HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1985-09-25, Page 54Regar4lflorte reply to 'the
MSG (monosodium glutamate)
question In a recent column, it
never ceases to amaze me how
lightly the topic of allergic
reaction to this deadly chemical
is treated in all the articles I
have ever read in newspapers or
magazines. It's brushed off
lightly as a sensitivity or allergy
similar to a strawberry rash.
Believe me, if you were ever
afflicted with this horrible
reaction to MSG, you might
quickly change your opinion.
While I am very careful
before eating anything whenever
I'm eating out, there are times
when I have been misinformed
or mistaken about the presence
of this food additive, and 1
suffer horribly for three full
days afterwards. My whole
system is completely poisoned
with this awful substance,
beginning with a throbbing
headache; my rib cage is sore
and . aches as if I had been
beaten; I feel nauseated and
exh tsted y ithe third zia.,V:the
symptoms iiegln to subside, but
there Is a dreadful ache in my
head which takes the place of
the horrible pounding which
proceded it..
1 have spoken to others with
similar symptoms due to _
reactions to MSG, and all agree
with me that the symptoms are
far worse than what's written by
researchers who tend to 1
minimize adverse reactions. And
none of us eat Chinese food!
These chemicals are abundant in
all soups and soup bases, salad
dressing mixes and gravies, so
an unsuspecting soul can very
easily ingest MSG quite
innocently.
Why is the real truth not
written about this dangerous
chemical, pot to mention the
fact that not a glimmer of
information is offered about
how to alleviate the painful
symptoms once we have ingested
it? Joan Smith, Modesto, Calif
Richard Cristol is the
executive director of the
Glutamate Association, an
TOMATO: FRUIT
OR VEGETABLE?
Once and for all, would you
please tell me if a tomato is a
vegetable or a fruit? Gina Ricci,
Stamford,, Conn.
Botanically speaking, a
tomato is a fruit because it is a
fleshy plant product that
contains seeds. Also fruits are
cucumbers, zucchini, avocados,,
squash, corn kernels, eggplants
and even green beans.
Nowadays, however, we don't
classify fruits and vegetables
according to their botanical
definition, but rather by how
the product is customarily used:
In the last century the
Supreme Court actuallyhad to
decide whether a tomato was a
fruit or a vegetab}e. Under the
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In
Your Local Paper
On
Oct. 9
regulations at that time, fruits
• could be imported without
paying duty fees, .and an.
importer claimed he did not
have to pay fees on a shipment
of tomatoes because they were
fruits. •
The court decided that
tomatoes, since they are usually.
served at dinner "in, with or
after the soup, fish or meat,
which constitute the principal
part of the repast, and not, like
fruits, generally as dessert." So
:the tomato became a vegetable, •
and the importer paid his fee.■
If you have. o consumer -
oriented question; send
it to Sonja Helnze,
Sunday Woman, 235 E.
45th Street, New York,
N.Y. W017.
The answer to a special need
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organization which maintain"s an
extensive library of data on
MSG and is very familiar with
all the relevant scientific
literature on this subject.
Cristol maintains that the
percentage of the population
who are sensitive to high levels
of MSG to be less than 3
percent. Of this 3 percent, most
of the reactions are' self-
diagnosed and follow
inconsistent liatterns of
response: One person may say
he has a flushed feeling while
another may say he has a
headache.
Since the body rapidly
metabolizes MSG, Cristol feels
it is doubtful that anyone would
suffer for three days, as you
report. He further states that his
association is unaware of any
clinically documented "severe"
reactions. Coming to the
NiNomlornr
i
conclusion, witbvotu Medical
evaluution, that spaetllitr;g you
ate is causing severe. sufferirrg
for three days is a risky
business.
Therefore, if you (or anyone
else) sincerely believe that yotr
have a problem with MSG,.
there is an organization of
scientists, doctors and experts in.
this field who would like to
investigate your problem
clinically. This involves a four-
day medically supervised
activity, all expenses paid
including your trip to the clinic,
sponsored by the International
Glutamate Technology
Committee. For more
information, contact Dr.
Andrew Ebert, P.O. Box 76181,
Atlanta, Ga. 30358-1181. So far
30 to 35 volunteers have taken
part in the procedure, with
varying results.
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