Increasing Vegetable Intake Using Monosodium Glutamate: A Reduced-Effort Intervention

NCT ID: NCT05591612

Last Updated: 2024-08-01

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 148 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-02-10
• Study Completion Date: 2023-11-15

Brief Summary

Food Intake Study: This will be a 4-week randomized controlled intervention study with a vegetable intake questionnaire, daily food intake, and seasoning usage measurement to test the acceptability of different seasoning ingredients and vegetable intake in healthy adults. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups (a) vegetables prepared with 50% NaCl and 50% MSG (50/50MSG Mix); (b) vegetables prepared with 70% NaCl and 30% MSG (70/30 MSG Mix); (c) vegetables prepared with NaCl (table salt).

Sensory Evaluation Study: A sensory evaluation utilizing all seasoning methods from the intervention will be conducted at a Texas Tech University culinary education lab. In a Texas Tech University culinary education lab, 2-4 vegetables will be cooked and seasoned with either 50/50MSG Mix, 70/30 MSG Mix, or NaCl for taste testing. Then, using a standardized form, participants will rate their acceptability and preference of each vegetable, including sensory characteristics such as appearance, color, odor, texture, and flavor.

Detailed Description

Food Intake Study: This will be a 4-week randomized controlled intervention study with a vegetable intake questionnaire, daily food intake, and seasoning usage measurement to test the acceptability of different seasoning ingredients and vegetable intake in healthy adults. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups (a) vegetables prepared with 50% NaCl and 50% MSG (50/50MSG Mix); (b) vegetables prepared with 70% NaCl and 30% MSG (70/30 MSG Mix); (c) vegetables prepared with NaCl (table salt). Before the intervention, each group will be asked to keep a daily food intake record for one week to determine baseline vegetable intake. Each group will receive a culinary medicine program electronically, including recipe demonstrations, cooking skills, and nutrition education videos to provide instruction for vegetable consumption according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. According to each treatment group, a bottle of seasoning ingredients will be provided to use on vegetables. Prior to the intervention, participants will be 1) instructed on how to track daily food intake data using the MyFitnessPal® app, 2) track food intake for seven days, and 3) complete a questionnaire regarding vegetable intake pre-intervention. According to the group assignment, each treatment group will also receive a bottle of a seasoning blend that includes either 50/50MSG Mix, 70/30 MSG Mix, or NaCl to use on vegetables prepared at home. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, culinary medicine education (recipe demonstrations, cooking skills, and education videos for vegetable consumption) will be delivered electronically at baseline and once per week for four weeks to each participant. For four weeks, participants will track all meals daily, including vegetables prepared with designated seasoning at home. Remote follow-ups and dietary intake will be conducted weekly. After the intervention, the participants will 1) complete the same vegetable intake questionnaire for the four weeks of the intervention and 2) return the bottle of seasoning blend provided. Usage of seasoning for four weeks will be recorded. Data analyses will evaluate the changes in outcomes within and between groups. Participants will also be informed of the sensory evaluation study to be included among other participants of that study. MSG_Diet Food Questionaries (Updated).docx MyFitness Pal instructions.docx

Sensory Evaluation Study: A sensory evaluation utilizing all seasoning methods from the intervention will be conducted at a Texas Tech University culinary education lab. In a Texas Tech University culinary education lab, 2-4 vegetables will be cooked and seasoned with either 50/50MSG Mix, 70/30 MSG Mix, or NaCl for taste testing. Then, using a standardized form, participants will rate their acceptability and preference of each vegetable, including sensory characteristics such as appearance, color, odor, texture, and flavor.

Conditions

Healthy Nutrition; Culinary Medicine; Sodium Excess

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

50% NaCl and 50% MSG Seasoning Mix

Participants received cooking demonstrations and nutrition education, and were asked to use the seasoning provided (50% NaCl and 50% MSG Seasoning Mix) on vegetables and foods prepared. Then they recorded their food intake to compare vegetable intake to other groups.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Salt replacement seasoning (50% salt and 50% MSG) mix

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Individuals in this group were provided a seasoning that replaced 50 % regular salt with a reduced-sodium MSG substitute. This study assessed the vegetable intake using the intervention of 50/50 MSG Mix to be added to vegetables in diet.

70% NaCl and 30% MSG Seasoning Mix

Participants received cooking demonstrations and nutrition education, and were asked to use the seasoning provided (70% NaCl and 30% MSG Seasoning Mix) on vegetables and foods prepared. Then they recorded their food intake to compare vegetable intake to other groups.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Salt replacement seasoning (70% salt and 30% MSG) mix

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Individuals in this group were provided a seasoning that replaced 30 % regular salt with a reduced-sodium MSG substitute. This study assessed the vegetable intake using the intervention of 70/30 MSG Mix to be added to vegetables in diet.

NaCl seasoning

Active Control Participants received cooking demonstrations and nutrition education, and were asked to use table salt on vegetables and foods prepared. Then they recorded their food intake to compare vegetable intake to other groups.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

NaCl (sodium chloride/table salt)

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Individuals in this group were asked to use normal seasoning of regular salt. This study assessed the vegetable intake using table salt to be added to vegetables in diet.

Interventions

Salt replacement seasoning (50% salt and 50% MSG) mix

Individuals in this group were provided a seasoning that replaced 50 % regular salt with a reduced-sodium MSG substitute. This study assessed the vegetable intake using the intervention of 50/50 MSG Mix to be added to vegetables in diet.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Salt replacement seasoning (70% salt and 30% MSG) mix

Individuals in this group were provided a seasoning that replaced 30 % regular salt with a reduced-sodium MSG substitute. This study assessed the vegetable intake using the intervention of 70/30 MSG Mix to be added to vegetables in diet.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

NaCl (sodium chloride/table salt)

Individuals in this group were asked to use normal seasoning of regular salt. This study assessed the vegetable intake using table salt to be added to vegetables in diet.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• 18 years old and above

Exclusion Criteria

• Allergy or aversion to MSG (monosodium glutamate) or potassium chloride
• Those that do not have a smart phone with the ability to download an app.
• Those who do not have a full kitchen and the willingness and ability to prepare vegetables according to a recipes.
• Those with an allergy, aversion, or dislike to vegetables that would make them not consume any vegetables during the study

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

American Society for Nutrition

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Texas Tech University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Shannon Galyean, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Texas Tech University

Locations

Nutrition and Metabolic Health Initiative

Lubbock, Texas, United States

Countries

United States

References

Maher C, Alcorn M, Childress A, Dawson JA, Galyean S. Increasing Vegetable Intake Using Monosodium Glutamate in a Randomized Controlled Trial: A Culinary Medicine Intervention. Food Sci Nutr. 2025 Jun 17;13(6):e70441. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.70441. eCollection 2025 Jun.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 40535918 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

2022-396

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id