Hydrolysed vegetable proteins – Food safety & quality

Imagesfood.com, Sept. 23, 2011

The consumption of various food additives has been growing steadily around the world since the mid-20th century... Seasonings containing hydrolysed vegetable proteins (HVP) hold a very important place among widely used food additives.

Hydrolysed Vegetable Protein-HVP (sometimes referred to as Hydrolysed Plant Protein) is widely used in the food industry as a savoury flavouring agent to bring out the natural flavours in food. A chemical process called acid hydrolysis breaks down protein into amino acids from various food sources...Many foods contain HVP, including processed foods such as bouillon, soup, sauce mixes, gravy, crackers, chips, instant soups, processed meat and frankfurters. HVP is also produced via enzymatic hydrolysis.

The acid hydrolysis technology can result in the production of the so-called toxic glycerol chlorohydrins (MCPD and DCP). 3-MCPD may be formed as a result of a reaction between a source of chlorine (e.g., Chlorinated water or salt) in the food or a food contact material and a lipid source. This reaction is encouraged during the heat processing of foods. Chloropropanol is formed during those harsh hydrolysis conditions: fats present in the protein source do also hydrolyse in three fatty acid chains and glycerol.

3-MCPD has been shown to be a carcinogen in laboratory animal studies and the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) originally classified 3-MCPD as a genotoxic carcinogen with the recommendation that its presence in foodstuffs should be reduced to an undetectable level.

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MSG: Hidden Sources

NaturoDoc, Feb. 6, 2011

Those wishing to eliminate MSG from their diets are faced with an almost impossible task. Food preparers are often unaware that they're even using MSG. Labels can be misleading. A label that says "No MSG added" doesn't necessarily mean that the food is free of MSG, it simply means that the manufacturer didn't put in additional MSG. MSG goes under many aliases, one of the most common being "hydrolyzed vegetable protein," an additive used to increase the protein content of a wide variety of foods.

Manufacturers also hide MSG as part of "natural flavorings," because it is a natural product. But being natural is not the same as being harmless.

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What's that in my food? — Hydrolyzed vegetable protein!

The Varsity, Jan. 11, 2011

You might not have heard of hydrolyzed vegetable protein, but you’ve surely heard of its villainous cousin, monosodium glutamate — or MSG — the culprit behind the so-called “Chinese restaurant syndrome.” The Japanese have been using MSG, derived from seaweed, for thousands of years, and it is the third most prevalent flavour enhancer in the world after salt and pepper.

MSG has been in the media for decades because of its associated side effects, including feelings of numbness, tingling, headaches, and heart palpitations. Though it is debatable, some believe it is neurotoxic — in other words, it may be poisonous to nerves and neurons.

In addition to these common criticisms, a 2008 study published in the journal Obesity illustrated that MSG may also be a contributor to obesity, due to its effects on leptin resistance.

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Related: Studies show MSG fed Mice became Grossly Obese