The Truth in Labeling Campaign


MSG

What is Monosodium Glutamate?

What is MfG?

Excitotoxins

How is MSG Made?

Manufactured vs Natural Glutamic Acid

Where is MfG Hidden?

Ingredient Names Used to Hide MfG

E-Numbers

MfG in Agriculture

MfG in Cosmetics, Supplements and Drugs

Understanding MfG

Recognizing Adverse Reactions

Dose

Recipe-less Cookbook

Truth in Labeling Campaign> MSG The Recipe-less Cookbook

The Real Food Recipe-less Cookbook

 

If u can't grow it pick it or kill it - don't eat it.
Alex, Facebook, July 2012

You’ll find them in the library. Dusty books from days when people consumed food without chemicals. Books like Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1961) and the Revised and Enlarged Edition of The New Settlement Cook Book (1954). Newer paperbacks for health-conscious yuppies with names like Lonely Planet. Books full of recipes for preparing MSG-free food. Problem? Yes! For today, only some of the ingredients in these recipes will be MSG-free or free of the other ingredients that contain glutamic acid, the toxic ingredient in MSG. We call it MfG (manufactured free glutamic acid). Today, many ingredients will contain MfG, and you won’t have a clue to which do and which don’t – until you pick up The Real Food Recipe-less Cookbook.

Want to cut back on the amount of MfG you’re ingesting, but not necessarily eliminate all MfG from your diet? Then you’ll want to carefully review the names of ingredients in which MfG is hidden (Table 2) – to become better informed. But you’ll want to totally eliminate the ingredients listed in Table 1.

Want to completely eliminate MfG from your diet? Then you need to read it all.

Do you care about avoiding MfG? We think you should, but that doesn’t mean you do. Just remember that while this may be more about MfG than you think you want to know, it will be a life-line for others. And it wouldn’t hurt to pass it on to family and friends who may be more sensitive or health-conscious. Finally, give some thought to vegetarians who you know. Avoiding MfG presents a special challenge for people on vegetarian diets.

You can do it. Yes you can. Even the most sensitive can. Jack Samuels did it this way.

A nutritious breakfast
Fresh squeezed orange juice
Onion omelet
Homemade seed bread
Honey or jam

An OK lunch
Leftover (frozen after first cooking) turkey on seed bread with lettuce and tomato.
Homemade brownies

A delicious dinner
Pork roast (with salt and garlic)
Baked sweet potatoes
Steamed broccoli
Lettuce and spinach salad (using organic extra virgin first pressing olive oil as dressing)
Raw cucumbers, carrots, celery, and tomato
Homemade Seed bread
Apple sauce
Fresh fruit salad
Or
Vegetable lasagna
Lettuce and spinach salad (using extra virgin first pressing olive oil as dressing)
Baked apple

The secret to success in avoiding MfG lies in avoiding processed food, buying fresh, and knowing your supplier. Understanding how to do this is what The Real Food Recipe-less Cookbook is all about.

Using The Real Food Recipe-less Cookbook: Being Practical

Avoiding MfG is a strictly personal matter. If you use milk in any recipe, does your milk have to be whole milk, milk without vitamin fortification, and milk that has not been pasteurized or ultra-pasteurized? Jack’s did, because he could tolerate no amount of MfG.

The problem in following recipes comes from not knowing which ingredients contain MfG or produce MfG during processing. The Cookbook will make that clear. We’ll give you names of ingredients to watch out for and tell you where you’re most likely to find them. Then we’ll give you recipes to practice your detective skills. In the end, you should be able to identify MfG in foods, beverages, dietary supplements, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics; and come away with at least a handful of recipes that are MfG-free.

