In McDonalds push to make a fried-chicken sandwich that better competes with Chick-fil-A, it picked up something extra in the recipe: MSG, the flavor enhancer that has both fans and foes. The worlds biggest restaurant chain is currently testing chicken sandwiches with monosodium glutamate, an ingredient that adds a savory taste but has also drawn health concerns from consumers. The additive is popping up beyond the new sandwich undergoing trials in Knoxville, Tennessee, and Houston, as well as appearing at other locations in tests of sausage, soup bases and different crispy-chicken fillets. Chicken is a big deal in fast food. Americans eat more of it each year than any other meat, and consumption is growing. McDonalds for years has also tried to make a fried-chicken sandwich to rival Chick-fil-A, the Atlanta chain with a cult following. Chick-fil-A also uses MSG in its classic chicken sandwich among other menu items, as does Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, which last summer introduced a sandwich that sold out amid a social media frenzy.
We are always listening to our customers regarding our menu offerings, a spokeswoman for McDonalds said in response to questions about its addition of MSG. Feedback and insights from the test will inform its future decisions, she said. A representative for Chick-fil-A declined to comment while representatives at Popeyes didnt respond to a request for comment.
Meanwhile asian restaurants have to openly advertise that they don't use MSG so they aren't ran out of town. ---
The whole MSG negativity movement is mostly unfounded anyway. A specific few people have problems digesting it, but it's like the whole "phenylalanine" situation. Normal, healthy people freak out because it has a chemically-sounding name despite it being safe to consume.
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I write Naruto Fanfiction. But I am definitely not a furry.