We all try to stay away from Indian Chinese as most restaurants use Ajinomoto in the preparation of the dishes but did you know it is present in other food items as well?

Ajinomoto or MSG ( monosodium glutamate) does not have the best reputation as a flavouring agent and people often avoid adding it to their food. It is also believed to be harmful to health but is that really true? 

Here is everything you need to know about Ajinomoto and if you should actually avoid it. 

Origin of Ajinomoto 

This flavour enhancer contains monosodium glutamate which is naturally present in many food items and hence is extracted from plants too. Ajinomoto is the brand that manufactured MSG for the first time and it was discovered by a Japanese chemist in 1908. The brand name stuck with people and hence most of us know MSG by the brand name. 

Food items containing Ajinomoto 

Apart from Asian food, it is also added to fast food, frozen food, chips, condiments, processed meat and many other items. Since it is a controversial food enhancer, it is required to be labelled in food items it is added to. The quantity is also fixed but when added in excess, it can be harmful to health. 

Is it safe to consume?

The FDA ( Food and Drug Administration) recognises Ajinomoto as generally safe and it can be added to other food items in a specific amount. It is obtained from natural ingredients and chemically prepared and many research studies have declared it safe for human consumption. 

However, many people have reported trouble after consuming MSG and this could occur due to a lot of factors. Also, if you have an allergy to MSG, it is best not to consume it as in that case it could be a threat to your health.