Sir; I would like to assure your readers that monosodium glutamate (MSG) is not, as Stefan Chomka claims, one of the "so- called nasties in food" (The Grocer, 6 January, p28).

For nearly a century, glutamate has been used safely and effectively. Monosodium glutamate is the salt of glutamic acid, an amino acid found naturally in protein-containing foods such as meat, vegetables and milk. The glutamate naturally present in food is identical to the glutamate from monosodium glutamate and the body treats it in exactly the same way.

Furthermore, glutamate contains just one third of the sodium present in salt and is used at much lower levels. This means that a sodium reduction of around 30% can be achieved without reducing the palatability of the food. As concern surrounding the nation's high salt intake mounts, glutamate can make a valuable contribution to a healthy, balanced diet.