Summary : It is apparent that there is no shortage of research conducted on this ubiquitous ingredient and its potential health effects. Because MSG is one of the most intensely studied food ingredients in the food supply and has been found safe, the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization placed it in the safest category for food additives. Subsequently, in 1991 the European Community's Scientific Committee for Food confirmed the safety of MSG. Based on the extensive scientific data, and the committee determined that specification of an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) was unnecessary. The American Medical Association's Council on Scientific Affairs and the National Academy of Sciences have determined that MSG, at current consumption levels, is safe. Finally, the 1995 FASEB evaluation, sponsored by the FDA, reaffirmed MSG's safety as a food ingredient for the public and noted the lack of scientific information reporting negative effects of MSG on human health in the general population.