MSG may not be as bad as many people paint it as.

The flavouring powder is used widely in Asian cuisine.

However, activists in the US are campaigning to rid MSG of its bad reputation, saying there's little evidence it's bad for you.

Massey University nutritional scientist Barbara Burlingame told Mike Hosking there's a sensitive group of people who will react to it at higher doses.

But she says MSG occurs naturally and isn't usually harmful.

If your not getting a reaction or headache, which most people will not, then you can enjoy it.

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