"the neck, gradually radiating to both arms and the back, general weakness and palpitations... The syndrome is often abbreviated as CRS and also became known under the names Chinese food syndrome and monosodium glutamate symptom complex. Symptoms attributed to the Chinese restaurant syndrome have been determined to be false. Although many people believe that monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the cause of these symptoms, an association has never been demonstrated under rigorously controlled conditions, even in studies with people who were convinced that they were sensitive to the compound. Techniques used to adequately control for experimental bias include a placebo-controlled double-blinded"
"support a causal association. Since glutamates are important neurotransmitters in the human brain, playing a key role in learning and memory, ongoing neurological studies indicate a need for further research. A hypothetical MSG symptom complex, named ""Chinese restaurant syndrome"", attracted attention in the period after 1968, when Robert Ho Man Kwok reported symptoms he felt after an American-Chinese meal. Kwok suggested possible reasons for his symptoms, including alcohol (from cooking with wine), sodium, and MSG; however, a number of symptoms have become associated with MSG. The perpetuation of the negative image of MSG through the so-called Chinese Restaurant Syndrome has"
"Monosodium glutamate is safe for consumption. The controversy surrounding the safety of MSG arose starting in April 1968, when Robert Ho Man Kwok wrote a letter to the ""New England Journal of Medicine"", coining the term ""Chinese restaurant syndrome"". In this letter he claimed: I have experienced a strange syndrome whenever I have eaten out in a Chinese restaurant, especially one that served northern Chinese food. The syndrome, which usually begins 15 to 20 minutes after I have eaten the first dish, lasts for about two hours, without hangover effect. The most prominent symptoms are numbness at the back of"
"been attributed to xenophobic or racist biases, with people specifically targeting Asian cuisine whereas the widespread usage of MSG in western consumer goods (e.g. in processed food) doesn't generate the same stigma. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) MSG technical report concludes, ""There is no convincing evidence that MSG is a significant factor in causing systemic reactions resulting in severe illness or mortality. The studies conducted to date on Chinese restaurant syndrome (CRS) have largely failed to demonstrate a causal association with MSG. Symptoms resembling those of CRS may be provoked in a clinical setting in small numbers of individuals"
"edible seaweed used as a base for many Japanese soups. MSG as a flavor enhancer balances, blends, and rounds the perception of other tastes. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given MSG its generally recognized as safe (GRAS) designation. A popular misconception is that large doses of MSG can cause headaches and other feelings of discomfort, known as ""Chinese restaurant syndrome,"" but double-blind tests fail to find evidence of such a reaction. The European Union classifies it as a food additive permitted in certain foods and subject to quantitative limits. MSG has the HS code 29224220 and the E"
"concealed mostly by mixing it with non-expired meat. A video about the top 10 most common toxic substances in Chinese food and snacks looked into the use of the carcinogen, sodium formaldehyde sulfoxylate (CHNaOS), to bleach food. According to the video, this practice has been widely adopted by the largely unregulated Chinese food industry. In the video, all 12 samples taken from mianjing snack stalls in Beijing were found to contain CHNaOS. Mushrooms, tofu, mianjing (a Chinese starch product), mixian (mainly rice made noodles), vermicelli, and flour were among the food that contained contaminated substances. Bean and starch products were"
"cities. In Beijing, the Heinz Company added the red dye to chili sauce; in Guangdong, Zhejiang, Hunan, and Fujian, the red dye was discovered in vegetables and noodles. Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) used the red dye in its 1,200 restaurants, and medicine in Shanghai also contained Sudan I. Before the year 2005, companies in China had been using Sudan I illegally, and government officials gave two reasons why the 1996 ban had not been adequately enforced. The first reason was that there were too many agencies overseeing food production, creating loopholes and inefficiency. The second reason was that the government"
"rat poison containing aminopterin."" The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announces a possible source of the sicknesses, indicated by the presence of melamine, an industrial chemical, in wheat gluten imported from China. The FDA prohibits the import of wheat gluten from a specific Chinese company, Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Company (徐州安营生物技术开发有限公司), and says that the contamination may be in dry pet foods as well. Late that Friday, Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc., Del Monte, and Nestlé Purina recall several brands of wet and dry pet foods. Concerns are first voiced in the news media that the imported gluten may"
