Oh, wow, that casserole looks positively decadent and yummy.
I don’t like sounding like an MSG guru or apologist (I’m not, so, sorry if I’m annoying), but in the reading I have done, I have learned that where products might not have
added MSG on the label, they still might have naturally occurring MSG which go by other names in the list of ingredients. Just something I thought it is good to be aware of.
“FDA requires that foods containing added MSG list it in the ingredient panel on the packaging as monosodium glutamate. However, MSG occurs naturally in ingredients such as
hydrolyzed vegetable protein, autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed yeast, yeast extract, soy extracts, and protein isolate, as well as in tomatoes and cheeses. While FDA requires that these products be listed on the ingredient panel, the agency does not require the label to also specify that they naturally contain MSG. However, foods with any ingredient that naturally contains MSG cannot claim “No MSG” or “No added MSG” on their packaging. MSG also cannot be listed as “spices and flavoring.” “
And, the Q&A page answers the question:
What’s the difference between MSG and glutamate in food?
The glutamate in MSG is chemically indistinguishable from glutamate present in food proteins.
Our bodies ultimately metabolize both sources of glutamate in the same way. An average adult consumes approximately 13 grams of glutamate each day from the protein in food, while intake of added MSG is estimates at around 0.55 grams per day.
(boldings and red color done by me)
Questions and Answers on Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
www.fda.gov