A little history

The glutamate industry has been producing an ingredient called monosodium glutamate for over 100 years. Monosodium glutamate was first extracted from seaweed, and later extracted from non-seaweed sources. In 1956, the Japanese succeeded in producing glutamic acid by means of fermentation, and after considerable research to identify suitable strains of microorganisms for starting the cultures that were needed, large-scale production of glutamic acid and monosodium glutamate through fermentation began.(1,2,3) In this fermentation process, bacteria (some, if not all of which are genetically modified)(4), are grown aerobically in a liquid nutrient medium. These bacteria have the ability to synthesize glutamic acid outside of their cell membranes and excrete it for collection.(5)

In 1968 reactions to monosodium glutamate were reported in the New England Journal of Medicine. It was not understood at the time, but today we know that the ingredient in monosodium glutamate that caused those reactions was the man-made glutamic acid produced as a result of processing when monosodium glutamate was manufactured. In or about 1988, it became apparent that any man-made glutamic acid could cause what we call MSG reactions. That’s why we used to refer to all man-made glutamic acid as MSG. We know better now. We know that monosodium glutamate (MSG) is an ingredient that contains toxic manufactured free glutamic acid (MfG), and that toxic MfG is found in some 40 additional ingredients with names like hydrolyzed pea protein, yeast extract, maltodextrin, and glutamic acid.

A little food science – Things you need to know if you want to avoid MfG

MfG can be produced in more than one way. But regardless of how it is produced, MfG causes adverse reactions in MfG-sensitive people.

Following are two tables. In Table 1 you will find the names of ingredients that usually contain enough MfG to trigger reactions in moderately sensitive people. The list is designed for people who want to eliminate some MfG but not necessarily all MfG, or people who want to begin eliminating MfG one step at a time.

Table 2 contains names of many of the common ingredients that contain MfG or create MfG while a food item is being manufactured. One or more of these ingredients will be found in almost all processed foods, and in many dietary supplements, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.

Table 1: Names of ingredients that usually contain enough MfG to trigger reactions in moderately sensitive people.

Glutamate
Glutamic acid
Autolyzed anything
Hydrolyzed anything
Anything protein
Anything flavoring
Carrageenan

The information that follows is designed to help you avoid all MfG.

Table 2: Names of common ingredients that contain processed free glutamic acid (MfG)*1 or create MfG during processing

Names of ingredients that always contain MfG:
Glutamic acid (E 620) *2
Glutamate (E 620)
Monosodium glutamate (E 621)
Monopotassium glutamate (E 622)
Calcium glutamate (E 623)
Monoammonium glutamate (E 624)
Magnesium glutamate (E 625)
Natrium glutamate
Anything “hydrolyzed”
Any “hydrolyzed protein”
Calcium caseinate, Sodium caseinate
Yeast extract, Torula yeast
Yeast food, Yeast nutrient
Autolyzed yeast
Gelatin
Textured protein
Whey protein
Whey protein concentrate
Whey protein isolate
Soy protein
Soy protein concentrate
Soy protein isolate
Anything “protein”
Anything “protein fortified”
Soy sauce
Soy sauce extract
Protease
Anything “enzyme modified”
Anything containing “enzymes”
Anything “fermented”
Vetsin
Ajinomoto
Umami
Zinc proteninate
Names of ingredients that often contain or produce MfG during processing:
Carrageenan (E 407)
Bouillon and broth
Stock
Any “flavors” or “flavoring”
Natural flavor
Maltodextrin
Oligodextrin
Citric acid, Citrate (E 330)
Anything “ultra-pasteurized”
Barley malt
Malted barley
Brewer’s yeast
Pectin (E 440)
Malt extract
Seasonings

*1 Glutamic acid found in unadulterated protein does not cause adverse reactions. To cause adverse reactions, the glutamic acid must have been processed /manufactured or come from protein that has been fermented.

*2 E numbers are use in Europe in place of food additive names.

The following are ingredients suspected of containing or creating sufficient processed free glutamic acid to serve as MfG-reaction triggers in HIGHLY SENSITIVE people:
Corn starch
Corn syrup
Modified food starch
Lipolyzed butter fat
Dextrose
Rice syrup
Brown rice syrup
Milk powder
Reduced fat milk (skim; 1%; 2%)
Most things “low fat” or “no fat”
Anything “enriched”
Anything “vitamin enriched”
Anything “pasteurized”
Annatto
Vinegar
Balsamic vinegar
Certain amino acid chelates (Citrate, aspartate, and glutamate are used as chelating agents with mineral supplements.)

