I read labels and I do not drink soft drinks of any kind. However, it is so difficult to find any beverages, gum, or even yogurt that does not have aspartame. Now they even add fluoride into bottled water.

There is now a company out of Shandong that sells organic soy sauce; they claim nothing is added except the traditional ingredients of soy beans, wheat and salt. It's called Hona Organic. Although I'd still go easy on soy products these days. I'm told that in America, only 3% of the soy beans are non-GMO, but even non-GMO soy farmers have been finding GMO beans in their fields due to cross pollination.

For vinegar, most brands in China contain sodium benzoate, as a preservative. One Shanxi-style vinegar has a higher acidity, and the manufacturer claims that they do not add any sodium benzoate to that particular product. The manufacturer's name is Shanxi Yuan Yuan, but that particular product is called Shanxi Lao Chen Cu. You have to look for it online to get them in Yunnan I guess.

Some people are really affected negatively by msg - a small percentage. For those who are into 'Nature' and think that Nature is good' (really, folks, Nature doesn't give a damn), it is a naturally-occurring substance, not something hatched in a lab.

If they add wheat as a thickener, it's not really soy sauce. I am allergic to wheat and gluten.

Furthermore, soy sauce is terrible for guys as it's way too estrogenic (man boobs, hello), whereas isolated soy protein is generally ok.

About the MSG discussion, yes, it has been fed to rats causing severe neurological side effects, email me for the links.

China currently has the highest relative incidence of alzheimer's disease in the world and I'd clearly say MSG is playing a role here.

www.newscientist.com/[...]

Interesting about the vinegar. Our family consumes a lot of it...

Apart from soy sauce and vinegar, any other products that any of you buy "alternative" brands (as in buying Lee Kum Kee instead of the regular Chinese brands) to avoid MSG or content of preservatives / chemicals?

Just so you know, Lee Kum Kee is made in Guangdong province, but so was this tablet I'm typing with.

my tablets is made by astra zeneca, probably in shanghai

Scientific studies have shown that MSG is not, in fact, harmful to humans. But, as far as these forums go, I am sure that I will be viciously attacked for even saying that, so no, I will not give you references. Find it yourself.

Welcome back Matt.