Maëlle Dumas turns over the packaging of a packet of Asian instant noodles from the Tien Shan brand and deciphers the fine print: "There is a flavor enhancer, monosodium glutamate, says this engineer at the Agrotec food processing center in Agen. .
It is even, in proportion, one of the main ingredients of this product.
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And that could pose a threat to consumers.
According to the EFSA, the European food health authority, consumed above 42.9 mg per kilogram of body weight, this product can cause headaches, increased blood pressure or increased insulin levels. .
The European food health authority has thus set an acceptable daily dose of 30 mg per kg of body weight and per day, ie, for an individual weighing 70 kg, a maximum dose of 2.1 g not to be exceeded.
“There is no problem in consuming a bowl of noodles with this broth from time to time, explains Maëlle Dumas.
But care must be taken not to consume, in addition, other products containing glutamate, such as aperitif biscuits (we have spotted the "Croustilles" of Belin), meat-based products (such as the bacon burger of Charal) or seasonings (Ducros parsley mix).
In our video report, Kelly Frank, another engineer, expert in taste and ultra-processed foods, founder of Goûm, draws our attention to other flavor enhancers used by the industry.
Moko Hirayama, owner of the Mokonuts restaurant in Paris, performs a blind tasting of three instant noodles from the supermarket.
The result is surprising !