Ingredients that contain MfG are relatively easy to identify, because manufacturers are required to list most ingredients. But manufacturers are not required to provide information about product processing, so the MfG created when glutamic acid is freed from protein during food processing is more difficult to detect. MfG will be produced when:

1) Ingredients are subjected to high heat as they would be in ultra-pasteurization for example;
2) Ingredients are subjected to slow cooking over an extended period of time;
3) Acids or enzymes are used as ingredients; (6)
4) Acids or enzymes present in one or more ingredients interact with protein-containing ingredients;
5) Protein-containing ingredients become fermented; or
6) Carbohydrates are subject to processing with the small amounts of protein generally found in carbohydrate products not carefully eliminated. For example, citric acid made from corn will contain MfG.

If you are evaluating a recipe for MfG-content, you would be smart to check out any ingredient that might have been made using one of these six methods – i.e., any ingredient that has been processed/manufactured.

Homemade MfG

Manufacturers produce MfG in food and chemical plants, but you don’t have to have a license to produce MfG. Cook your chicken soup long and slow to bring out its best flavor, and chances are you will free enough glutamic acid from the protein of the chicken to cause an MfG reaction in a highly sensitive person. Slow cooking in a Crock Pot is a potential source for creating MfG.

It can’t be said often enough -- you don’t need a chemical plant to produce MfG. Every cook knows that if you leave leftovers too long in the refrigerator they will begin to spoil. “Spoil” in this sense means that the food will start to break down – to decay, so to speak – and if there is protein in that food, glutamic acid will be generated. Don’t loose sight of the fact that glutamic acid released or produced from protein causes adverse reactions. Don’t ignore the fact that MfG can be “manufactured” in your own kitchen.

Also remember that there may be ingredients in the recipes you're using that will break down protein once they find it. Ingredients such as those that cause baked goods to rise, such as yeast and sourdough starter come to mind. Acids found in tomatoes, vinegar, and lemons will also release glutamic acid from protein in meat, fish, and poultry.

Knowing the names of ingredients isn’t enough

Knowing the names of ingredients and being savvy about MfG produced during processing will get you off to a good start. But for the ultimate in protection from MfG you’ll need help from your butcher, baker, and produce manager, as well as learning and using kinesiology.

Do you need some canned beans without MfG in it? Ask your grocer to help you find some. Does your store carry the kind of milk that you are looking for? No? Then ask the store manager to get it for you. If the answer is “no,” you’ve lost nothing, but they’ve lost a customer. If the answer is “ok”, you’ve started a dialog, and there’s one more person who is beginning to learn something about sensitivity to MfG.

Kinesiology as used here is a simple arm test to demonstrate which factors in the environment – specific foods, drugs, even music – strengthen or weaken an individual. To test your muscle strength, stand with your arm outstretched, palm down, while your partner pushes down quickly and firmly on your wrist, attempting to force your arm to your side. In most cases you will be able to resist the push. To test a food for sensitivity, hold a small amount of the food in your right hand while your partner repeats the arm test on your left arm. If your arm remains as strong as before, this food “agrees” with your body. But if your arm is weaker, you may be sensitive to this food. (7)

Helpful hints

Places: Memorizing lists of ingredient names isn’t fun for anyone. So being able to recognize MfG red flags will go a long way in making shopping easier.

First, look to places where MfG is used to replace flavor lost when low-fat /no-fat ingredients are used. Milk and products made from low-fat/no-fat milk are, therefore, very likely to contain MfG. Yogurt, cream, sour cream, ice cream, butter, cream cheese, cottage cheese, and every other sort of cheese are vulnerable.

It’s a rare cheese that is free of MfG. The very process of making cheese generally calls for enzymes. In addition, milk used to start the cheese culture may have been pasteurized or ultra-pasteurized or may contain powdered milk which itself contains MfG. Raw milk cheese produced in Europe using rennet appears to cause fewer MfG reactions than other cheeses.

MfG is often used as a cost-saving device, allowing manufacturers to substitute less expensive MfG-containing ingredients for more expensive whole food. Soups, salad dressings, and sauces of all kinds are mine fields for hidden MfG.

Flavor enhancing ingredients are popular hiding places for MfG. Sauces like A-1, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and Bragg’s Liquid Aminos; condiments like mustard and catsup and seasoned salts are examples.

Products made with wheat are often enriched in one way or another. In the United States, malted barley flour (which contains MfG) is often added to wheat flour when the wheat harvested is found to be less than satisfactory and needs a boost. But it has become standard practice to list malted barley flour as an ingredient in the wheat flour ingredient list whether malted barley flour is present or not (making tracing an MfG reaction to ingestion of wheat almost impossible). In addition to containing malted barley flour, wheat products are often vitamin or mineral enriched with binders or fillers that contain MfG.

