Do Fast Food Chain Restaurants Use MSG In Their Food?

MSG, short for monosodium glutamate, is Japanese in origin and used in many dishes around the world. Despite the rather clinical sound of its name, MSG is nothing new — nor is it unnatural. Instead, it's naturally occurring in foods like Parmesan cheese and tomatoes. (You can even upgrade lackluster tomatoes with a sprinkle of the stuff). Crafted through a process of fermentation, MSG has been used to add flavor to cooked foods for over a hundred years, and is currently found in many fast foods. Often added to dishes to enhance flavor, MSG lends mouthwatering umami that gives many recipes a certain je ne sais quoi.

Unsurprisingly, more than a few popular fast food chains season their dishes with the powder. It can be part of the reason that, try as we might to make dupes for restaurant dishes at home, some things are just more delicious ordered out. MSG is certainly one of the reasons many of the menu items at McDonald's, Chick-fil-A, Zaxby's, and Popeyes are so widely beloved; All four chains rely on it for their chicken sandwiches, nuggets, and the like. Taco Bell has also been known to utilize the ingredient in some items, and MSG is also commonly found in many favorite foods on grocery store shelves. Despite any lingering outdated beliefs to the contrary, there's no science suggesting there's anything dangerous about the delicious ingredient, so dig in.

A three-letter abbreviation you've surely heard of, MSG almost always comes with baggage. If your association with the ingredient is a negative one, you're far from alone. Due to public concern over the years, many Asian restaurants have been forced to display "No MSG" signage, just to stay in business. But instead of being rooted in scientific study, the distrust around the ingredient had grown out of xenophobic messaging.

The longstanding myth about Chinese food, in particular, began in the 1960s when The New England Journal of Medicine published a letter reportedly written by Chinese American researcher Dr. Robert Ho Man Kwok who wondered if MSG caused his headaches and other ailments. The question quickly turned into national hysteria. Though only deeply flawed studies were performed to back up any claims, that didn't stop the public fear of MSG. It wasn't until decades later in the 80s that actual science debunked the myth. But, ironically, many have been left with a bad taste in their mouth for this delicious ingredient.

As more folks come to appreciate MSG as the plant-based, umami-bomb ingredient that it is, change is still slow. MSG is still most commonly found in places like fast food menus. (It may even be the reason you can't get enough of your favorite fast food fries). But you could argue it deserves a spot among the cinnamon, garlic powder, and turmeric seasonings in your spice cabinet. If you've ever viewed MSG with suspicion, this is truly an instance of "the more you know" — and, in this case, the more flavorful your food will be.