The US International Trade Commission (USITC) Friday said OK for the anti-dumping and countervailing duties investigations against imports of monosodium glutamate, which is often used as a food flavoring, from China and Indonesia.

USITC's all six commissioners voted in the affirmative, saying, "there is a reasonable indication that a US industry is materially injured by reason of imports of monosodium glutamate from China and Indonesia that are allegedly subsidized and sold in the United States at less than fair value."

As a result of the Commission's affirmative determinations, the US Commerce Department will continue the probes and is expected to make preliminary countervailing and antidumping duty determinations on December 27, 2013 and March 12, 2014 separately.

The US Commerce Department launched the anti-dumping and countervailing duties probes on October 24 requested by Ajinomoto North America Inc., the US unit of Japan's Ajinomoto Corporation.

The Illinois-based company alleged that monosodium glutamate from China and Indonesia were sold below its fair value in the US market at dumping margins ranging from 64.77 percent to 204.69 percent, 50.32 percent to 58.67 percent, respectively, and that monosodium glutamate producers of these two countries benefited from improper government subsidies.

In 2012, imports of monosodium glutamate from China and Indonesia were each estimated at 36.9 million US dollars and 5.7 million dollars, according to the Commerce Department.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has repeatedly urged Washington to abide by its commitment against protectionism and help maintain a free, open and just international trade environment.