17 October 2007 - According to a recent study published by the Korean Foundation for Environmental Movement, 93.7% of the 300 Korean and Chinese restaurants and snack eateries surveyed in Seoul said they use flavour enhancers, such as MSG.
Some 42% also used several seasoning products together. More than 72% said they do so to enhance the taste of their food as easily as possible, the study said.
The surveyed restaurants used an average 3.85 kg of additives per month. Chinese restaurants were using 6.57 kg, double the amount that Korean restaurants were using - 2.88 kg.
MSG is the main ingredient used in flavor enhancing. However, previous studies say that large MSG consumption can lead to reactions like chest pain, nausea and facial tightness. The WHO recommends an adult consume less than 6 grams of MSG per day, and a child, less than 3 grams.