/oss/taxonomy/term/533/all en /oss/article/controversial-science-food-health-news/chinese-restaurant-syndrome <p>Sometimes beliefs are converted into fact just by repetition. We constantly hear of people who want to avoid monosodium glutamate because of a fear of being struck by “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” Restaurants have taken to posting signs declaring “No MSG added” to pacify their customers. This in spite of the fact that numerous controlled double blind studies have failed to show the existence of the so-called Chinese Restaurant Sydrome. Let me give you a typical example.</p> Tue, 21 Jan 2014 14:54:02 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2072 at /oss /oss/article/controversial-science-food-health-news/food-babe-and-her-hero <p>The "Food Babe," a lady who blogs about food issues, is a continuous source of comic relief for the scientifically minded but for many members of the public she is a respected "whistleblower" who protects them from all those nasty food producers who want to kill off their customers by hiding dangerous ingredients in their products. Now she has managed to reveal how pizza can "literally" blow your mind! She has set her sights on glutamic acid which is added to pizza in the form of protein hydrolyzate or yeast extract to improve flavour and get people to eat more.</p> Sun, 30 Mar 2014 12:48:23 +0000 Joe Schwarcz 2120 at /oss /oss/article/health/when-it-comes-insomnia-theres-no-shortage-advice <p><span>O sleep! O gentle sleep! / </span><span>Nature’s soft nurse, how have I frightened thee, / </span><span>That thou no more wilt weigh my eyelids down / </span><span>And steep my senses in forgetfulness?</span></p> Sun, 13 Apr 2014 14:31:53 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2127 at /oss