Ingredient Glossary - M
magnesium chloride: Can be extracted from brine or sea water. It is an important coagulant used in the preparation of tofu from soy milk. It is also an ingredient in baby formula milk. A number of state highway departments throughout the United States have decreased the use of rock salt and sand on roadways and have increased the use of liquid magnesium chloride as a de-icer or anti-icer. Magnesium chloride is much less toxic to plant life surrounding highways and airports, and is less corrosive to concrete and steel (and other iron alloys) than sodium chloride.
Maltodextrin: Maltodextrin can be derived from any starch. In the US, this starch is usually rice, corn or potato; elsewhere, such as in Europe, it is commonly wheat. This is important for ciliacs, since the wheat-derived maltodextrin can contain traces of gluten. Dextrins find widespread use in industry, due to their non-toxicity and their low price. They are used as water-soluble glues, as thickening agents in food processing, and as binding agent in pharmaceuticals. In pyrotechnics, they are added to fire formulas, allowing them to solidify as pellets or "stars." Not all forms of dextrin are digestible, and indigestible dextrin is sometimes used in fiber supplements.
Methylcellulose: A chemical compound derived from cellulose. It is a hydrophilic white powder in pure form and dissolves in cold (but not in hot) water, forming a clear viscous solution or gel. It is sold under a variety of trade names and is used as a thickener and emulsifier in various food and cosmetic products, and also as a treatment of constipation. Like cellulose, it is not digestible, not toxic, and not allergenic. Methylcellulose is a bulk-forming laxative because it absorbs liquid in the intestines and makes a bulky, softer stool which is easier to pass. Do not use methylcellulose without first talking to your doctor if you have stomach (abdominal) pain, nausea, vomiting, or difficulty swallowing.
Modified food starch: Used as a thickening agent, stabilizer, or an emulsifier. Apart from food products, modified starch is also found in pharmaceuticals. Pre-gelatinized starch is used to thicken instant desserts, allowing the food to thicken with the addition of cold water or milk. Similarly, cheese sauce granules (such as in Macaroni and Cheese or lasagna) or gravy granules may be thickened with boiling water without the product going lumpy. Commercial pizza toppings containing modified starch will thicken when heated in the oven, keeping them on top of the pizza, and then become runny when cooled. A suitably-modified starch is used, quite successfully (taste-wise}, as a fat substitute for low-fat versions of traditionally fatty foods, e.g., reduced-fat hard salami having about 1/3rd the usual fat content. Modified starch is added to frozen products to prevent them dripping when defrosted. It acts as an emulsifier for French dressing by enveloping oil droplets and suspending them in the water. Acid-treated starch forms the shell of jelly beans.
Monocalcium phosphate: Used in the food industry as a leavening agent to cause baked goods to rise. Because it is acidic, when combined with an alkali ingredient – commonly sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) or potassium bicarbonate – it reacts to produce carbon dioxide and a salt. The carbon dioxide gas is what leavens the baked good. When combined in a ready-made baking powder, the acid and alkali ingredients are included in the right proportions such that they will exactly neutralize each other and not significantly affect the overall pH of the product. Apart from acting as leavening agent, it also inhibits microbial activity because of the phosphate ions present in the molecule.
monoglycride More correctly known as a monoacylglycerol. Mono- and Diglycerides are commonly added to commercial food products in small quantities. They act as emulsifiers, helping to mix ingredients such as oil and water that would not otherwise blend well. The commercial source may be either animal (cow- or hog-derived) or vegetable, and they may be synthetically made as well. They are often found in bakery products, beverages, ice cream, chewing gum, shortening, whipped toppings, margarine, and confections.
mono-potassium phosphate: Also potassium dihydrogen phosphate. It is a soluble salt which is used as a fertilizer, a food additive and a fungicide. It is a source of phosphorus and potassium, and is a buffering agent.
Monosodium Glutamate: MSG is used as a flavor enhancer in many packaged foods, including soups, salad dressings, sausages, hot dogs, canned tuna, potato chips and many more. It is believed that the current epidemic of diseases, such as fibromyalgia, attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), and chronic fatigue syndrome, and huge rises in reported cases of neurodegenerative diseases, migraine symptoms, asthma, and gastrointestinal diseases are all directly related to the rise in MSG consumption. MSG is a chemical flavor enhancer. It adds a sweetness and depth to virtually any food or beverage, and it is widely used throughout the food industry to enhance the flavors of processed foods that would otherwise taste flat and bland. MSG is classified as an excitotoxin, which means it belongs to a class of chemicals that damage nerve cells by overexciting them. It enhances taste by penetrating the taste bud cells on your tongue and overexciting those cells to create a sensory taste experience. It continues through the bloodstream and can overexcite nerve cells throughout your nervous system. Excitotoxins are taste or flavor enhancers that release glutamate and other brain-active amino acids, such as aspartate and cysteine. Animal studies have shown that MSG can cause brain damage, stunted skeletal development, obesity, and female sterility. It is on the FDA list of additives that need further study for mutagenic and reproductive effects. It damages your health with small doses, taken over time. It has been shown that when using lower doses of excitotoxins many of these cells are severely damaged without actually dying. But, as a result of this damage, they operate at a much reduced level of efficiency.