Can you make a TASTIER burger than a CHEF using MSG? | Beat the Chef | Sorted Food

[@A_anne]

Wow! This was really interesting. I’ve always wondered about exactly what MSG was. Really informative gyys👌🏼

[@dra6o0n]

They sprinkled some MSG in the patty, meanwhile a Chinese restaurant scoops heaps of it into a wok onto the dish.

[@jbanks9491]

A simple google search would have stopped you wondering

[@mnb9162]

Heston uses a lot of isolated compounds in his cooking. Its just MSG has a bad reputation because its widely available and used by a lot of takeaways. Its just science. Not a lot of evidence against it at this stage but natural is always seen as healthier.

[@Ex0rz]

@@mnb9162 Well im personally allergic to MSG and my tongue burns when i eat too much of it. Same thing with artificial sweeteners... They might contain no calories, but they still arent healthy.

[@mnb9162]

@@Ex0rz I agree I don't like the idea of isolating then re-adding elements. Its bound to eventually be proven to have side effects, especially if people eat these things often or in high quantities.

[@elizabethheyn5365]

“If I stuff you, will you plunge me?” Oh, Mike. How romantic.

[@ElijsDima]

That should be the intro jingle to this year's season.

[@SortedFood]

🤦

[@PhilBoswell]

@@ElijsDima but have Janice say it ;-)

[@organicgrains]

hahaha, isn't he though.

[@stephb5281]

lt sounds so wrong, naughty boy ;)

[@stewkulele]

This video is on point. Everything from Mike's educational opening, to Mike's "if I stuff you will you plunge me", and Mike's MSG bae moment, ending with Mike holding hands with James. Basically Mike.

[@melsyoutube]

the King!

[@Tomroberts101]

En pointe*

[@stewkulele]

tomroberts101 It’s not ballet

[@MaZEEZaM]

Does anyone actually understand the above comment? I certainly don’t.

[@nxdboi]

It's cheating if you consider salt, pepper, herbs, and/or spices cheating. It's a seasoning.

[@michaelmano7261]

its just a more scientific way of extracting the herb :3

[@maxpaul7102]

If you know how to use it, itwill enhance those flavors.

[@scuderiazane4723]

Thanks. Table salt=2 sodium molecules. MSG=1 sodium molecule. Also a lot of foods (like the tomatoes) have naturally occurring MSG. Fun video but ruined my the bad science.

[@inncogneato6341]

Michael Mano MSG is the sodium salt of the amino acid glutamate, not a herb.

[@themuch21]

@@scuderiazane4723 What are you talking about? Tablesalt has 1 sodiumion per molecule and so does msg. And why would that matter? Additionally, they did say that it is natural occuring. The infograph was a bit simple, but it is supposed to be to be widely understood. So where is the bad science?

[@oskarelysee9076]

I don't know why I wouldn't use MSG, I feel like it's more of a seasoning, like salt, pepper, citrus and sugar. It doesn't necessarily add flavour, it just enhances. So knowing when and where to use it, I think, is the most critical part.

[@ppkannanprem007]

I tried adding MSG into one of the Indian Chutney! It Tasted Bad!!! MSG is not an Enhancer by any means. It is just another Flavour! So be mindful as to where you are adding it! One Place U must add is... Fried Rice!

[@RomitHeerani]

I agree that it's like any other spice if it hadn't gotten the negative press it could've become more like salt or sugar in how we use it and would require a bit of a cheffy knowledge.

[@yourdadsotherfamily3530]

Justtttt don’t carry bags of msg crystals unlabeled Incase local law enforcement thinks it’s something else 😂 Some breaking bad shit when you see it on the shelf at Asian supermarket looks like something else 😂

[@KrazeeHouse]

Except pepper isn't a seasoning, that's purely a flavour, and neither is citrus (but acid is, like citrus juice, vinegar, etc)

[@KrazeeHouse]

@@ppkannanprem007 well if you add a bunch of acid to a curry, it doesn't necessarily mean it would taste good, same with msg. You have to have balance your seasonings with your food

[@anhihar]

wait, James didn’t use homemade mayo?! im shooketh

[@avengersteve]

they had to use the same ingredients

[@aftonblau2615]

they both used what i call fry sauce... i thought it was a mormon thing

[@emilygilbert01]

Afton Blau I thought it was just more of a Utah thing, not necessarily a LDS/Mormon thing. The sauce they made is similar to What In-N-Out uses on their burgers though.