Yeast in almost any form contains and/or will create MfG during processing. Autolyzed yeast and yeast extract are often used as flavor enhancers, and contain relatively great amounts of MfG.

Don’t overlook your health-food stores for MfG-containing products. The word “protein” is a dead giveaway. There are no ingredients called “protein.” Proteins are part of every cell, tissue, and organ in our bodies. Protein is not an ingredient, it is a constituent of an ingredient. (Chicken contains protein.) To find out how much protein there is in a product, you must refer to the nutritional label if there is one, not the ingredient list. If you see “soy protein,” “pea protein,” or any other “… protein” on an ingredient label, you have been told that an array of amino acids has been manufactured and used in that product. One of those amino acids will be processed (manufactured) free glutamic acid (MfG).

Textured protein and textured vegetable protein are names of ingredients that contain MfG.

Substitutes for protein are generally nothing more than amino acid stews that contain manufactured glutamic acid (MfG), manufactured aspartic acid, and manufactured L-cysteine. These protein substitutes include protein drinks, hypoallergenic infant formula, enteral care products, and tube feeding products. Boost and Ensure are two such popular products that are used as substitutes for real food.

Vitamins and minerals are often used to enrich food products. The vitamins and minerals in and of themselves may or may not contain MfG, but the binders, fillers, and chelating agents used with vitamins and minerals almost always contain MfG.

Dietary supplements will often be delivered as tablets or capsules. Tablets will contain binders and fillers which ordinarily contain starch or maltodextrin which contain MfG. Capsules are ordinarily gelatin capsules. Gelatin, by virtue of the way in which it is manufactured, contains MfG. Vegetarian gelatin capsules are no exception.

Places you might never dream of looking for MfG:

PACKAGING: On occasion you may run into packaging that breaks down the protein in the product being packaged, thus producing MfG. Cryovac is one such form of packaging.

PESTICIDE PRODUCTS: AuxiGro, Hydrolyzed Chicken Feathers, and Hydrolyzed Fish Protein are fertilizers that contain MfG. (The last two have been approved for use on organic produce.)

FRUIT WAX: Waxes used on non-organic produce often contain MfG.

POLISHING AGENTS: White rice may cause an MfG-reaction in a highly sensitive person while brown rice doesn’t. Some of the agents used to polish rice contain MfG.

BINDING AGENTS: The agent that causes salt to stick to the nuts, popcorn, or whatever, may contain MfG.

FLOWING AGENTS: Whatever it is that keeps salt loose in its box or bottle may contain MfG.

LABELS THAT SAY NO MSG ADDED: Products that claim “No MSG added” or “No added MSG” on labels or in advertising may be hiding places for MfG. Read the small print that may say “except for” and check the lists of ingredients.

ORGANIC PRODUCTS: A number of MfG-containing ingredients have been approved for use in products labeled “organic.” MfG that is produced using “organic” ingredients is just as toxic as MfG produced from non-organic sources. The fact that a plant or animal meets or does not meet the standards of the National Organic Standards Board has no relevance to its capacity for producing MfG.

Reactions to MfG

MSG/MfG-sensitive people report reactions ranging from simple skin rash to severe depression and life-threatening physical conditions. Two or more reactions occurring together, or one following another, are not uncommon. The amount of MfG ingested may play a role in the severity and specific nature of a reaction. The intensity or severity of a reaction also appears to be affected by alcohol ingestion and/or exercise just prior to, or immediately following MfG ingestion, and some women report variations in their reactions at different times in their menstrual cycles.

Diagnosis of MfG sensitivity is extremely difficult

None of the symptoms of MfG-toxicity are caused exclusively by MfG. Most, if not all, could be caused by various physical conditions as well as by other food additives.

Some people eat MfG and react immediately. Some react as late as 48 hours after ingesting MfG. Of help in diagnosis is the fact that for any one person, the time between eating MfG and reacting to it is generally the same each time he or she reacts.

