Is MSG safe? Does anyone use it?

I watched a programme on the BBC about food additives where they showed the "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" wasn't an allergy to MSG but an intolerance to Glutamate. Which is why people with "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" will also suffer the same symptoms if they eat food that is high in Glutamate such as Broccoli and hard cheeses such as Parmesan.

As far as I remember, the studies referenced by the shows presenter said that MSG is safe in the same way salt is safe. It won't hurt you in moderation but use too much of it and it's bad for you just like salt. (I'll post the source when I find it)

As for MSG being a lazy, cop out which tastes of nothing specific... surely that's one of it's good points, it adds an unctuousness to food without any unwanted flavours.
 
My personal feeling on MSG is that if you use the proper ingredients you won't need to add manufactured flavourings.

I used to use it for rice flavourings but now use whole/ground spices and tastes much better.
 
boxman2000 said:
My personal feeling on MSG is that if you use the proper ingredients you won't need to add manufactured flavourings.

I used to use it for rice flavourings but now use whole/ground spices and tastes much better.
Click to expand...

It depends on what you mean by "manufactured". Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C) is manufactured and is used to make cheese slices for burgers... not exactly the greatest of foods but Heston Blumenthal made his own burger cheese using ascorbic acid. Just because it's manufactured doesn't make it bad.

MSG is extracted from seaweed using electrolysis or fermented from wheat (not all of it, there are other processes). MSG powder is simply a concentrated version of naturally occurring MSG, which as I said can be found in everything from Broccoli and soy bean milk to cheese. It's not unnatural or inherently bad, it's just often misused.
 
I had some a couple of years ago. You can buy it in Chinatown. I got it specifically to give my stirfry that cheap Chinese takeaway taste, which it did very well :D
 
We got some from the Chinese supermarket.

Don't use it very often and only in small amounts when I do, but it does enhance the food in a subtle, interesting manner.
 
It's like salt in the sense that it's perfectly safe in moderation, but bad for you if you have too much.

It's not nearly as evil as food packaging and ads try to make out.
 
Just doing press stuff at the moment, but obviously has offers coming in. Going to bide his time a bit I think rather than rush into anything -he's still working at the Euston Tap at the mo!
 
Volcs said:
Just doing press stuff at the moment, but obviously has offers coming in. Going to bide his time a bit I think rather than rush into anything -he's still working at the Euston Tap at the mo!
Click to expand...

Cool - All the best to him, and if he ever needs an amatuer restaurant tourist to sample his food let me know :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom