Glutamate Containing Additives

[RobinN]

Ok.... so I emailed a company regarding an organic fruit leather product that I get at Whole Foods Market. I was wondering if the Citric Acid listed on the ingredients list is a processed free glutamate. I never really know how to ask this question. I have learned that if you come out and ask if there is MSG in the product they will say absolutely not. Yet I have read many places that if Citric Acid is made by hydrolyzed corn, you can be assured it is a processed glutamate (MSG). Here was the answer I received tonight:

Hello Robin,

Thank you for contacting us.

While making our products, our supplier manufacturer uses a natural fermentation process. This converts corn syrup to citric acid using the microorganism Aspergillus niger. We hope this information is helpful.

We appreciate your interest in our company and products.

Fruitfully yours,

Stretch Island Fruit Company

I am told that they can say natural, but that even arsenic is natural. Can you all help me out.. does this mean that this is a glutamate containing additive?

I hate double talk.

 

[Bernard]

I haven't read anything about how citric acid is derived from hydrolyzed corn, but it seems to me that citric acid is citric acid. Is the concern that the citric acid contains glutimate impurities/contamination?

BTW, sawdust is a "natural fiber" and can be labeled as such.

 

[RobinN]

Today, the glutamic acid component of the food additive "monosodium glutamate" is generally made by bacterial or microbial fermentation wherein bacteria used are often, if not always, genetically engineered. In this method, bacteria are grown aerobically in a liquid nutrient medium. The bacteria have the ability to excrete glutamic acid they synthesize outside of their cell membrane into the liquid nutrient medium in which they are grown. The glutamic acid is then separated from the fermentation broth by filtration, concentration, acidification, and crystallization, and, through the addition of sodium, converted to its monosodium salt.

According to The Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients:

"Monosodium glutamate can generally be produced by three methods: (1) hydrolysis of proteins such as gluten or proteins present in sugar beet wastes, (2) synthesis, and (3) microbial fermentation. In the hydrolysis method, the protein is hydrolyzed with a strong mineral acid to free amino acids, and the glutamic acid is then separated from the mixture, purified, and converted to its monosodium salt, [monosodium glutamate]. This used to be the major method of [monosodium glutamate] manufacture. Currently most of the world production of [monosodium glutamate] is by bacterial fermentation. In this method bacteria (especially strains of Micrococcus glutamicus) are grown aerobically in a liquid nutrient medium containing a carbon source (e.g., dextrose or citrate), a nitrogen source such as ammonium ions or urea, and mineral ions and growth factors. The bacteria selected for this process have the ability to excrete glutamic acid they synthesize outside of their cell membrane into the medium and accumulate there. The glutamic acid is separated from the fermentation broth by filtration, concentration, acidification, and crystallization, followed by conversion to its monosodium salt [monosodium glutamate]." (Leung, A. and Foster, S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs , and Cosmetics. New York: Wiley, 1996. pp 373-375.)

http://www.truthinlabeling.org/HowIsItManufactured.html


I found a good answer to my question ...

http://www.truthinlabeling.org/understanding-manufacturer's-deceptive-tactics.html

 

[Bernard]

When ingredients such as citric acid, maltodextrin, and dextrose are made from a protein containing source such as corn, manufacturers do not take the time nor undertake the expense of removing all protein; and the remaining protein, combined with acids or enzymes, will be broken down during production, resulting in some MSG.

Aha. So the concern is about trace contamination.

 

[RobinN]

I am not sure of your comment Bernard. Where are you getting this "trace contamination"? Are you aware how excitotoxins cross the blood brain barrier? There is research done to show that the human brain is 10x more sensitive than the rats that are used in the studies. Little people are more sensitive than adults.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2384105525501310962

I really recommend this video.

 

[Bernard]

From what I read in the TIL page, when you see an ingredient list than contains citric acid, the concern is that the citric acid that was added/used contains trace amounts of MSG (or more accurately, free glutamic acid) - it's not a pure source of 100% citric acid. The trace amounts are byproducts of the manufacturing process.

I said trace amounts, but who knows what the actual percentage/proportion is. I would think it needs to be at least 51% citric acid to be labeled/sold as such. I'm not an expert in this area.

 

[RobinN]

Nor I... and who is to know from one to another what percentage/ or proportion is going to affect someone with the sensitivity or allergy? to it. All I know is that if you look at many processed foods... Rebecca brough home a (empty) bag of Cheez-its the other day. I happened to look at the ingredients, and there were four or five listed. I remember Maltodextrin, Monosodium Glutamate, Citric Acid, Why Protein... those are all classified under the MSG label.

Our turkeys, chickens, are being soaked in the stuff.

Scary when I think about it.