(This blog is
dedicated to our very own Haseena Punjani due to her experience at the local
Chinese restaurant near our beloved Refugio)
Chinese
cuisine is one of the most complex and delicious cuisines in the world, varying
greatly in taste based on region (Yes I am highly biased being raised on it).
In the United States ,
Chinese cuisine has adapted to the taste of Westerners to create the American
Chinese cuisine style that dominates Chinese takeout today. Chinese food is loved throughout America
because of its diversity, its reasonable price, and its taste. Some of the most
popular American Chinese dishes include sweet and sour chicken and chow mein,
with my personal favorite being kung pao chicken. However, despite all the deliciousness
involved with American Chinese cuisine, just how detrimental to your health is
a beloved takeout of orange chicken?
A recent
trip to the local Chinese restaurant near the Refugio yielded interesting
results. This particular restaurant shares many similarities with American
Chinese cuisine, sporting a menu that sells American favorites like kung pao
chicken to locals and tourists. That day, after Kenny, Haseena, and I finished
lab, Haseena had a craving for Chinese so we stopped to pick up some food.
After her meal, Haseena said that she felt chest pains, which turned out to be a
common symptom of Chinese Restaurant Syndrome.
Chinese
Restaurant Syndrome is a collection of symptoms that people can experience
after eating Chinese food. The symptoms includes chest pains, flushing,
headaches, numbness, and swelling of the face. Although it is not conclusive,
Chinese Restaurant Syndrome is believed to be caused by monosodium glutamate
(MSG), a common food additive. Due to a lack of evidence, MSG is labeled by FDA
as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) although many food products are clearly
labeled as MSG free.
 |
| Glutamic Acid |
 |
| MSG |
Glutamates
are flavor enhancing compounds that give food a savory taste. MSG is the sodium
salt of glutamic acid produced through one of three methods. Currently, the
most popular method of production is through bacterial fermentation. Bacterial
fermentation involves the aerobic growth of bacteria in a liquid nutrient
medium. The nutrient medium contains ammonium ions or urea for nitrogen,
dextrose or citrate for carbon, as well as mineral ions and growth factors. The
unique strand of bacteria selected are able to excrete glutamic acid into the medium.
Glutamic acid is then separated from the fermentation by filtration,
concentration, acidification and crystallization. Once it is separated,
glutamic acid can easily be converted to MSG.
While Chinese takeout is delicious, be careful of the MSG that is commonly found in the food. Some people, like Haseena, may be particularly
sensitive to food additives, which is currently the established cause of
symptoms of Chinese Restaurant Syndrome.
Works Consulted
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