D S Sourav
Health experts warn grave consequences on the use of tasting salt, a chemical widely added in food to enhance the taste of meals. Experts said that food usually consumed mixed with tasting salt, which is scientifically known as monosodium glutamate, can cause immediate reactions like heartburn, chest and stomach pain and vomiting to long-term symptoms like developing high blood pressure, Infertility, Migraine, cause imbalance of the neurotransmitters, headache, spasms, tiredness and obesity, hypertension and insomnia.
Tasting salt is widely used in restaurants, particularly in fast food restaurants where tasting salt is mixed with food allegedly beyond its limits. Sources said that the salt is also used in food preserved in containers like cooked meals in tins, sachets or packets. The harmful effects of excessive use of the chemical product or better known as flavor enhancers eventually lead to ‘food addiction’ for that particular food. “If someone consumes meals mixed with the unnecessarily excess amount of the salt for a long time he or she is likely to be addicted to that particular food item,” said a medical practitioner.
He said that a wide variety of artificial flavours emulating natural flavours have been developed by industries producing packed food to complement the taste of naturally occurring packaged foods. The distinguishing characteristic of these flavour enhancers is that they are added with the food products in cuisines while preparing meals.
Professor A B M Faroque of Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Dhaka told Bangladesh Post, “Eating food items that contain an excessive level of tasting salt like fried chicken, prepackaged noodles, potato chips, burgers, soup, and fast food items may slowly weaken the central nerve system. After a while it may even cause Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s diseases.”
Most consumers are not aware of the excessive use of tasting salt in food. The growing trend in eating ‘fast food’ is one of the reasons why people, especially the young generation grow an addiction to eating fast food like fried chicken, French fries, pasta, pizza, burgers, swarma, sandwiches, beef or chicken rolls and various items on mixed fried rice.
Helal Uddin Ahmed, a medicine specialist of city’s Square Hospital told Bangladesh Post, “People living in the urban areas have grown a tendency of eating fast food items. Fast food outlets are regularly using tasting salt as it enhances the taste. Last but not least parents should not prefer potato chips and roadside food for their children.”
He also urged the government to enact a law on the use of the salt in cuisines or restaurants and packaged food, especially those which are imported. On condition of anonymity, a fast food businessman in Kawran Bazar area admitted using tasting salt in excessive qualities knowing the harmful effects. He described that if he does not mix tasting salt in preparing food like burgers, sandwiches and Chinese food his customers refuse to buy food.
“My customers come to my restaurant to taste. We regularly cook food mixing tasting salt and it has been a practice for a long time,” he said. Nutrition expert Rabeya Sultana mentions the fatal impact of consuming tasting salt, especially found in canned food like meat, fish, soups, sausages, ketchup, mayonnaise, and soy sauce.
While talking to Bangladesh Post Sultana said, “Chinese imported prepackaged food items like noodles, soups, tomato sauce, corns, and maize contains chemical substances beyond the limit. Fast food items usually contain monosodium glutamate in large quantities. This is very alarming for our health. Pregnant women are highly vulnerable to chemical-induced abortion.”
Monosodium Glutamate is also preferred over natural flavour bases, as it is relatively very cheap, easily available over the counter at most grocers, and comes in a powdered form, hence easy to mix. Additionally, more importantly, unlike other flavour enhancers, purchasing the product does not require any special permits or import licenses, as is required with other flavour enhancers.