Placebo-controlled tests of chemical food additives: are they valid?
Placebo-controlled studies of effects of monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) and mixed synthetic food dyes in humans which have led to claims that these additives are safe in general use may be questioned on 3 methodological grounds: both active substance and placebo may be inadequately specified in published reports and potent common food allergens are used as placebos.
D002648:Child; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D005503:Food Additives / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity; D005971:Glutamates / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D010919:Placebos; D012107:Research Design; D012970:Sodium Glutamate / Q000009:adverse effects*
D004396:Coloring Agents; D005503:Food Additives; D005971:Glutamates; D010919:Placebos; D012970:Sodium Glutamate