Is Harmful flavor enhancer monosodium glutamate.

On the eve of Children's Day in Ukraine, where all the action of the state are confined, as in Russia, to a solemn date, the old Soviet tradition promulgated neradostnye data verification children meat. Of the eight samples that were studied Ukrmetrteststandarta experts (analogue of our Rostest), six do not meet the requirements. In particular, in the three detected monosodium glutamate. In Russia, as in Ukraine, MSG is prohibited in the manufacture of children's products. Nevertheless, on the eve of Children's Day in Russia, officials and employees of food industry institutions vehemently defended the flavor enhancer of the attacks.The reason for the surge of interest in glutamate served as deputies of the Liberal Democratic Party legislative initiative to ban this food additive in Russia. Faction member Yaroslav Nilov substantiate the need for the ban, announcing the list of traditional claims to the flavor enhancer E621, "Keep eating foods with this additive, a person ceases to perceive the taste of what it eats! There is addictive, changes in the hormonal system of developing obesity, increases the risk of diabetes. It is known so-called Chinese restaurant syndrome - after eating MSG occur headache, sweating, heaviness in the chest. "This statement has caused unprecedented activity in the ranks of supporters of glutamate. The first responded to the chief sanitary doctor Gennady Onishchenko, "of monosodium glutamate used 35 years already, and in the international and Russian practice. Any scientifically proven evidence to suggest that they have harmful effects, not present. " He was echoed by the head of the Laboratory of Food Chemistry Institute of Nutrition. However, in his view, the history of the use of flavor booster E621 is much more long-lasting, "monosodium glutamate - an additive that has been used for thousands of years, beginning with the sauces that ate the Roman legionaries and did not know that this is monosodium glutamate." Professor Alexei Nechayev, president of the Union of Food Ingredients Producers, altogether perplexed: "The addition enabled, its safety is proved, then why is it desirable?"The excitement around the glutamate forced MPs from the Liberal Democratic Party to adjust its position on the ill-fated flavor enhancer. The same herald antiglutamatovogo campaign Yaroslav Nilov began to justify that a bill to ban the controversial food additive - it is only an idea. In the meantime, he proposed to reflect the mandatory application to foods containing glutamate, the inscription "Contains flavor enhancer E621».This initiative, become law, it will be another bicycle, invented in Russia. Manufacturers using sodium glutamate, already indicated in its composition. In addition, the flavor enhancer allowed guests.It should be recognized that the specific labeling requirements on the part of sodium glutamate exist outside Russia. But the task of marking - to protect the consumer from possible fraud. In the US, for example, it is forbidden to place the label "No MSG" or "does not contain monosodium glutamate" on products that contain ingredients such as hydrolyzed protein. The latter can be a source of glutamate, identical to that added in the product as a powder.Consumer protection in the US and Europe is very different from the one that is cultivated in Russia. Abroad, the state comes from the fact that the user himself is able to take responsibility for their needs and their choice, guided by their own material and intellectual disabilities. That is why there is not prohibited by glutamate. However, now in Germany, for example, according to the Union of Gdańsk butchers, up to 80 percent of all meat delivered from monosodium glutamate. While still 8-10 years ago, the picture was quite the opposite.Refusal of glutamate - a result of the activity primarily industry associations meat processors, who are fighting for a "clean label". In this story, more than marketing. Manufacturers sausages tend to hold the consumer, which stretches for more natural products."Monosodium glutamate - is, to put it mildly, a great deceit, - said Vitaly Gevorgyan, President of" Borodin Meat House ", the first Russian company to abandon the use of glutamate. - Logic, which are guided by, say, Europeans struggling with glutamate, the same as in the anti-Photoshop in advertising. Luxury hair, passed through Photoshop, on shampoo commercials - is cunning, encourages people to make a purchase of this shampoo. That is why talking about the need notes on advertising "Made with Photoshop." The flavor enhancer also misleads the consumer, making it a more attractive product, created at times of raw materials is not very selective to the production not the most perfect. "The coordinate system in which there is domestic food market, - the flip side of what is happening outside of Russia. In the West of the state purpose - to promote the maximum consumer awareness, providing him the maximum choice in a transparent market. The Russian government is concerned about the preservation of a monopoly in determining what can and can not be added to food, which is good to our manufacturer, and that - the consumer. Including through the guests. The logic state is built on the fact that our consumer is not able to independently form their needs, and the manufacturer is concerned about only removing the short-term profits in any way possible, not caring about their customers, and therefore our reputation.Eloquent this gap between the West and Russia illustrate the amendment on food additives included in 1958 in the US Code of Federal regulations. Against the background of the current initiatives of the Liberal Democratic Party, these amendments particularly sound outlandish. Purpose them, as set forth in the document, - the protection of the population against eating "of supplements that have not been properly tested for safety." As a result, the amendment reduced mainly to a single point: the only manufacturer to decide what to do from your product, but it should show "proof of confidence in the fact that they offered use of additives will not have negative consequences."It is noteworthy that the failure to comply with their obligations to the American manufacturer usually ends by the court and the bankruptcy. In Russia, in the worst case for the producer - fine.