[kuan]

Originally posted by markdchef
msg injected rats developed nerve and brain damage. Doesn't that sound appetizing?

Yeah, I hate adding msg to my rats too. I prefer simple salt and pepper, brings out the natural flavor.

Kuan

[markdchef]

Usually rat calls for a much stronger herb or spice such as cumin or tarragon.

ha ha

[Pastachef]

That was so funny, Kuan. Especially since I just helped my grandson do a report on China.

[Chef Nosko]

Hi Rita:

I have been a chef for over 20 years, and have never worked in a restaurant that used MSG. From Washington State, to Rhode Island, to New York City, to Virginia, and now in Boston.
There was not a big bottle on the spice shelf where everyone would throw a little in to inhance our dishes.
We would not even think of it.

Now....there are some (mostly Chinese) restaurants that use MSG. And, I repeat some.......most of the really good Chinese restaurants in Boston, avoid using it.....many of them list this on their menus.

In most of the establishments I have worked in, we would not only-- not use MSG, but not use products that contained MSG.

I am not going to get into the debate whether the reactions are real or not. I do not know......I know several people who say they have reactions to it. That is reason enough not to have it in products to the masses.

I know that you can not get away from it completely......there are products with "no added MSG"....etc ......
But, I think most chefs do their best to avoid it as much as possible.

Chef Nosko
Boston, MA

[chefboy2160]

The pendulum swings first far to the one side and then again far to the other . I think that the truth about MSG lies somewhere more in the middle , of course thats just my opinion .
P.S. Hey Kuan , I like mine in a real spicey BBQ sauce , finger licken good .

[isaac]

a lot of people dont realize that there is msg in things... like mushrooms and seaweed just to name a few. whiel at culinary school, one of my chefs told me to just use salt becasue it imatates msg.

[todd davies]

No, I do not use msg when I cook. Does anybody know what umami is and how glutamate enhances this taste sensation? You should look it up.

[Matthew357]

At a restaurant I used to work at there was one cook who had allergic reactions to MSG. He'd get tunnel vision and become very tired. The funny thing is he didn't really avoid it, he'd eat a bowlfull of soup containing MSG and then say "mmm...I'm gonna go take a nap" was kind of funny.

Self medication with MSG anyone?

Matt

[RitaFajita]

Well, I had all these intentions of looking into this further, researching studies, etc. I never seem to have the time to learn everything I'd like to know. When I did have a little time to search, I found that by entering the search term "MSG", I usually got either FDA sites or sites that were decidedly against the use of MSG (usually these sites were against Aspertame, too, usage of which seemed to share many of the same "symptoms" with MSG- many "generalized" disorders for that matter shared similar symptoms). The thing that bothered me about both opinions (the FDA, of course, being rather pro MSG), was that neither side seemed to be forthcoming with references to actual scientific studies conducted regarding MSG. I guess I'm not one to accept evidence (on either side) that is purely anecdotal. I had some interesting search responses when I entered "The 5th Flavor" which produced the following link, which I thought was a good article (still not scientific, tho)
http://www.twofresh-twofold.com/writ...inks/umami.htm

I liked what chefboy2160 said about the truth of it being somewhere in the middle. I think that is where it can often be found - truth I mean.
RF

[TONYK]

HI

First post.

MSG also can be nade from seaweed, (I believe it is most often made from seaweed) For the reason's listed by others , we never use it in our restaurant.

[Kimmie]

Tony, hi. Welcome to Cheftalk.

You should talk a bit about yourself, in the Welcome Forum.

[TONYK]

hI kIMMIE,

I'm a chef at an independent restaurant in central virginia. We do about 1,000,000 a year in sales, change our menu monthly, and have a lot of creative freedom. I've worked in restaurants for nearly 20 years, waiter, wine captain, maitre'D, manager, cook, chef, dishwasher, service attendant, computer guy, etc. have tried to leave the businesss several times but seem to be "glued" to it. which is not a bad thing most of the time.

[chefboy2160]

Stay glued to it TONYK , we need people of your experience to make foodservice a better place to be . Good luck and welcome to cheftalk .