THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ajinomoto India, a leading manufacturer of seasonings and processed foods, will extend legal and regulatory support to hoteliers who face threat from food safety officers for using monosodium glutamate (MSG).
According to Govinda Biswas, marketing manager of Ajinomoto India, a section of food safety officers in Kerala are asking hoteliers and other food businesses to desist from using MSG and also to put up display boards that they don’t use MSG.
“Our products have the certification of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. But the officers tend to ignore this and act on the basis of unscientific reports. This issue is faced by all reputed MSG brands in Kerala,” he said. Ajinomoto India is planning a slew of programmes to improve its business in the state. They include awareness programmes such as seminars and workshops for hoteliers and households.
“MSG is made from the finest quality crops such as sugarcane and tapioca through natural fermentation process. Hundreds of scientific studies have affirmed that that it is safe for consumption. The US FDA and the FSSAI have approved it,” Biswas said.
The company says the unscientific information on mainstream media and social media rumours had a negative impact on the sale of MSG in the state. It has good sales in South Indian states such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Of late, some health activists and public speakers have attempted to alleviate the fears of the people on the use of MSG, Biswas said. “Their talks based on scientific information have gone viral in the media. We wish the social media would help reverse the trend,” he said.