Reactions are dose related. Some people cannot tolerate even the smallest amount of MfG. Others tolerate single small amounts, but react to MfG when they ingest a gram or more in any one meal. Others can ingest five grams or more, without evidencing a reaction. Canned soups analyzed some time ago, each contained about .6 grams MfG per serving. Five grams or more MfG can, at times, be found in a single meal.

The adverse effects of MfG ingestion may be cumulative. People have reported eating products containing small amounts of MfG once a week without experiencing reactions, while having reactions when those same products were consumed two or three days in a row.

MfG is very often hidden in food. Hiding MfG makes recognition of MfG so complex and confusing that people who are sensitive to MfG have a great deal of difficulty pinpointing their sensitivities. If a person reacted after eating something known to contain MfG, he might suspect that MfG was the culprit. But if that person had the same reaction after eating something that contained MfG, but did not disclose that fact on the label, he would very likely question his original suspicion. Until all sources of MfG are easily identifiable, evaluation of possible MfG reactions will be difficult.

Difficulty in diagnosing MfG-sensitivity is compounded by the industry practice of illegally advertising "No MSG," "No MSG Added," or "No Added MSG" on labels when products do contain MfG.

Difficulty in diagnosing MfG-sensitivity is also compounded by use of fertilizers, pesticides, and plant "growth enhancers" that contain MSG or other MfG-containing ingredients, that leave MfG residue in or on crops when they are brought to market.

Diagnostic tools generally available to physicians are limited to a procedure called a "challenge." In a physician's office, an appropriate dose (or doses) of MfG would be given to the patient, and provision would have to be made for both restricting the patient's contact with other potential reaction triggers and observing reactions delayed by as much as 48 hours.

As an alternative, physician and patient working together may be able to identify, or rule out, MfG as a reaction trigger through analysis of a patient food diary. Restricting intake to totally unprocessed food and drink for three weeks, then reintroducing items, one at a time, may help identify offending sources of MfG.

Red flags: Warning words such as “vitamin enriched,” used to promote products, will be found outside of ingredient lists. Words that flag the presence of MfG in this way are listed in Table 3 below.

Table 3: Words that flag the presence of MfG

There are ingredients that work synergistically with MfG (usually with MSG) to enhance flavor. If they are present for flavoring, so is MfG.

Disodium 5’-guanylate (E 627)
Disodium 5’-inosinate (E 631)
Disodium 5'-ribonucleotides (E 635)

Certain claims made on packaging or advertising suggest that MfG is present:

Enriched
Fortified
Protein enriched or Protein fortified
Basted
Infused

“Disodium guanylate” and “disodium inosinate” are expensive flavor potentiators that work synergistically with relatively inexpensive MSG. They wouldn’t be used if MSG wasn’t present.

Beyond MfG

If you are sensitive to MfG, chances are good that you are also sensitive to the aspartic acid in aspartame, equal, AminoSweet, Neotame, and any other ingredient names used by manufacturers to hide the original aspartame product. You might also react to the neurotoxic L-cysteine used in dough conditioners.

Dealing with industry

We think it’s fair to say that those in the glutamate industry know that MfG causes brain damage, obesity, reproductive disorders and adverse reactions. The scientific literature is clear on that subject (8, 9, 10, 11, 12). In response, the glutamate industry has evolved a whole industry dedicated to producing “Clean Labels,” labels for foods that contain MfG but give no clue to its presence.

A word to those willing to help others

New ingredients are invented every day, and new names are assigned to them. There’s no way the consumer can stay a step ahead of the glutamate industry’s “clean labels.” But if you share the names of MfG-containing ingredients that you find, we might be able to keep up with them.

And now for your worksheet

We have identified an excellent source of recipes that are almost MfG free: Debby Anglesey’s Battling the MSG Myth, “dedicated to help combat the devastating effects of glutamate toxicity and to allow victims to reclaim their health.” First copyrighted in 1997 when Debby could tolerate some MfG-containing products, the book has evolved into a resource for all MfG-sensitive people. Debby has generously granted us permission to use her recipes as illustrations in The Real Food Recipe-less Cookbook.

The Real Food Recipe-less Cookbook Worksheet
Recipes from Battling the MSG Myth Generously donated by Debby Anglesey

This worksheet has been designed to serve the needs of most, but not all, MSG/MfG-sensitive people, and provide information for all. It is up to every individual to decide whether to try to avoid all MfG or some MfG. Please use this worksheet to serve your own purposes.

