Monosodium glutamate (MSG) content in meat and fish patés from the Croatian market

Sa？etak Sodium or monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a registered food additive that is used as a flavour enhancer. It is used in the food industry primarily in the production of soup concentrates, sauces, semi-finished products, and meat products. In addition to its use as a flavour enhancer, MSG is also associated with the need to reduce salt content in foods. Although most people can consume foods with added MSG without consequence, among those suffering from sodium and potassium imbalances, those lacking enzymes necessary for the metabolism of glutamic acid in the form of sodium ions, and those prone to allergic reactions, there is the possibility of more pronounced symptoms, such as nausea, headache, excessive water retention and anaemia. The maximum permitted level (MPL) of MSG individually or in combination with other salts, as defined by the legislation, is 10 g/kg, expressed as glutamic acid. In order to obtain preliminary results on MSG content in paté samples on the Croatian market, 58 samples of four types of patés were analysed: chicken, tea, liver and fish (tuna) paté. The results showed that five samples did not meet the MPL value: two chicken, two tea and one liver paté sample. The glutamic acid content ranged from 3.59 to 13.55 g/kg in chicken paté samples, from 1.21 to 11.46 g/kg in tea paté samples, and from 1.52 to 11.93 g/kg in liver paté samples. All fish paté samples met the MPL value, with glutamic acid content ranging from 0.61 to 7.89 g/kg. The results indicate that the content of glutamic acid in certain paté samples exceeded the MPL value, which might also be the case concerning the use of MSG in other food categories. Therefore, it is necessary to systematically monitor this additive in a range of products to produce healthy food and protect consumer health