[@beachgirl445]

@@aftonblau2615 lol fry sauce is an everyone thing... everyone loves it.

[@TheAmishGamer]

Afton Blau It's called burger sauce in the UK!

[@suivatra123]

MSG is not cheating it's a naturally occurring flavor enhancer, I'd say no different from salt or pepper other than the negative stigma

[@fusionxtras]

Agreed, i even make it at home if im feeling bored

[@dubba07]

With quite a bit less sodium. Too bad it has such a negative reputation.

[@xFlRSTx]

@@dubba07 its also less salty than salt tho lol

[@awung11]

The problem is that you have to report the amount of sodium in food but you don't have to report the amount of MSG. Some places put way more MSG in their food than naturally occurring. You shouldn't add any more MSG than you would salt or pepper.

[@Ben-fd6ni]

Yes.. It can make food more tastier with less sodium than regular salt.

[@lacrosseman02]

Instead of a competition, you should have done a blind tasting between two identical burgers, one with, one without MSG.

[@csjMH]

They did! At the end the same burger that had msg came out without msg aswell

[@lacrosseman02]

That's in no way a blind taste test. They blatantly said "THIS BURGER DOESN'T HAVE MSG, BUT THE FIRST ONE DID" before Ben even took a bite.

[@spman2099]

That... would have made more sense.

[@Spllyn]

@@spman2099 logic has no place here in the KZbin comments, move along. Lol

[@quentinnguyen9120]

That wasn't the point of the experiment at first. The point was to see if their goal as a channel, to explore the food world--as both chefs and "normals"--would change because of the recent introduction of MSG into their sphere. There is a nod to the effects of MSG as the introduction states, "Can you improve the flavor of your food by just adding MSG seasoning," but the more important side is a transition into the battle; the point is , and I quote, "can science help two normals outchef a chef," point being that through many different videos, they compare the efforts of Mike, Barry, and Jamie to that of Ben and James, not only through knowledge, but down to technique. Basically, does MSG out perform or negate the knowledge and techniques that a chef could employ as compared to a normal, as hinted by Jamie's statement: "I'm really glad that you preferred James' burger over ours..."

[@SuperKathixD]

"I feel like it's so beefy, it almost tastes like I'm eating it in a farmyard" is probably the most Ben thing Ben ever said.

[@hopecox]

Yet I understood exactly what he meant!

[@Bloodydice45]

I know these guys are trying to give MSG a fair shake and be open minded to educated themselves on where MSG really comes from, but I still sense they have subconscious stigma in there towards it.

[@flyingllama8543]

The way I see it, msg is basically like sugar. Add sugar to make things that are naturally sweet more sweet. Add msg to make things naturally umami more umami. Powdered sugar isn't found in the wild.

[@theanita1]

"120% of sauce - surely that will win" 😂

[@anonymous_99]

The fact about MSG Too much MSG = Taste really weird Too little MSG = Better not put at all Just right MSG = REALLY DELICIOUS FOOD

[@Foodgeek]

It's a little like salt: * Put too little on and food tastes like nothing * Put too much on an food is in-eatable * Put the right amount on the FOOD IS REALLY DELICIOUS

[@catnium]

not really... cooking isn't an exact science unless your baking pie's

[@leonc4653]

@@Foodgeek its a little like sugar: too much: taste like a sugar high too little: taste like nothing just right: well its sweet lolz

[@tadtranclere3729]

*too

[@Adiarby13]

UnLike cheese: Too little: wtf is this?? Too much: .....is there even such a thing Right amount: extra cheese please

[@Martynqa1992]

"It's a dopamine thing... Is that why we've never been addicted to Ben's food?" "Could be." Sick burn right there, folks.

[@C_Bat]

Tongue: Fatty Brain: Rude Story of my life.

[@antoniusweezel876]

Completely ruined the experiment by telling the participants it contained MSG.

[@Chronon88]

It was not an experiment really. It was a competition with a handicap for the normies.

