We have completed data analysis for the clinical study to determine the reproducibility of """"""""allergic"""""""" reactions to aspartame, a non-nutritive sweetener. Although efforts to notify potential subjects of this protocol by means of notices in newspapers and information presented to local physicians continued over 2 and 1/2 years, we received only 61 inquiries. Twenty patients were evaluated in clinic. Twelve of these individuals underwent blinded challenge. No subject with a clearly reproducible adverse reaction to aspartame was identified. In summary, we found it difficult to recruit study subjects with a history of allergic reactions to aspartame, and that subjects who believed themselves allergic to aspartame did not have reproducible reactions. We have completed the initial clinical studies to determine the effect of monosodium glutamate (MSG) on bronchial hyperreactivity. Normal volunteers had no change in pulmonary function upon blind challenge with MSG. Subjects with mild to moderate asthma were next challenged. These individuals also demonstrated stable pulmonary function after MSG.
