What Is Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein?

Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, HVR, may be found in hundreds of food products. As a flavor enhancer, you might appreciate the addition of hydrolyzed vegetable protein to make food more delicious. However, there are concerns with its use and reading food-content labels cannot always help you make decisions about the safety of HVR.

Identification

When simple high-protein plants such as grains, legumes, soy and corn are broken down into amino acids by boiling in hydrochloric acid and neutralizing with sodium hydroxide, the result is a liquid containing amino acids and glutamic acid, which is also more commonly known as monosodium glutamate, or MSG. Altogether the liquid is called hydrolyzed vegetable protein. Sometimes a food label will list it according to source, like hydrolyzed soy protein or hydrolyzed wheat protein.

Sources

Hydrolyzed vegetable protein is used to enhance the flavor of a variety of food, primarily pre-packaged meals or convenience-type products. Many soup mixes, sauces, snacks, desserts, seasonings, luncheon meats, salad dressings and dips contain hydrolyzed vegetable protein. Vegetarian foods often contain HVP as do some diary products made from whey. According to Medical News Today, you may not always know if HVP is in a food product by the ingredient list because it may be part of a flavor mix.

HVP Recall

CBC reported that outbreaks of bacteria including Listeria, E. coli and Salmonella were linked to deaths from hundreds of products, mainly sandwich meats. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigated and found contaminated hydrolyzed vegetable protein responsible and subsequently recalled all HVP in powder and paste form produced at a particular U.S. processing plant. Symptoms of salmonella poisoning, lasting four to seven days, may include headache, fever and diarrhea. In the elderly, children and people with diseases, salmonella poisoning may become life threatening and require treatment with antibiotics.

Soy in HVP

Hydrolyzed vegetable protein is often made with soy, an ingredient in many vegetarian products. Some people have an allergy to soy and may react to meat products and meat substitutes, baked goods, condiments and in other foods where hydrolyzed vegetable protein is used. Symptoms of a soy allergic reaction from HVP include tingling in the mouth, eczema, swelling in parts of the body, abdominal pain and dizziness.

MSG in HVP

Monosodium glutamate, MSG, contained in food as a by product of HVP, does not have to be individually identified on the label according to current FDA food labeling codes. Hydrolyzed vegetable protein may contain 10 to 30 percent MSG, so many people consider HVP hidden. Monosodium glutamate, which has been established as a headache trigger, is common in packaged, canned and prepared foods. If you are MSG-intolerant, you might be in danger of MSG symptom complex, which includes increased heart rate, nausea, chest pain and a feeling of pressure on the face.