foodconsumer.org: Salmonella-tainted flavor enhancer HVP contains neurotoxins

Salmonella-tainted flavor enhancer HVP contains neurotoxins
================================================================================
admin on 03/07/2010 15:45:00
 
The Food and Drug Administration on March 4 posted a statement to alert
consumers to the recalls for possibly thousands of processed foods that used
salmonella-contaminated hydrolyzed vegetable protein or HVP.
HVP is commonly used as a flavor enhancer in a wide range of processed foods
such as soups, sauces, chilis, stews, hot dogs, gravies, seasoned snack foods,
dips, and dressings.
The HVP of concern was made by Basic Food Flavors based out of Las Vegas.  One
organisation reported the salmonella contamination to the FDA and the health
agency collected some samples at the manufacturer's facility and confirmed the
salmonella contamination.
Some companies that used the tainted HVP have initiated recalls for their
products. They are Johnny's Fine Foods, Tim's Cascade Snacks, Homemade Gourmet,
Earth Island, Reser's Fine Foods, Creatice Contract Packaging Corp., Concord
Foods, McCormick & Company and Fresh Food Concepts.  Johnny's Fine Foods started
a recall as early as Feb 26.
Salmonella causes fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. The
foodborne illness does not cause much of any chronic impact on healthy people. 
However, those who are young, elderly or have their immunity compromised are
advised to exercise caution because they are at high risk of complications when
tainted food is ingested.
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein is used as a flavor enhancer because it acts much
like monosodium glutamate or MSG, which is associated with Chinese Restaurant
Syndrome. MSG helps boost savory taste note and make a food or dish yummy and
consumers can find a lot of it in chicken soups, gravies and seasonings among
other foods.
The problem as many food consumers have experienced is that MSG is a proved
excitotoxin which at high concentrations encountered in many processed foods can
kill certain neurons.  Glutamate, part of MSG, plays a physiological role in
brain functions, but only as low as 8 ug may be needed, according to some
reports.  In a restaurant prepared dish, MSG can be as much as 8 grams!
HVP is a hydrolysate of vegetable protein from soy, corn or wheat. It contains
small molecules like short-chain peptides and lots of free amino acids like
glutamic acid, which is part of MSG. That explains why HVP is used to replace
MSG to boost savory taste.
The safety of MSG has become an issue. At least many consumers have had the
perception even though in reality how much harm this neurotoxin can cause
remains unknown.
Russell Blaycock MD published a book titled Excitotoxins - The Taste That Kills
telling readers how MSG along with others like HVP, cysteine, aspartic acid, and
hydrolyzed yeast could affect your mental health.
Dr. Blaycock acknowledges that these excitotoxins may not be the causes for many
neurological diseases like Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, ALS and
Huntington's disease, but they can certainly worsen the symptoms to say the
least.
Food consumers should keep it in mind that excitotoxic amino acids are naturally
present in both animal and plant proteins. However, it would be logic that human
beings are not born to respond to high concentrations of the neurotoxins like
MSG, HVP, cysteine and aspartic acid added in processed foods. Because of this,
exposure to added flavor enhancers with excitotoxins for a long term may not be
a good thing to do.
The food industry should not be expected to stop using the flavor enhancers
anytime soon.  However, there is something consumers can do to  protect
themselves.
According to Dr. Blaycock, a neurologist, some nutrients can be enlisted to
neutralize factors  to excitotoxin poisoning in the brain.  These are vitamin C,
which is water soluble, and vitamin E, which is oil soluble.  Other antioxidants
that may also help include beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin D, vitamin A and
minerals  like magnesium, chromium, zinc and selenium.
By David Liu