consumers and is prohibited by consumer protection laws.  Yet a number of companies are still putting \u2018No MSG\u2019 claims on products that have added free glutamates.  We filed these cases to stop this practice\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This practice, however, is so widespread that when you see \u201cNo MSG,\u201d or \u201cNo added MSG\u201d on a product it\u2019s almost a given that it will contain sources of MfG. And that\u2019s no simple labeling error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Products we\u2019ve noticed that state \u201cNo MSG,\u201d \u201cNo MSG added,\u201d or \u201cNo Added MSG\u201d that contain free glutamates<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note: This list is by no means complete.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Campbell\u2019s Chunky Classic Chicken Noodle<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Despite pledging \u201cNo MSG added\u201d Campbell\u2019s filled up its Chunky Classic Noodle with wheat protein isolate, yeast extract, soy protein concentrate, vegetable broth (which can contain numerous unnamed sources of MfG), and two tell-tale ingredients: disodium guanylate and disodium inosinate, which work synergistically with MSG to enhance flavor. If those two expensive ingredients are added for flavoring, so is inexpensive MSG. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Progresso New England Clam Chowder<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Progresso adds its \u201cNO MSG ADDED\u201d pledge right above the serving instructions to make sure it\u2019s noticed. But if you turn the can a bit to the right, you\u2019ll see that this soup contains at least two sources of MfG \u2013 soy protein concentrate, and yeast extract, along with natural flavors. Over a decade ago Campbell\u2019s and Progresso duked it out over which soup brand used less<\/em> MSG,<\/a> spending a fortune on advertising bashing each other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minors Soup Bases (Owned by Nestle)<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

These \u201cNo added MSG\u201d products are especially devious as they are used by restaurants as a base mix for \u201chomemade\u201d soups, sauces and gravies. Since they are falsely advertised as \u201cNo MSG\u201d products, asking your server or the chef about MSG or free glutamates in a restaurant that uses Minors soup bases is useless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of the Minors products we looked at contained some form of MfG. For example, the low sodium vegetable base contains autolyzed yeast extract, hydrolyzed corn protein, natural flavors and disodium guanylate and inosinate. The mushroom base contains hydrolyzed corn and soy proteins and natural flavors along with disodium guanylate and inosinate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newman\u2019s Own ranch dressing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

So what\u2019s up with Newman\u2019s and its \u201cNo MSG\u201d claims on ranch dressing? Years ago The Truth in Labeling Campaign contacted the company about its \u201cNo MSG\u201d ranch dressing. We were told in an email that only a small amount of \u201cfree glutamate\u201d was found after a laboratory analysis. Then, they removed the claim. But now we see it\u2019s back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ingredient of concern is \u201cnatural flavor,\u201d which is basically a free FDA pass to add MfG to a product. We just sent Newman\u2019s Own another email asking if the product has been tested (again) for free glutamates, and if so, what the results were. If we hear back we\u2019ll post it here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Imagine potato leek soup<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t automatically assume that organic products are \u201cpure\u201d or \u201csafe.\u201d Imagine Foods organic potato leek soup makes a \u201ccommitment\u201d of stating \u201cno added MSG\u201d on its label, but also is committed to adding those \u201cnatural flavors.\u201d While monosodium glutamate is technically not allowed in organic food, there\u2019s nothing prohibiting the addition of any number of additives containing the same free glutamic acid found in MSG — what causes identical \u201cMSG reactions\u201d in people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Nissin noodle products<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Nissin, which is one of the companies named in the current lawsuits, is such a big fan of saying \u201cNO ADDED MSG\u201d that it plasters that statement not only in a big, bold circle on its packaging, but also on the shipping cartons. The product we purchased, Firewok, contains seven sources of free glutamates plus disodium guanylate and inosinate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Knorr products<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Knorr, which sells a variety of gravy and sauce packets along with \u201cpasta sides\u201d is perhaps the number one Big Food fan of fraudulently stating \u201cNo added MSG,\u201d yet filling their products full of hydrolyzed proteins, yeast extract and natural flavors. Some of the Knorr packaging states that the no MSG claim is \u201cOur Promise.\u201d Last year we asked a Knorr customer service representative about this deceptive labeling and was told that MSG is the subject of \u201cadditional studies\u2026 by health officials\u201d and that MSG isn\u2019t used in any Knorr products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McCormick flavor packets<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

McCormick is another company that loves to state \u201cNo MSG added\u201d on products that contain numerous sources of MfG. We selected chicken gravy, beef stew and au jus gravy, which contained hydrolyzed corn gluten, soy protein and yeast extract. The chicken gravy also had natural flavor and disodium guanylate and inosinate, said on the product label to be included as \u201cflavor enhancers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s obvious that consuming processed foods is a crap shoot when it comes to avoiding MfG. And relying on advertising claims of \u201cNo MSG\u201d or \u201cNo added MSG\u201d to make purchasing decisions will decidedly turn the odds against you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ll try to keep you updated on the status of the ongoing litigation. If any are certified as class actions, depending on the state you live in, you may want to join in as a plaintiff. And if you feel you\u2019ve been deceived by purchasing a product based on \u201cNo added MSG\u201d claims, you may be able to find an attorney to start your own lawsuit. Since the FDA won\u2019t enforce this rule, it looks like it\u2019s up to consumers to take action.<\/p>\n

<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A group of California attorneys have filed a trio of lawsuits to try to stop food manufacturers from deceiving consumers with fraudulent \u201cNo MSG\u201d claims on food products that contain free glutamates. The first complaint was filed against Campbell\u2019s in January in an action the lawyers hope will eventually represent millions of consumers across the … <\/p>\n

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