"however they could have used a soy protein substitute to lower production costs, and the source of their soy substitute had melamine added to it. Many Chinese babies had developed kidney stones and other acute kidney problems in recent months across China, investigation led to the discovery of this contaminant. Some people were wondering how much melamine has already entered food products designated for adults without discovery. More worrying are claims reported in China that there are now new chemicals that can be added to food to lower production costs, and yet pass the tests for melamine and other related"
"feed supplemented with pet food scraps that contained melamine and melamine-related compounds"" In the 2007 outbreak, as all three pet food ingredients containing melamine had been imported from China, investigators focused their inquiries there. Another concern was raised by allegations that one contract manufacturer of pet food had included contaminated ingredients from China without the knowledge or approval of the pet food marketers. Melamine had also been purposely added as a binder to fish feed manufactured in the United States from ingredients produced in Ohio. This adulteration has not been linked to any illness. The FDA issued a Warning Letter"
"people were killed and 183 were poisoned by toxic mushrooms."" Officials worried that the public could not accurately separate edible mushrooms from poisonous ones. According to John Newton of Interpol, Chinese organized crime is involved in working across national boundaries and faking drugs on an industrial scale, now appearing throughout Africa. China Central Television cited an official saying those making the false albumin were making a 300% profit, assisted by shortages of the genuine product. In March 2007, the Guangzhou Information Times accused Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) of adding oil filtering powder, magnesium trisilicate, to its frying oil. It reported"
"Magnesium trisilicate Magnesium trisilicate is an inorganic compound that is used as a food additive. The additive is frequently used by fast food chains to absorb fatty acids and extract impurities formed while frying edible oils. It has good acid neutralizing properties, but the reaction appears too slow to serve as an effective non-prescription antacid. On March 12, 2007, Chinese health authorities seized and halted the use of magnesium trisilicate at Shaanxi Province KFC franchises, suspecting it to be a possible carcinogen. As a response, China's Ministry of Health conducted tests at six outlets of KFC. The results showed chemicals"
"in the cooking process at KFC restaurants in the country were not harmful. The Ministry of Health said tests showed that using the product to filter cooking oil had no apparent impact on health. Food scares regularly sweep the Chinese media. Magnesium trisilicate Magnesium trisilicate is an inorganic compound that is used as a food additive. The additive is frequently used by fast food chains to absorb fatty acids and extract impurities formed while frying edible oils. It has good acid neutralizing properties, but the reaction appears too slow to serve as an effective non-prescription antacid. On March 12, 2007,"
"Beijing served raw Amazonian snail meat and, as a result, 70 diners were diagnosed with angiostrongylus meningitis. The snail meat contained ""Angiostrongylus cantonesis"", ""a parasite that harms people's nervous system"" causing headaches, vomiting, stiff necks, and fevers. No one died from the meningitis outbreak and the Beijing Municipal Office of Health inspection did not find any more raw snails in 2,000 other restaurants. However, the Beijing Municipal Office of Health prohibited restaurants from serving raw or half-cooked snails and disciplined the Shuguo Yanyi Restaurant. The Beijing Friendship Hospital, where the first meningitis case was treated, began a program to educate"
"doctors on the treatment of angiostrongylus meningitis. The Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention explained that these meningitis cases were the first outbreaks since the 1980s. In December 2006, sixteen diners were hospitalized after eating a poisonous variety of boletus mushrooms in Beijing at the Dayali Roast Duck Restaurant. The mushrooms caused nausea, vomiting, and dizziness and the ill diners were treated at the Bo'ai Hospital and the 307 Hospital of the People's Liberation Army. In November 2006, Chinese authorities at the Ministry of Health had warned of the rising number of mushroom poisonings. ""From July to September, 31"
"frequently ingested medicines to treat things such as asthma, hiccups, spasms, pains, and expulsion of afterbirth. Aristolochic acid poisoning was first diagnosed at a clinic in Brussels, Belgium, when cases of nephritis leading to rapid kidney failure were seen in a group of women who had all taken the same weight-loss supplement, ""Aristolochia fangchi"", which contained aristolochic acid. This nephritis was termed “Chinese herbs nephropathy” (CHN) due to the origin of the weight-loss supplement. A similar condition previously known as Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN), first characterized in the 1950s in southeastern Europe, was later discovered to be also the result"
