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

Healthy Nutrition Clinical Trial

Official title:

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

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Not yet recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05591612
• Other study ID #: 2022-396
• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: November 1, 2022
• Est. completion date: May 1, 2023

Study information

• Verified date: October 2022
• Source: Texas Tech University
• Contact: Shannon Galyean, PhD
• Phone: (806)834-2286
• Email: shannon.galyean[@]ttu.edu
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial 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 MSG to replace some of the NaCl content (MSG group); (b) vegetables prepared with only NaCl (NaCl group); (c) vegetables prepared with potassium chloride to replace some of the NaCl content (KCl group).

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 MSG, NaCl, or KCI 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.

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 MSG to replace some of the NaCl content (MSG group); (b) vegetables prepared with only NaCl (NaCl group); (c) vegetables prepared with potassium chloride to replace some of the NaCl content (KCl group). 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 MSG, NaCl, or KCl 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 MSG, NaCl, or KCI 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.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Enrollment: 51
• Est. completion date: May 1, 2023
• Est. primary completion date: March 1, 2023
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

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

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Hypernatremia
• Sodium Excess

Intervention

Other:
• MSG
MSG to be added to vegetables in diet
• NaCl (sodium chloride/table salt)
NaCl (sodium chloride/table salt)
• KCl (potassium chloride/salt substitute)
KCl (potassium chloride/salt substitute)

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
n/a

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Texas Tech University	American Society for Nutrition

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Vegetable Intake	How many vegetables were consumed by the participant measured by data from self-recorded diet as entered in smart phone application (My Fitness Pal©).	up to 7 days before intervention
Primary	Vegetable Intake	How many vegetables were consumed by the participant measured by data from self-recorded diet as entered in smart phone application (My Fitness Pal©).	for study duration of 4 weeks
Secondary	Vegetable Palatability	Rating of how enjoyable each vegetable was with each salt in the study.	up to 7 days before intervention and 4 weeks