Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) and Wheat Gluten

Currently, MSG is used as a food additive, and is commonly marketed as a flavor enhancer under the trade names Ajinomoto, Vetsin, Accent, and Tasting Powder throughout the world.  Though once made predominantly from wheat gluten, today it is made from a bacterial fermentation process using starch, sugar beets, sugar cane, or molasses.  And although once associated exclusively with foods in Chinese restaurants, MSG is now used by most fast-food chains (especially in America) and in many foodstuffs--especially processed foods.  MSG is also commonly found in prepared stocks known as stock cubes or bouillon cubes, condiments such as barbecue sauce and salad dressings, canned, frozen, and dried prepared foods, common snack foods such as flavored jerky, artificially flavored potato chips (and crisps), flavored tortilla chips, and in popular powdered seasoning mixtures.  About 1.5 million tons of MSG was sold in 2001, with 4% annual growth for each successive year.  Read more . . .