Tuesday, January 14, 2020

MSG Added to Popular Chicken Sandwiches

The fast food chains are battling it out on the chicken sandwich front, and with news that McDonald is testing a new chicken sandwich, it was revealed that the top chicken sandwiches (Chick-fil-a and Popeyes) are using MSG - monosodium glutamate - as a flavor enhancer. Over the past years, MSG has garnered a bad reputation for causing headaches in people who are sensitive. It is also said to trigger migraines, those intense throbbing headaches that can last a day or so.

Many companies have removed MSG from their product labels years ago (although replaced by natural substitutes actually containing MSG), so it is surprising to find MSG in these popular chicken sandwiches.

MSG is naturally present in many foods and as an ingredient, it adds savory flavor or 'umami'. "Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of the common amino acid glutamic acid. Glutamic acid is naturally present in our bodies, and in many foods and food additives"

FDA considers the addition of MSG to foods to be “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS). Although many people identify themselves as sensitive to MSG, in studies with such individuals given MSG or a placebo, scientists have not been able to consistently trigger reactions."

"FDA requires that foods containing added MSG list it in the ingredient panel on the packaging as monosodium glutamate. However, MSG occurs naturally in ingredients such as hydrolyzed vegetable protein, autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed yeast, yeast extract, soy extracts, and protein isolate, as well as in tomatoes and cheeses. While FDA requires that these products be listed on the ingredient panel, the agency does not require the label to also specify that they naturally contain MSG. However, foods with any ingredient that naturally contains MSG cannot claim “No MSG” or “No added MSG” on their packaging. MSG also cannot be listed as “spices and flavoring.”

Meatingplace
https://www.meatingplace.com/Industry/News/Details/89734
Industry News - PM
Chicken sandwich wars may heat up as McDonald’s tests MSG
By Chris Scott on 1/14/2020

The ongoing tests of fried-chicken sandwiches by McDonald’s Corp. reportedly are being conducted with a flavor enhancer the fast-food giant does not use in its other food items: monosodium glutamate, more commonly known as MSG.
McDonald’s began testing two new crispy chicken sandwiches at restaurants in the Knoxville, Tenn., and Houston areas in December with the goal of better competing with popular fried-chicken sandwiches from Chick-fil-A and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. Those items quickly sold out last summer and fall in the heat of a social media-fueled tempest and prompted McDonald’s franchisees to compel the Chicago-based company to quickly develop a competing product.

The current tests offer sandwiches that use MSG, a sometimes controversial food additive that can cause adverse reactions in some consumers. Both Chick-fil-A and Popeyes use MSG in their chicken sandwiches, according to several media reports in 2019. Regulators have deemed MSG “generally recognized as safe,” but require the additive to be listed on the label when used in food.

In response to whether McDonald’s is following the same path as its competitors regarding MSG, a spokesperson said “We are always listening to our customers regarding our menu offerings,” adding that feedback and insights from the tests will impact future recipe decisions. The McDonald’s test is scheduled to end Jan. 26.


https://www.chick-fil-a.com/menu-items/chick-fil-a-chicken-sandwich
Chick-fil-A® Chicken Sandwich

A boneless breast of chicken seasoned to perfection, hand-breaded, pressure cooked in 100% refined peanut oil and served on a toasted, buttered bun with dill pickle chips. Gluten-free bun or multigrain bun also available at an additional cost.
Ingredients
Chicken (boneless, skinless chicken breast with rib meat, salt, monosodium glutamate, sugar, spices, paprika, enriched bleached flour [with malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], sugar, salt, monosodium glutamate, nonfat milk, leavening [baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate], spice, soybean oil, color [paprika], pasteurized nonfat milk, pasteurized egg, fully refined peanut oil [with dimethylpolysiloxane {an anti-foam agent} added]), bun (flour [wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], water, sugar, yeast, wheat gluten, contains 2% or less of each of the following: soybean oil, salt, cultured wheat flour, vinegar, calcium sulfate, ascorbic acid, enzymes, wheat starch, monoglycerides, monocalcium phosphate, DATEM, soy lecithin, potassium iodate), pickle (cucumbers, water, vinegar, salt, calcium chloride, alum, potassium sorbate [preservative], natural flavors [dill emulsion], polysorbate 80, yellow 5, blue 1).

Popeyes
https://www.popeyes.com/nutritional-information
Nutritional Information
BONAFIDE MILD CHICKEN
BONAFIDE MILD CHICKEN PORTION SIZE PEANUTS TREENUTS EGG MILK WHEAT SOYBEAN FISH SHELLFISH MSG
WING 1 –No –No •Yes •Yes •Yes –No –No –No •Yes
LEG 1 –No –No •Yes •Yes •Yes –No –No –No •Yes
THIGH 1 –No –No •Yes •Yes •Yes –No –No –No •Yes
BREAST 1 –No –No •Yes •Yes •Yes –No –No –No •Yes

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