ASSUMPTIONS: It is assumed that ingredients free of MfG will be used in the following recipes.

All produce used will be free of waxes other than organic waxes and free of fertilizers and pesticides that contain MfG.

All fish, meat, and poultry will be unadulterated: minimally process if processed at all, without additives of any kind (phosphates, basting material, flavorings, or enrichment, for example).

The purity of every ingredient listed in a recipe will have been checked before using. Every ingredient. That includes packaged herbs and spices.

No ingredient will be used that has had a chance to ferment.

LEGEND: Brackets ( ) contain our comments, and are not part of the original recipes.

(a) Tomatoes, citrus fruits, and vinegar are acids that will work to break down protein during cooking/processing, and thus create MfG. Think about that when you are using these ingredients in recipes.

(Bp) Baking powder contains cream of tartar, an acid that reacts with baking soda to act as a leavening agent.

(m) Milk should be unpasteurized, without enrichment or fortification

(mp) Milk products should be made using unpasteurized milk, without enrichment or fortification

(o) Oil should be extra virgin, first cold pressing, pure olive oil

(p) Pasta, some pasta will contain MfG

(r) Rice should be brown organic rice without enrichment or additives.

(s) Salt should be without flowing agents

(su) Sugar, some brands of sugar may contain MfG

(v) Vinegar, none will be MfG-free

(wf) Wheat flour should be ground from organic berries, with no malted barley, malted barley flour or other additives, with no enrichment or enhancement.

(y) Yeast, rarely, if ever, is MfG-free.

SAMPLE RECIPES

Freezer Tomato Sauce p 146
4 large onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
24 ripe tomatoes -10 lbs (a)
2 bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon salt (s)
1 teaspoon pepper
5 to 6 stalks celery. Chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons dry basil
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1 cup sugar (su)

Bring to boil. Simmer until desired thickness and freeze in 2 cup portions. Tomatoes may be pureed and strained in cloth lined strainer over bowl in refrigerator overnight to thicken and reduce boiling time. (Caution for the extremely sensitive: Exposing ingredients to heat/cooking over an extended period of time will promote the production of MfG.)

Flash Frozen Fruit p 145
Clean whole berries, cherries, and other small fruit. Pit and halve apricots or cut larger fruit into quarters. Place fruit on pan in single layer. Place in freezer and when solid, place in containers. Label. This is wonderful when only a small amount of fruit is needed since individual pieces remain separate. Whole tomatoes may be frozen the same way.

Creole Casserole -- A wonderful dish for left-over vegetable, beans, rice, and pasta. p 155
Process into small pieces or chop the following:
I large onion
3 cloves garlic
1 green pepper
1 medium zucchini
2 stalks of celery diced
½ small head of cabbage – optional

Sauté the above in 3 tablespoons of oil (o)
Add 2 teaspoons ground pasilla pepper or 2 teaspoons chili powder, a dash of cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon salt (s), 2 teaspoons sugar(su), ½ teaspoon dry basil, and dash of pepper. Stir and cook until tender.
Add 1 cup cooked rice (r), 2 cups cooked pasta(p), and 1 cup cooked brans.
One cup cooked leftover meat -- chicken or sulfite free shrimp are good -- (leftovers frozen so as not to ferment) may be added.
Add 2 cups of water and simmer 15 minutes on low heat
Add 2 cups diced tomatoes(a). Taste and season. Simmer 1 minute longer. Just before serving pour 1 cup heavy cream(mp) into Creole. Stir gently and serve.
For lower calorie version, omit cream and add milk(m). Add more cayenne pepper, if desired.

My Green Goddess Dressing p 142
Place in blender or processor:
1 avocado cut into chunks
Juice of ½ lemon (fresh) (a)
1 clove garlic
¼ teaspoon salt (s)
Pepper
½ cup olive oil (o)
¼ teaspoon thyme, dry
½ teaspoon dill, dry
½ to 1 teaspoon sugar (su)

Process until smooth. While processing, add 1/3 cup milk (m). More may be added if too thick. Add more salt (s) to taste.

