• Dr. Richa Sinha

Food additives are the substances which enhance the flavor, color, texture or other quality of the food. Safety of the food additives is approved by the FDA, but they may not be entirely safe. Such food additives have induced allergic reactions, while others may have carcinogenic effects or birth defects. The safety of food additives has long been a subject of fiery debate, between those who believe food additives are harmless and those who believe that they are silent killer. Monosodium Glutamate is one of the most common food additives which is used to enhance the flavor of the food, especially in Asian cuisines. It is an ingredient used in some packaged foods and restaurant food preparation. MSG commonly called ‘Ajinomoto’ is a white odorless crystalline powder that is soluble in water and alcohol. It is believed to cause potential reaction in some people, like flushing, sweating, chest pain, weakness, headache, facial pressure, drowsiness, and numbness and tingling in the face, back, and arms. It is also reported to causes a high frequency of clastogenic and carcinogenic effects on plants. But till date the research has not shown the allergic or any such symptoms on MSG consumption. In fact Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has certified Ajinomoto, while US Food and Drug Administration has given MSG as "generally recognized as safe". This clearly shows that neither side had the right information. Thus, the consumption of MSG is safe or not is the matter of massive research. Therefore, in the present research, the effects of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) on the root tip cells of Urginea indica Kunth Cytotype I were studied. The principle objective of this research work was to find out the mutagenic effects of MSG on Urginea indica Kunth. Plant system is reported to display numerous genetic and chromosome changes to determine the effects of mutagens. Moreover, plants also play an important role in various aspects of mutagenesis research. The effect of induced mutagens in plants can be estimated by the observation of frequency of chromosomal abnormalities induced in them by the mutagens. Chromosome aberrations are used as a monitoring system to determine the clastogenic nature (capacity to break chromosomes) of the mutagens involved. Observations on the root tip system of plants are considered a rapid and sensitive method for chromosomal monitoring. The degree of cytological aberrations in mitosis is regarded as one of the dependable criteria for estimating the mutagen sensitivity of the species and the effect of the mutagens. Monosodium Glutamate was reported to induce various types of chromosomal aberrations in Urginea indica Kunth which increased with the increase in concentrations. This revealed the antimitotic and carcinogenic properties of Monosodium Glutamate. The result thus, clearly revealed the harmful effects of MSG on plants and hence on human beings.

Monosodium Glutamate, Urginea indica Kunth, chromosomal aberrations

"Monosodium Glutamate ‘Essence of taste’ or a ‘Health hazard’: An Assessment through the degree of aberrations observed in Urginea indica Kunth Cytotype I", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 6, page no.562-566, June-2018, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1806323.pdf

"Monosodium Glutamate ‘Essence of taste’ or a ‘Health hazard’: An Assessment through the degree of aberrations observed in Urginea indica Kunth Cytotype I", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 6, page no. pp562-566, June-2018, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1806323.pdf