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September 01, 2005
Champagne restaurant syndrome?
In a comprehensive piece, If MSG is so bad for you why doesn’t everyone in Asia have a headache? a Guardian Observer correspondent discusses the whys and wherefores of the food additive MSG (monosodium glutamate) – pretty much demythologising the so-called Chinese Restaurant Syndrome (CRS).
What caught my attention was the mention that MSG is a major constituent of autolyzed yeast extracts – like Marmite and similar products. Now students of wine will know well that a significant flavour (umami) component of Champagne is autolyzed yeast. This raises the obvious question: if CRS does exist does the consumption of Champagne create problems for those who feel they are susceptible to that alleged condition? Should one risk accompanying Chinese food with Champagne?
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Posted by Martin Field on Thursday 01 September 2005 at 08:11
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It's worth mentioning, Martin, that MSG, once it hits your stomach, is indistinguishable from one of the 20 amino acids that make up every protein that we eat. Thus, unless an excess of glutamic acid consumed leads to CRS, MSG is unlikely to be a culprit, all other considerations aside.
Posted by Mark Lipton on September 2, 2005 07:08 PM