Fresh Pasta Sauce p 165
6 to 8 tomatoes, chopped (a)
2 tablespoons dry basil or 1/3 cup fresh
¼ teaspoon dry oregano
3 large cloves garlic
Dash red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons sugar (su)
½ teaspoon salt (s)
¼ teaspoon black pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil (o)
1 cup grated mozzarella-optional (mp)

Process half of the tomatoes with basil if fresh and garlic and mix with remaining ingredients. Of if processor is not available, finely mince the garlic and chop the basil. Then add to ingredients.

Let set at room temperature for 2 hours. Boil 1 lb. Rigatoni or penne pasta (MfG-free). Do not rinse. Drain and toss with sauce and chee (mp). Sauce may be heated slightly but no cooked and then added to pasta if desired.

My Seasoning Salt p 220
1 cup salt (s)
2 teaspoons black pepper (may increase)
1 tablespoon garlic granules or powder
2 teaspoons onion granules or powder
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon pasilla pepper powder or chili powder
½ teaspoon lemon peel granules (optional) (a)

Mix and add to meat, soups, stews, hamburgers, salad dressings, and marinades.
(Triple this recipe and store it in a large shaker bottle.)

Krista’s braised pork chops with pears p 180
2 to 4 pork loin chops (1” cut is good)
Flour (wf)
Salt (s)
Pepper
2 to 4 fresh pears
Butter (mp):
2 tablespoons for 2 chops
4 tablespoons for 4 chops

Peel, halve, and poach pears gently in water to cover with 1 tablespoon sugar per pear for 10 to 15 minutes.

Lightly dust chops with flour. Shake off excess. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Melt butter in large skillet, add 2 tablespoons pear juice and swirl to mix. Brown chops over medium-high, for 1 ½ minutes on each side. Gently arrange pears around chops in skillet. Pour remaining juice over all. Cover and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Great served with green beans and baked potatoes, or sweet potatoes.

Chicken breasts may be substituted.

Polish sausage p 181
2 lbs. ground pork
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon marjoram
1 tablespoon salt (s)
1 clove garlic, minced

Mix together will with hands. Shape into patties and sauté or grill until well done. Serve with onions or plain.

Italian Sausage p 181
2 lbs. Ground pork
2 teaspoons salt (s)
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fennel seed
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove garlic minced (optional)
1 teaspoon dry parsley (optional)

Mix well. Best to refrigerate 1 hour to blend flavors, but this is optional. Shape into patties or hotdog shapes and sauté or grill until well done. May be frozen in patty shapes on cookie sheet, then packaged in freezer containers.

Crackly roast Chicken p 177
2 small chickens or 1 large (4 to 6 lbs.)
Kosher salt or sea salt (s)
3 cloves garlic halved
Juice of 1 large lemon or 2 small limes (a)
Black pepper

Pre-heat oven to 425o. Wash chickens well and pat dry. Sprinkle each chicken liberally with the coarse salt. Rub 3 garlic halves cut side down over each chicken and place inside chickens. Sprinkle lemon juice evenly over chickens. Sprinkle with a little more salt and the pepper. For a spicier flavor, sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon chili powder. Roast in oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Do not open oven. Chicken is done when juices run clear when pierced with knife.

Herb Fish Bake p 178
1 lb. Fresh fish fillets
1 lemon, sliced thin or a small orange (a)
1 tomato, sliced thin (optional) (a)
¼ teaspoon thyme, dry
¼ teaspoon dill, dry
¼ teaspoon basil, dry

Place fish in baking dish. Sprinkle with herbs, then layer with lemon slices and tomato slices. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake at 425o for 10 minutes or until fish is white and flakes. Season with salt(s) and pepper and serve.

Spaghetti Sauce for Freezing p 147
40 fresh tomatoes, diced or pureed (s)
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup sugar (may add more or less to taste) (su)
1 tablespoon salt (s)
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 teaspoons chili powder
3 tablespoons dry parsley
3 tablespoons dry basil
1 ½ teaspoons dry oregano
2 onions, chopped
2 green peppers, chopped
1 Anaheim pepper, chopped (optional)

Sauté onions, peppers, and garlic in ¼ cup olive oil. Place in large pot with tomatoes, herbs, and spices. Simmer 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings (Debby adds a little sugar). Ladle into freezer containers or jars, leaving 2” head space in jars. Freeze up to 6 months.