"numbness of the tongue when chewed. The only economically important product from this genus is the fruit of ""Illicium verum"", or Chinese star anise, which is widely used as a spice for flavouring food and beverages. In contrast, the fruit of Japanese star anise, ""Illicium anisatum"", have been known to be very toxic for several centuries. Merrilactone A was found to exhibit a significant neurotrophic activity, such as greatly promoting neurite outgrowth in the primary cultures of fetal rat cortical neurons at concentrations from 10 to 0.1 μmol/L. It was also found that this compound had a property of neuroprotection"
"that KFC restaurants in several cities in Shaanxi added this chemical so that the frying oil could be used repeatedly for up to ten days. KFC pointed out that the additive is considered safe by United States and international standards, but health officials in Xianyang, Yulin, and Xi'an, inspected their local KFCs and confiscated the frying powder. Officials in Guangzhou also began in investigation into the frying oils, and the cities requested that the Ministry of Health step in. KFC stated that the oil filtering powder does not cause health problems and meets local and international standards, but local Chinese"
"and ingredients in six field laboratories. Of those, 130 tested positive for melamine either in the food itself or in wheat gluten used to thicken the gravy accompanying it. Researchers at Cornell University found crystals of melamine and cyanuric acid in urine and kidney tissue taken from dead cats, ""New Scientist"" reported. 'How melamine might have got into the pet food remains controversial,' the journal added. 'The FDA says it originated in wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate imported from mainland China that was added to the pet food by US manufacturers. American journalists have since reported that factory owners"
"the events have caused distrust in some consumers. Reports of widespread and possibly intentional adulteration of Chinese animal feed with melamine have raised the issue of melamine contamination in the human food supply, both in China and abroad. On 27 April, the U.S. FDA subjected all vegetable proteins imported from China, intended for human or animal consumption, to detention without physical examination, including: wheat gluten, rice gluten, rice protein, rice protein concentrate, corn gluten, corn gluten meal, corn byproducts, soy protein, soy gluten, proteins (includes amino acids and protein hydrosylates), and mung bean protein. In a teleconference with reporters on"
"oesophageal carcinogens in several animal models. Roussin red methyl ester, a non-alkylating nitroso compound with tumour-promoting effect in vitro, was identified in pickles from Linxian in much higher concentrations than in samples from low-incidence areas. Fumonisin mycotoxins have been shown to cause liver and kidney tumours in rodents. A 2017 study in ""Chinese Journal of Cancer"" has linked salted vegetables (common among Chinese cuisine) to a 4-fold increase in nasopharynx cancer, where fermentation was a critical step in creating nitrosamines, which some are confirmed carcinogens, as well as activation of Epstein–Barr virus by fermentation products. Suan cai Suan cai (also"
"composition of the crystals analyzed in contaminated pet food ingredients is similar to the composition of a waste product produced in cyanuric acid production. On 8 May 2007, the ""International Herald Tribune"" reported three Chinese chemical makers have said animal feed producers often purchase, or seek to purchase, the chemical, cyanuric acid, from their factories to blend into animal feed to give the false appearance of a higher level of protein, suggesting another potentially dangerous way that melamine and cyanuric acid might combine in protein products. A toxicology study conducted at the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine"
"veal liver was suspected of causing clenbuterol poisoning in 22 people in France and 135 people in Spain. In September 2006, some 330 people in Shanghai suffered from food poisoning after eating clenbuterol-contaminated pork. In February 2009, at least 70 people in one Chinese province (Guangdong) suffered food poisoning after eating pig organs believed to contain clenbuterol residue. The victims complained of stomachaches and diarrhea after eating pig organs bought in local markets. In March 2011, China's Ministry of Agriculture said the government would launch a one-year crackdown on illegal additives in pig feed, after a subsidiary of Shuanghui Group,"
"make food for humans such as bread or pasta. At least one contaminated batch was used to make food for humans, but the FDA quarantined it before any was sold. The FDA also notified the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention to watch for new patients admitted to hospitals with renal failure. There have been no observed increases in human illnesses and little human food has tested as contaminated, however the FDA still has not accounted for all of the Xuzhou Anying wheat gluten. Reports of widespread melamine adulteration in Chinese animal feed have raised the possibility of wider melamine"
"edible Chinese star anise and are used to identify its toxicity. Shikimic acid, a substance also present in Japanese star anise, is so-called after the plant's Japanese name. In Europe, Chinese star anise tea is often used as a stress-relief tea. Cases of illness have been reported in France, Spain, and Switzerland after people were reported consuming contaminated Chinese star anise tea with Japanese star anise. This contamination hospitalized many people with epilepsy, hallucinations, and nausea all as a result of the toxin anisatin, found in the Japanese star anise. In 2001, there was a large outbreak of toxicity in"
