Trojita
Rapid Response Threadmaker
Monosodium Glutamate. It's naturally occurring in foods we eat like tomatoes, potatoes, and mushrooms. It was crystallized into an easily applied substance.
It's gotten a bad rap that doesn't seem quite deserved. There was a "fear" that it was causing people to get sick, but it is literally just crystalized glutamate, there isn't much to it. One of the only problems with it is how great it works as long as their is an aroma base to add it. Lousy cook or using subpar ingredients? Sprinkle that shit on! People reporting getting sick or being allergic to MSG could have been fed subpar to potentially spoiled ingredients, ate too much rice (in the case of Chinese food) and the rice mixed with water causing their stomach's to expand and make them sick (I call this The Sushi Buffet Punishment Period), or been full of shit hypochondriacs or at worst charlatans.
Asian countries still use it, you'll find it right on that yellow mayonnaise Japan uses. The US has leaned more on Glutamic Acid, which you will see listed as "Natural Flavors" on an ingredient list. The MSG stigma in the US still persists. Some American-Chinese restaurants will specifically state they don't use MSG.
It's gotten a bad rap that doesn't seem quite deserved. There was a "fear" that it was causing people to get sick, but it is literally just crystalized glutamate, there isn't much to it. One of the only problems with it is how great it works as long as their is an aroma base to add it. Lousy cook or using subpar ingredients? Sprinkle that shit on! People reporting getting sick or being allergic to MSG could have been fed subpar to potentially spoiled ingredients, ate too much rice (in the case of Chinese food) and the rice mixed with water causing their stomach's to expand and make them sick (I call this The Sushi Buffet Punishment Period), or been full of shit hypochondriacs or at worst charlatans.
Asian countries still use it, you'll find it right on that yellow mayonnaise Japan uses. The US has leaned more on Glutamic Acid, which you will see listed as "Natural Flavors" on an ingredient list. The MSG stigma in the US still persists. Some American-Chinese restaurants will specifically state they don't use MSG.