Overview of the EPA's approvals
Details of the EPA's approvals
Copy of the Objection filed with the EPA by the Truth in Labeling Campaign
California: the only state that restricted use of AuxiGro
Here's how to comment
e-mail or call us
 
 

The Web page you are looking at now, msgfacts.net, focuses on the hazards of applying processed free glutamic acid (MSG) to crops as they grow.

Why an entire Web site given over to the hazards of applying MSG-containing fertilizers, fungicides, and pesticides to growing crops?

Because no one at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will tell you what effect digging unlimited amounts of processed free glutamic acid (MSG) -- a chemical neurotransmitter -- a neurotoxin -- and an endocrine disrupter -- into the soil, and spraying unlimited amounts of that neurotransmitter/ neurotoxin/ endocrine disrupter into the environment, will have on the ground, air, ground water, and drinking water, and on the animals and humans who till the soil, breath the air, and drink the water contaminated with that neurotransmitter/neurotoxin/endocrine disrupter.  And there's not one shred of evidence that spraying this neurotransmitter/ neurotoxin/ endocrine disrupter into the environment is "safe" for us today or "safe" for future generations.

Because we believe that Americans have the right to know that there are people who poison and profit from poisoning our food supply and our environment, and that our government -- in this case the EPA -- is cooperating with them.

In the 1970s, reluctant food processors "voluntarily" took processed free glutamic acid (MSG) out of baby food. Today it's back, in a product called AuxiGro WP Plant Metabolic Primer (AuxiGro), being sprayed on some of the vegetables our children will eat, into the air our children must breath, and onto the ground from which it can move into drinking water. Head lettuce, leaf lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, and peanuts were among the first crops targeted. According to the Auxein Corporation Web site on September 12, 2000, crops registered at that time included Celery; Fresh Market Cucumbers; Edible Navy and Pinto Beans; Grapes; Bulb Onions; Bell, Green and Jalapeno Peppers; Iceberg Head Lettuce; Romaine and Butter Leaf Lettuce; Peanuts; Potatoes; Snap Beans; Strawberries; Processing Tomatoes; Fresh Tomatoes; and Watermelons.

X Today, there is no crop that we know of that has not been approved for such spray by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

XI Let there be no mistake.  The EPA has approved the use of processed free glutamic acid (MSG) and the use of AuxiGro, a product that uses processed free glutamic acid (MSG) as an active ingredient. Those approvals remain in force, and those products will continue to be used, even though objections have been filed protesting them. Those chemicals have been used, and will continue to be used without restriction in accordance with the June 21, 2001 Final Rule in every state except California unless the EPA withdraws its approval of the June 21, 2001 Final Rule.  We have asked the EPA to do that.

XII  Federal Register notices chronicling the application and approval of processed free glutamic acid are available on the Internet via GPO Access, the Federal Register, through: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html
 

While the FDA is warning that manufactures should be wary of hiding allergenic substances in their products, the EPA is encouraging hiding allergenic substances and other awful things in products used as pesticides and/or fertilizers on crops.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is at it again, this time looking out for the welfare of Emerald BioAgriculture (formerly Auxein Corporation).  Jeopardizing the health of consumers.

Emerald BioAgriculture makes a product, AuxiGro WP Plant Metabolic Primer (AuxiGro), that claims to contain 29.2% processed free glutamic acid (MSG) in an active ingredient that Emerald BioAgriculture refers to as "L-glutamic acid."  That product contains additional processed free glutamic acid (MSG), but it's not listed on the label, because the additional processed free glutamic acid (MSG) is in the inert ingredients, and inert ingredients -- even if poisonous or carcinogenic -- don't have to be disclosed.

On December 6, 2000, Emerald BioAgriculture petitioned the EPA to remove all restrictions from "L-glutamic acid" and gamma Aminobutyric acid (GABA) when used on any food commodities for any uses regulated by the EPA.  As required by law, that petition was published in the Federal Register.  But the law evidently doesn't require that the public be told what is being proposed, because when the EPA published Emerald BioAgriculture's December 6 petition, they described it as a "Notice of Filing Pesticide Petitions to Establish Tolerances for Certain Pesticide Chemical in or on Food," never mentioning glutamic acid, L-glutamic acid, glutamate, monosodium glutamate, MSG, or GABA.

On June 21, 2001 the EPA published "L-Glutamic Acid and Gamma Aminobutyric Acid; Exemptions from the Requirement of a Tolerance" -- Final Rule.  That rule says that unrestricted amounts of processed free glutamic acid (MSG) can be sprayed on crops -- all crops -- any crops -- without any restrictions on the amount sprayed, on the amount that would remain ON fruit, grains, seeds, nuts, and vegetables when brought to market, or any restriction on the amount of processed free glutamic acid (MSG) that could have been taken up by the treated produce and be IN those fruit, grains, seeds, nuts, and vegetables -- especially potatoes -- when eaten.

The exemptions from the requirement of a tolerance were based on a series of unproved assumptions, on data from the 1970s that have long since been refuted, on a number of studies that are irrelevant to the safety of amino acids, and on short term acute toxicity studies that neither reflected the real world conditions under which the amino acids would be applied, nor considered their endocrine disrupting potential.  In sanctioning the unregulated use of its "L-glutamic acid," the EPA used words like "expected to be minimal;" "not likely to result in potential chronic exposure" and "exposure is anticipated to be negligible."  No relevant data from non-industry researchers were examined.

An objection to the Final Rule was filed with the EPA by the Truth in Labeling Campaign prior to the cut off date of August 20, 2001.  If you want to read it,  go to Objection.  We have put it on the Internet because we think consumers have the right to know what is in and on their food -- and what the EPA is doing to them.  And for sure Auxein Corporation, Emerald BioAgriculture, Ajinomoto, Co., Inc. (the most obvious source of the "L-glutamic acid" in AuxiGro's active ingredients) and their friends in the glutamate industry and elsewhere, don't want you to know about it.

If you would like to see a list of what has been filed in the docket pertaining to this matter (Docket #OPP-301136) you can address your request to opp-docket@epa.gov.  You can also ask for copies of anything you might want to read; but be sure to ask about charges/fees before you do so.)

We are told that the EPA is drafting a draft Final Order that should be available for review and comment approximately 6-8 months from the middle of September, 2001.  If you are interested in seeing it, write now to Dr. Janet Andersen and ask her to send you a copy as soon as it is available (Andersen.Janet@epamail.epa.gov).  She should appreciate knowing that you are interested in the subject.
 
 
 

Return to:
Home page
Overview of the EPA's approvals
Details of the EPA's approvals
Copy of the Objection filed with the EPA by the Truth in Labeling Campaign
California: the only state that restricted use of AuxiGro
Here's how to comment
e-mail or call us

For further information regarding processed free glutamic acid (MSG) please go to www.truthinlabeling.org