Investigation of monosodium glutamate content in flavors, seasonings, and sauces from local markets in Turkey

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor-enhancing compound used to elevate the flavor profiles of various foods. This flavor enhancer is the sodium salt of L-glutamic acid and is widely used in foods, such as flavorings, seasonings, sauces, and instant soups. The potential health effects of MSG consumption, particularly the health issues that excessive consumption could lead to, have been the focus of social concerns. It is stated that excessive consumption of MSG can cause cardiovascular diseases, obesity and diabetes, kidney damage, hypertension, anxiety, and memory impairment. The maximum permissible amount of MSG in foods is set at 10 g/kg according to the Turkish Food Codex. The aim of this study is to develop an appropriate method for analyzing the MSG content within the various food samples like flavorings, seasonings, and spices sold in Turkish local markets. The validation parameters of the developed method were examined and it was found that the developed method corresponds to the recommended values. The limit of detection and the limit of quantitation values were calculated as 4.78 ng/mL and 15.93 ng/mL, respectively. Recovery % was determined to be 100.96% in intra-day and 132.22% in inter-day analyses for the precision of the method. The results compared to the values specified in the Turkish Food Codex Food Additives Regulation and samples that purportedly did not contain MSG on their labels were found to contain MSG.