Is MSG safe? Where it's allowed, what the studies found, and what it's in

Flavour enhancer · Also known as: monosodium glutamate, sodium glutamate, E 621, E621, MSG, flavour enhancer 621 · Reviewed Sep 19, 2026 · 8 sources

Where MSG is allowed

What is MSG?

MSG is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, an amino acid that is part of the protein in food. Glutamate also occurs on its own in many foods: the FDA names tomatoes and cheeses, and Health Canada lists grapes, tomatoes, mushrooms, cheeses such as Parmesan and Roquefort, and grape and tomato juice. The FDA estimates an average adult takes in about 13 grams of glutamate a day from protein in food, versus about 0.55 grams a day from added MSG.

In the EU, MSG sits in a family of additives numbered E 620 to E 625: glutamic acid and its sodium, potassium, calcium, ammonium and magnesium salts.

Why it's used, and where you'll find it

Glutamates are flavour enhancers. EFSA describes them as additives that give foods a 'savoury' or 'meaty' taste, and its 2017 review singled out fine bakery wares, soups and broths, sauces, meat and meat products, seasonings and condiments, and food supplements as categories where maximum levels should be reviewed. Health Canada lists broths and gravy mixes, casseroles, vegetable dishes and prepared meat products among the foods where MSG is used to enhance flavour.

• soups and sauces
• seasoning blends
• processed meat products
• bakery products

What the research and regulators say

Two expert verdicts that look different

In 1987 JECFA, the joint WHO and FAO expert committee on food additives, gave glutamic acid and its salts, including MSG, a group ADI of 'not specified', meaning no numerical limit was set; it said this does not apply to infants under 12 weeks. EFSA's 2017 opinion notes that JECFA maintained the 'not specified' status in its 2006 review. In 2017 EFSA set a numerical group ADI of 30 mg per kg of body weight per day, derived from an animal neurodevelopmental study, and said it sits below doses linked in some human studies to headache, raised blood pressure and increased insulin levels. EFSA also estimated that exposure to added glutamates may exceed the proposed ADI for people whose diets are high in foods containing them, and for toddlers and children with medium exposure. ^{[3, 5, 6, 8]}

Where 'Chinese restaurant syndrome' came from

The term goes back to a 1968 report by R. H. Kwok in the New England Journal of Medicine, describing short-lived numbness, general weakness and palpitations after Chinese meals. A report by FASEB, an independent scientific group the FDA asked to examine MSG in the 1990s, concluded MSG is safe, while identifying short-term, generally mild symptoms (headache, numbness, flushing, tingling, palpitations, drowsiness) that may occur in some sensitive individuals who consume 3 grams or more of MSG without food. The FDA adds that a typical serving of food with added MSG contains less than 0.5 grams, and that when people who say they are sensitive were given MSG or a placebo, scientists have not been able to consistently trigger reactions. ^{[1, 7]}

MSG and headache

A 2016 systematic review of human studies looked at headache specifically. When MSG was given with food (1.5 to 3.15 grams), none of the studies found a significant difference except in one female group. Without food, four of seven studies did find differences, but many used strong solutions (above 2%) that are readily identified by taste, so the studies were thought not to be properly blinded. Because of the lack of proper blinding and the inconsistent findings, the reviewers concluded that further studies are needed and suggested that a causal relationship between MSG and headache has not been proven. ^[7]

Who might choose to avoid it

Some people who notice headaches or flushing after MSG-rich meals choose to avoid it. The FASEB report acknowledged that a few sensitive people may have brief, mild symptoms after 3 grams or more without food, and Health Canada says people in reported cases had eaten 3 to 5 grams of MSG on an empty stomach. JECFA's 'not specified' status does not apply to infants under 12 weeks. None of the agencies reviewed here identifies another group that must avoid MSG.

How to spot it on a label

Look for 'monosodium glutamate', 'MSG', 'sodium glutamate' or 'E 621'. Glutamate also arrives through ingredients such as hydrolyzed vegetable protein, yeast extract and soy extracts, which the FDA says need only be listed by their own names; the FDA says foods with these ingredients cannot claim 'No MSG' or 'No added MSG', and Health Canada likewise regards such claims as misleading.

Frequently asked questions

Related ingredients

• Aspartame
• Sucralose
• Natural flavors

This page summarizes what regulators and published research say, as of the review date above. Rules and evidence change; check the linked sources for the latest. It is general information, not medical advice — talk to a doctor or pharmacist about your own health.