This is false. Foods labeled "no added MSG" can still contain MSG that was added as part of another ingredient. This is deceptive but legal.
What Does No Added MSG Really Mean?
This is legal but somewhat deceptive labeling on the part of manufacturers, used likely because some people try to avoid MSG (or simply glutamate which is the same thing) and the manufacturers want to attract these customers. But the manufacturer can add hydrolyzed soy (or vegetable) protein (HSP), which itself contains glutamate, and still say "no added MSG." They must mention the HSP as an ingredient, but not the MSG that it contains.
So why isn't MSG on the label? It seems that it is not required to list things that are "ingredients of ingredients." For example, if a product contains cheese, the ingredient list does not need to say "milk." Likewise a product that contains anchovies does not need to specifically mention salt.
About MSG and Health
Why is it that manufacturers want to present their food as being free of MSG? It is because some people want to avoid MSG, but the fact is that the fear of MSG is a total fantasy with no basis in fact—precisely zero legitimate evidence. And some claim to get "Chinese restaurant syndrome" from MSG, a phenomenon that seems to be purely psychological. Click this link to read more about MSG and health.
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