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From: ark@alice.UUCP (Andrew Koenig)
Newsgroups: net.cooks
Subject: MSG
Message-ID: <3733@alice.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 17-May-85 11:26:31 EDT
Article-I.D.: alice.3733
Posted: Fri May 17 11:26:31 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 18-May-85 02:10:32 EDT
Organization: Bell Labs, Murray Hill
Lines: 21

I read an article about MSG several years ago in Science magazine.
The article discussed allergic reactions and possible side effects
from MSG (they called these reactions CRS, for Chinese Restaurant
Syndrome).

From what I remember, MSG has been around for more than 100 years.
It occurs naturally in certain kinds of seaweed, which are therefore
used for flavoring.  It is on the FDA's list of substances "generally
recognized as safe."

Almost everyone will react to MSG who ingests enough of it.
The typical reaction is a headache, combined with a feeling of
tightness in the forehead.  The severity of the reaction varies
greatly from one individual to another.  The effects are temporary,
and apparently do not cause any harm beyond the discomfort.

In all the clinical studies examined by this article, only two
cases were found where MSG caused effects of any kind beyond
discomfort.  One was an epileptic in whom MSG would induce seizures.
The other was also an epileptic -- but MSG would PREVENT seizures
in this one.  Go figure.