MSG is a common seasoning used in cooking, but excessive consumption of MSG can be harmful, especially in the following situations. Adding MSG to these five types of dishes can easily lead to poisoning.
Dishes with vinegar should not have MSG added.
For dishes with a strong sour flavor and a lot of added vinegar, MSG should not be included. This is because MSG does not dissolve easily in an acidic environment; the higher the acidity, the lower the solubility, and the worse the umami effect. Therefore, strongly acidic dishes like Sweet and Sour Pork and Vinegar-Cabbage Stir-fry should not have MSG added.
MSG is not suitable for cold salads.
MSG's ability to enhance flavor is only fully realized at temperatures between 80°C and 100°C. Since cold dishes are served at lower temperatures, MSG is difficult to activate and may even adhere directly to the ingredients, resulting in a tasteless and disappointing experience. If you must add MSG to a cold salad, it is best to dissolve a small amount in hot water before mixing it in.
Use MSG with salty, not sweet, dishes.
MSG's umami flavor is more prominent at an appropriate sodium ion concentration. Therefore, MSG's savory taste is best expressed in salty dishes. However, adding MSG to a sweet dish will not enhance the flavor; instead, it will suppress the dish's natural sweet and savory taste and create an off-flavor. Therefore, dishes like Chicken and Corn Soup and Sweet Taro Paste should not have MSG added.
MSG should not be added to fillings.
Many people add MSG when preparing fillings for dumplings or spring rolls, which is very unsafe. When mixed into the filling, MSG undergoes high-temperature processes such as steaming, boiling, or frying. However, once the temperature exceeds 100°C, MSG undergoes chemical changes. It not only loses its umami taste but also forms toxic pyroglutamic acid sodium, which is harmful to human health. Besides fillings, when making hot dishes, MSG should only be added just before the dish is taken off the heat.
There is no need to add MSG when cooking meat dishes.
Meat naturally contains glutamic acid, which, when heated with salt in a dish, naturally forms the main component of MSG—sodium glutamate. Besides meat, other umami-rich foods also do not need MSG added, such as eggs, mushrooms, water bamboo, and seafood.