From: dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer)
Subject: Re: Is MSG sensitivity superstition?
Organization: S.P. Dyer Computer Consulting, Cambridge MA
Lines: 22

In article <myers.735287742@peach.cs.scarolina.edu> myers@cs.scarolina.edu (Daniel Myers) writes:
>I am under the impression that MSG "enhances" flavor by causing the
>taste buds to swell.

No, that's not how it works.

>If this is correct, I do not find it unreasonable
>to assume that high doses of MSG can cause other mouth tissues to swell.

This may be through a different mechanism.

>Also, as the many of the occurances (including two of the above)
>involved beef, and as beef is frequently tenderized with MSG, this is
>what I suspect as being the cause.

Tenderizing beef involves sprinking or marinading it in papain, an enzyme.
"Meat tenderizer" packets might contain papain and MSG and seasonings, but
MSG doesn't act as a tenderizer.

-- 
Steve Dyer
dyer@ursa-major.spdcc.com aka {ima,harvard,rayssd,linus,m2c}!spdcc!dyer
