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Related Experiment Videos

Monosodium L-glutamate: a double-blind study and review

L Tarasoff1, M F Kelly

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Business & Technology, University of Western Sydney, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia.

Food and Chemical Toxicology : an International Journal Published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
|December 1, 1993
PubMed
Summary

Monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) consumption did not cause adverse effects in healthy subjects. Rigorous testing revealed no significant link between MSG and symptoms attributed to it, challenging the "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" anecdote.

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Area of Science:

  • Food Science
  • Human Nutrition
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • The "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" (CRS) is a colloquial term for a collection of postprandial symptoms attributed to the consumption of monosodium L-glutamate (MSG).
  • Previous studies investigating MSG's effects have faced methodological challenges, including taste masking and extrapolation of food-free results to real-world consumption scenarios.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To rigorously evaluate the physiological and sensory effects of various monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) doses in healthy human subjects under controlled conditions.
  • To critically assess the scientific validity of the widely reported "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" and its purported link to MSG intake.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study involving 71 healthy participants.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Administration of placebo and escalating doses of MSG (1.5g, 3.0g, 3.15g) before a standardized breakfast, with treatments delivered via capsules and specially formulated drinks.
  • Careful control for MSG aftertaste and rigorous methodology to ensure blinding integrity.

    • Main Results:

    • No significant difference in reported sensations between placebo (86% no response) and MSG treatments (85% no response).
    • A significant negative correlation (P < 0.05) was observed between MSG dose and reported after-effects, indicating higher doses were associated with fewer perceived effects.
    • The presence of food significantly mitigated any potential effects of substantial MSG doses.

    Conclusions:

    • The study found no credible scientific evidence to support a causal link between MSG consumption and the symptoms commonly described as "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome."
    • Methodological flaws in prior research, particularly the inability to mask MSG's strong taste, likely contributed to invalid "blind" study claims.
    • The "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" appears to be an anecdote rather than a scientifically validated condition linked to MSG.