REMINDERS

Low fat and no fat milk products often contain milk solids that contain MfG and many dairy products contain carrageenan, guar gum, and/or locust bean gum. Low fat and no fat versions of ice cream and cheese may not be as obvious as yogurt, milk, cream, cream cheese, cottage cheese, etc., but they are not exceptions.

Protein powders contain processed/manufactured free glutamic acid (MfG). Individual amino acids are not always listed on labels of protein powders.

When this was written, there was an FDA requirement to include the protein source when listing hydrolyzed protein products on labels of processed foods. Examples are hydrolyzed soy protein, hydrolyzed wheat protein, hydrolyzed pea protein, hydrolyzed whey protein, hydrolyzed, corn protein. If a tomato, for example, were whole, it would be identified as a tomato. Calling an ingredient tomato protein indicates that the tomato has been hydrolyzed, at least in part, and that manufactured free glutamic acid (MfG) is present.

Disodium guanylate and disodium inosinate are relatively expensive food additives that work synergistically with inexpensive MSG. Their use suggests that the product has MfG in it. They would probably not be used as food additives if there were no MfG present.

MfG reactions have been reported from soaps, shampoos, hair conditioners, and cosmetics, where MfG is hidden in ingredients with names that include the words "hydrolyzed," "amino acids," and/or "protein." Most sun block creams and insect repellents also contain MfG.

Drinks, candy, and chewing gum are potential sources of hidden MfG and/or aspartame, neotame and AminoSweet (the new name for aspartame). Aspartic acid, found in neotame, aspartame (NutraSweet), and AminoSweet, ordinarily causes MSG type reactions in MfG sensitive people. (It would appear that calling aspartame "AminoSweet" is industry's method of choice for hiding aspartame.)

Aspartame will be found in some medications, including children's medications. For questions about the ingredients in pharmaceuticals, check with your pharmacist and/or read the product inserts for the names of “other” or “inert” ingredients.

Binders and fillers for medications, nutrients, and supplements, both prescription and non-prescription, enteral feeding materials, and some fluids administered intravenously in hospitals, may contain MfG.

According to the manufacturer, Varivax–Merck chicken pox vaccine (Varicella Virus Live), contains L-monosodium glutamate and hydrolyzed gelatin, both of which contain manufactured free glutamic acid (MfG) which causes brain lesions in young laboratory animals and causes endocrine disturbances like OBESITY and REPRODUCTIVE disorders later in life. It would appear that most, if not all, live virus vaccines contain some ingredient(s) that contains MfG.

The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) lists the ingredients of 47 vaccines. Thirty seven of them contain some obvious form of MfG. Here’s the list, directly from the CDC(with highlighting added).

Reactions to MfG are dose related, i.e., some people react to even very small amounts. MfG-induced reactions may occur immediately after ingestion or after as much as 48 hours. The time lapse between ingestion and reaction is typically the same each time for a particular individual who ingests an amount of MfG that exceeds his or her individual tolerance level.

Remember: By food industry definition, all MSG is "naturally occurring." "Natural" doesn't mean "safe." "Natural" only means that the ingredient started out in nature, like arsenic and hydrochloric acid.

REFERENCES

1. Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. Fourth Edition. (Wiley, 1992) pp 571-579.
2. Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia, 6th Edition, (1983.) s.v. "Flavor enhancers and potentiators." pp 1211-1212.
3. Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. Third Edition (Wiley, 1978) pp 410-421.
4. U.S. Patent #5,573,945. Mutant and method for producing L-glutamic acid by fermentation. Ajinomoto Co., Inc. (Tokyo, JP). November 12, 1996.
5. Leung A, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics. New York: Wiley, 1996. pp 373-375.
6. Acids and enzymes (enzymes are sometimes referred to as “protease”) will interact with any protein during processing, and will produce/release MfG.
7. Heimlich J. What your doctor won’t tell you. New York: Harper Perennial, 1990.
8. https://www.truthinlabeling.org/Data from the 1960s and 1970s demonstrate_2.html
9. https://www.truthinlabeling.org/adverse.html
10. https://www.truthinlabeling.org/epid.html
11. https://www.truthinlabeling.org/flawed.html
12. https://www.truthinlabeling.org/young2.html

 

The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about MSG and manufactured free glutamate