French fries and a
fried chicken sandwich are arranged for a photograph during an event ahead of
the grand opening for a Chick-fil-A restaurant in New York, U.S., on Friday,
Oct. 2, 2015. Chick-fil-A, the Southern chicken-sandwich chain that has drawn
both controversy and copycats over the years, has finally arrived in New York.
The company will open a 5,000-square-foot (465-square-meter), three-level
restaurant in Manhattan's Garment District that will be the chain's largest
location in the nation. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Originally posted at Today/MSN.com
What
makes Chick-fil-A's classic chicken sandwiches so delicious?
Some
may swear by the perfectly crispy coating. Others may point to the tangy
pickles. And plenty of people have alluded to the fact that the chain
uses peanut oil to fry up its filets.
The
truth is that all of these sandwich ingredients (and yes, there are a lot)
likely play into why it's been so popular for years, but there's one ingredient in particular Chick-fil-A uses in its
sandwiches and nuggets that is not found in comparable items at McDonald's,
Wendy's and Burger King.
And
that ingredient is monosodium glutamate, more commonly known as MSG.
© Chick-fil-A TODAY, product courtesy of merchant site
While
many people think MSG is only found in Chinese food, it's prevalent in dozens of everyday food items,
including snacks like Doritos and mixes like Hidden Valley's ranch dressing
powder.
But
what is it anyway?
It's
the sodium salt derived from the amino acid glutamic acid, which is naturally
present in our bodies and is also found in foods like Parmesan cheese, tomatoes
and mushrooms. Chefs and food companies love it because MSG isn't just a salt
but it's also a flavor enhancer that provides an umami quality (also known as
the fifth taste beyond sweet, sour, salty and bitter) to dishes, giving them a
heartier, richer kick.
Is MSG dangerous?
Over
the years, MSG has gotten a bad rap, with many claiming it causes symptoms
ranging from headaches to nausea after consumption. The backlash it received in
the late 1980s and early 1990s has been hard to shake — several authors have
attributed this in part to racist, anti-Asian sentiment — and many people continue avoid MSG today in the same way that
people assume all preservatives are bad.
But,
according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), MSG is "generally recognized as safe," and there are
no reputable scientific studies that have been able to conclusively prove that
MSG caused those reported symptoms. A spokesperson for the FDA told TODAY Food
via email that "MSG is not a true allergen in that there has been no
evidence that substances in MSG cause immune mediated food allergic reactions."
Think
of MSG like peanuts: It will be dangerous if you are allergic or have a natural
intolerance to it. And, just like any other type salt, MSG shouldn't be
consumed in massive quantities.
Nutrition
and wellness expert Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, told TODAY that it can be
difficult to pinpoint the origin of some food sensitivities, and that's
especially true when you're eating a dish that has a lot of ingredients.
"I think that people can legitimately feel bad after eating a meal that is
very high in sodium, whether that sodium comes from salt or MSG,"
Largeman-Roth said. "That doesn’t mean that MSG is harmful. Also, they may
have a sensitivity to gluten or another food additive that could be in their
meal."
Though
MSG occurs naturally, to make the flavoring agent, it was first extracted and
crystallized from seaweed broth. Today, it's created during a fermentation
process similar to making yogurt or soy bean paste.
MSG
is just one of many FDA-approved food additives, like monocalcium phosphate,
sodium bicarbonate and sodium acid pyrophospate, which are used for different
purposes, such as leavening. Many of these are also found in fast-food items,
too.
But
MSG shouldn't just be considered as a cheap way to enhance flavor.
Award-winning chefs like David Chang of Momofuku use MSG in their dishes. The enhancer is also
available online and at grocery stores. It's also found in foods meant to
further enhance the flavor of any dish, like McCormick's Culinary Flavor
Enhancer.
© Amazon Accent flavor enhancer
In
the same way that Chipotle tried to appeal to more health-conscious eaters by
promoting its all-natural food (though few nutritionists would ever consider
a 1,000-calorie burrito to be a health food), many
restaurants today still proudly advertise that their food is free of MSG — even
if menu items are still filled with lots of other additives.
Chick-fil-A-Style Chicken Sandwich by Alejandra Ramos and
Cindy Shopper
When
reached via email about whether its breaded chicken contains any MSG, a Burger
King spokesperson told TODAY, "Burger King has made substantial changes to
its menu to embrace and promote 100% real food — fresh produce, beef and
vegetables — and this will increasingly become part of our core marketing for
our guests. Part of this important commitment is fully removing MSG from our
menu and we’re proud to say that our plan is to have this complete by the end
of this year."
Burger
King does use MSG in the current recipe for its Chicken Fries.
As
for the beloved chicken-first chain?
A
spokesperson for Chick-fil-A Inc. told TODAY that the company is aware that
some customers may be sensitive to MSG and while their classic chicken
sandwich, spicy chicken sandwich and chicken nuggets all contain MSG, the chain is
"researching the removal of MSG from these menu items." The
spokesperson did not provide a timeline for this potential transition but noted
that many items on the menu, including the chain's grilled items, do not contain
any MSG.
If
Chick-fil-A does end up removing MSG from its menu altogether,
there may actually be an unintended consequence. Along with its ability to make
food taste more potent, MSG is also considered as a tool to help lower the
total sodium count of processed foods or recipes. Said Largeman-Roth, "You
can lower the sodium in a dish by [up to] 25% using MSG because it boosts
flavor so well."