Five Summer Dishes to Be Careful with MSG to Avoid Poisoning
Core Tip: Which dishes are best not to put MSG in: cold dishes, dishes with vinegar, seasoned fillings, stir-fried meat dishes, and sweet dishes.
The hundred flavors of delicacies on the dining table are always mouth-watering. How can these delicious dishes be without MSG? However, if used improperly, these delicacies can become your "silent killer," causing food poisoning. Which specific dishes are not suitable for adding MSG?
One. MSG should not be added to cold dishes
Because MSG can only fully exert its umami-enhancing effect at a temperature of 80°C—100°C. The temperature of cold dishes is too low for MSG to work, and it may even directly adhere to the raw ingredients, resulting in a tasteless and disappointing experience. If you must add MSG to a cold dish, it is best to dissolve a small amount of MSG in hot water before mixing it into the dish.
Two. Dishes with vinegar cannot have MSG
Dishes with a pronounced sour taste and a lot of vinegar added cannot have MSG. This is because MSG does not dissolve easily in an acidic environment; the more acidic it is, the lower the solubility and the worse the umami effect. Therefore, strongly sour dishes like Sweet and Sour Pork and Vinegar-Cabbage Stir-fry should not have MSG.
Three. Seasoned fillings should not have MSG
Many people add MSG when making dumpling or spring roll fillings, which is very unsafe. After being mixed into the filling, MSG will go through high-temperature processes such as steaming, boiling, and frying. However, once the temperature exceeds 100°C, MSG will denature. It will not only lose its umami but also form toxic sodium pyroglutamate, which is harmful to human health. Besides not being mixed into fillings, when making hot dishes, MSG should only be added just before the dish is taken off the heat.
Four. Stir-fried meat dishes do not need MSG
Meat naturally contains glutamate. When it meets salt in a dish and is heated, it naturally forms the main component of MSG—sodium glutamate. Besides meat, other umami-rich foods also do not need MSG, such as eggs, mushrooms, water bamboo, and seafood.
Five. Use MSG for salty, not sweet dishes
Only under the appropriate sodium ion concentration can the umami of MSG be more prominent. Therefore, MSG's umami can best express itself in salty dishes. However, if you put MSG in a sweet dish, it will not only fail to enhance the flavor but will also suppress the natural sweet and fresh taste and produce a strange aftertaste. Therefore, dishes like Chicken and Corn Soup and Sweet Taro Puree cannot have MSG.