Is MSG ruining Chinese cuisine?

For MSG, it is impossible to say that it will ruin Chinese food at present.However, at present, the use of monosodium glutamate in China will bring "quite big" adverse consequences.

First, now the amount of MSG in Chinese food is really strong. Now many chefs (at least more than 50%), are in the life of fresh, umami multiplication, high fresh monosodium glutamate, compound extract and so on, the amino acid content of soy sauce is also rising. Many stores under the amount of monosodium glutamate, chicken essence, chicken powder, if you see, will feel a little scary, a large dish to add a small spoon into the (about 20g, you can go home to take a scale to compare, 20g is a portion, the amount is so much that you doubt life.) A friend said that MSG is a seasoning, abuse of salt sweet and sour sauce will also have adverse consequences. Yes, but you won't even eat a few bites of a dish with too much salty sweet and sour sauce. But MSG add more, you will not feel how will feel delicious delicious, and then at most back to feel thirsty, and then say that today is a bit salty.

Second, the low cost of monosodium glutamate excessive use, monosodium glutamate excessive use, so that most dishes only show a strong "fresh" face. Too single orientation. The level is not rich, under MSG. The dish is not very fresh, please order MSG. The heat is not ready, under the monosodium glutamate production heavy taste, under the monosodium glutamate. This simplification of flavor orientation is very bad, just as the pepper overcomes the basic taste of food, too much umami can also. For example, the clean water taste of loofah, the nascent new taste of bean seedlings, the sweet mustard taste of green vegetables, under a large number of fresh substances are a faceless soup vegetables. Including a lot of spicy side dishes, no seasoning surprises. On table taste, also have monarch and subject assist make, have contrast just meeting better eat. When the base tastes become salty, sour, spicy and sweet, the strong umami flavor makes the contrast between dishes less obvious. Some of those delicate, delicious flavors are becoming less and less noticeable (though not entirely because of MSG). In fact, many caterers are aware of this, and some big companies are seriously looking for better seasonings that can better reflect the flavor of the ingredients. There has been some progress, just not much at the moment.

Third, because the cooking people are much more and more ruthless, so that many people have become higher requirements for umami. In this environment, even the stock made by a very good chef can not satisfy the people's pursuit of umami taste. There two true stories.

1. Many years ago, there was a restaurant in Guangzhou (which one I will fill in the future) that had a very delicious and fragringly spicy Lo Mei and a long queue of business. Guangzhou food circle of people to eat repeatedly, but the whole food industry to study, do is not as sweet as he. The whole Guangzhou food scene, mind you. Then the mystery was solved. Ethyl maltol (a legal additive, mainly for aroma) is added. Then many years later today, ethyl maltol has become the most keeping standard, including high-grade quietly elegant of chaozhou brine. You can look at the ingredients list sometime. It's hard to sell without deodorant. Call it inflation. The same goes for MSG.

2. There is a noodle shop in Suzhou. The soup is hung every day, using chicken, duck, meat, bone, and ham. Since the noodle shop opens at 5 a.m., people have to go to the soup restaurant every night. It's hard work. It's hard work. I learn to cook when this shop just opened, a few chef teachers (serious old restaurant company origin) have gone to identify, feel really old base old craft, the owner really adhere to, very admire. But take this soup and other stores of soup back to the blind test for us to eat. Everyone chose the control group, all the students, every one of them. Because it's not fresh enough. The teacher sighed, "You are all used to eating fresh food." Chinese four skills, fire, knife, rise, soup. That's what soup is all about. If you want to say that skill is inferior to people, do not have MSG fresh, it is indeed inferior to people. But pity is pity. I think it's going to go down. With the development of cold chain logistics, there are fewer people willing to study and develop dry growth skills. I think it's good to keep what we have.