"Protein adulteration in China In the People's Republic of China, the adulteration and contamination of several food and feed ingredients with inexpensive melamine and other compounds, such as cyanuric acid, ammeline and ammelide, are common practice. These adulterants can be used to inflate the apparent protein content of products, so that inexpensive ingredients can pass for more expensive, concentrated proteins. Melamine by itself has not been thought to be very toxic to animals or humans except possibly in very high concentrations, but the combination of melamine and cyanuric acid has been implicated in kidney failure. Reports that cyanuric acid may"
"niacin, ferrous sulfate [iron], thiamin mononitrate [vitamin B1], riboflavin [vitamin B2], folic acid) (In Canada: Pasta (from wheat). No longer 'enriched' by 2017; cheese sauce mix (whey, milkfat, milk protein concentrate, salt, sodium tripolyphosphate, contains less than 2% of citric acid, lactic acid, sodium phosphate, calcium phosphate, yellow 5, yellow 6, enzymes, cheese culture) Kraft Macaroni and Cheese sold in the United States used to include Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 to make the food a brighter colour. In Europe, food that contains Yellow 5 requires a warning label saying, ""This product may have adverse effect on activity and attention"
"leaves), chewy southern Chinese noodles popular in Hong Kong and southern China, and Japanese ramen noodles. In the United States, food-grade lye must meet the requirements outlined in the Food Chemicals Codex (FCC), as prescribed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Lower grades of lye are commonly used as drain or oven cleaner. Such grades should not be used for food preparation, as they may contain impurities harmful to human health. Sodium bisulphate is used as a food additive to leaven cake mixes (make them rise) as well as being used in meat and poultry processing and most"
"produced in Chengdu, Sichuan had an acceptable amount of chemical additives. The labels on the pickled vegetables that was supposed to indicate the chemical content were also found to be inaccurate. In Sichuan, the factories had been using industrial-grade salt to pickle the vegetables and had been spraying pesticides containing high amounts of DDVP on the pickled vegetables before shipment. In spring 2004, four men died of alcohol poisoning in Guangdong and eight other men were hospitalized in the People's Hospital of Guangzhou. Wang Funian and Hou Shangjian, both from Taihe Town, died in May after drinking liquor bought from"
"the same food that tested positive for acetaminophen at a Texas laboratory. Additionally, since the cat that had eaten the food suffered kidney, but not liver, failure, acetaminophen poisoning seems unlikely. Official feed controllers of the Swiss research institute Agroscope Liebefeld in Posieux (ALP) stated that corn gluten contaminated with melamine, cyanuric acid and urea had been imported into Switzerland from China. Owners and executives of Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Company, Suzhou Textiles, Silk, Light Industrial Products, Arts and Crafts, and ChemNutra were indicted on charges of intentionally defrauding and misleading American manufacturers about poisonous ingredients used in pet"
"""Datura."" The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported accidental poisoning resulting in hospitalization for a family of six who inadvertently ingested ""Datura"" used as an ingredient in stew. In some places, it is prohibited to buy, sell, or cultivate ""Datura"" plants. Due to the potent combination of anticholinergic substances it contains, ""Datura"" intoxication typically produces effects similar to that of an anticholinergic delirium (usually involving a complete inability to differentiate reality from fantasy); hyperthermia; tachycardia; bizarre, and possibly violent behavior; and severe mydriasis (dilated pupils) with resultant painful photophobia that can last several days. Muscle stiffness and temporary"
"pregnancy due to a potential risk of embryotoxicity at a high dose. However, many adverse reactions are due to misuse or abuse of Chinese medicine. For example, the misuse of the dietary supplement ""Ephedra"" (containing ephedrine) can lead to adverse events including gastrointestinal problems as well as sudden death from cardiomyopathy. Products adulterated with pharmaceuticals for weight loss or erectile dysfunction are one of the main concerns. Chinese herbal medicine has been a major cause of acute liver failure in China. Acupuncture is the insertion of needles into superficial structures of the body (skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscles) – usually at"
"2001. The Nestlé Research Centre has hypothesized that nuts from ""Pinus armandii"", which occurs mostly in China, are the cause of the problem. The nuts of this species are smaller, duller, and more rounded than typical pine nuts. A 2011 study found results consistent with this hypothesis and also suggested that chemicals used in the shelling process might be responsible. Metallic taste disturbance, known as metallogeusia, is typically reported 1–3 days after ingestion, being worse on day two and typically lasting up to two weeks. Cases are self-limited and resolve without treatment. Möller has postulated a hypothesis—to explain both the"