[@michaelkenyon3372]

yeah most people think msg is nasty woo woo powder. its not.

[@lilchristuten7568]

@@Chronon88 It was an test to see if a normal person can make a burger as good or better than a chef using msg.

[@BiggsWaGwan]

@@lilchristuten7568 .

[@BiggsWaGwan]

@@michaelkenyon3372 .

[@angekfire]

I don't think MSG is cheating. It's really common to add foods naturally rich in MSG to dishes to boost the umami of a dish. How is that any different than adding the concentrate of it? Personally, I wouldn't use it at home, but that is because I would rather add other things that add umami AND flavour to dish, like miso, or anchovies, or soy sauce. But I am sure there are applications where you want to simply add that depth without the additional flavour, and then it would be useful. I just think it's easy enough to find another savory element that's flavour will compliment the rest of the dish, that I wouldn't need the isolate.

[@rebo9607]

I also don't see how adding MSG to food because it makes it taste better is cheating, anymore than adding salt to food because it makes it taste better is cheating.

[@tiacho2893]

Ketchup contains naturally occurring glutamates. I have not seen the popularity of it decline. Likewise, the increasing popularity of Thai food is odd as Thai fish sauce (anchovy) is a basic and essential seasoning. Bottled Caesar dressing should be the worst as it contains Parmesan cheese and more often than not anchovy paste.

[@TheCinderfang]

It is like adding an spice to boost flavour in the end.

[@hopecox]

Yes!

[@alexandresobreiramartins9461]

Yes, precisely! That's what I do too.

[@milkaw7848]

Is that why we've never been addicted to Ben's food? ~Mike, 2019

[@craigterris1802]

The thing is, MSG occurs naturally when salt reacts with proteins at high temperature, so beef burgers seasoned and cooked like this are already going to be loaded with MSG. What I reckon you want to use MSG seasoning for is something that doesn't already have that umami flavour, like a salad or something. Like, you wouldn't take say, bacon, and add a load of salt to it, and expect it to make the bacon taste better. Normal cooking rules still apply, its all about balancing the flavours.

[@skilletborne]

MSG only tastes good in places where it naturally occurs though. Just because something exists in trace amounts doesn't mean it can't be made better with more. Pork and fish are naturally salty, yet we cure it in yet more salt because it tastes better. Your example of bacon is so silly because it literally proves you wrong. Pork is salty, we add more salt and get bacon and it's wonderful. Fruits are sweet, yet we cook them with sugar to make jams, cakes, sodas etc. because it tastes better. MSG is used in the same way. Meat, dairy and many vegetables are already savory, yet we add MSG because it tastes even better.

[@emilyconwell7718]

i don't think this was a fair judging. if the goal was to figure out if MSG makes food better, Ben shouldn't have known who made which burger. and if Mike and Jamie were going to present two burgers, one with MSG and one with out, James and Ben also shouldn't have known which burger did and didn't have MSG. Their unconscious biases effected their decision. If adding MSG makes the food taste "off" like James said then that's fine, but it should be proven that it tasted "off" without them knowing which one actually had the MSG so that they weren't predisposed to think about the food one way or the other.

[@marinho927]

I don’t think Ben knew which burger was made by who, they revealed it after he said which one he preferred. But I agree that it could have been more interesting if they had compared the similar burgers.

[@AlanHope2013]

@@marinho927 To be fair to the guys, it's a daft video on KZbin, not a journal article or a grant application. I thought their explanation was adequate for the forum.

[@ThePatrickis]

you're wrong

[@brettlocke7054]

He went in blind bruv. Only the teams knew their burger.

[@lilchristuten7568]

The judge didn't know who made what burger but he did know one of them used msg. The fact that the judge didn't mention any off taste makes it clear that there was a bias.

[@quangchienlam2663]

Msg is not bad. Too much MSG make your tongue numb but too much anything is bad anyway.

[@evergreentree8042]

Some people (like myself) can't tolerate even the smallest amount of it. I'm really glad they made this video. My sister is so sensitive to it that she can hallucinate.

[@briankeogh335]

The placebo affect is an incredible thing

[@LordDragox412]

@@evergreentree8042 I... think you mean LSD, not MSG... >:P

[@ConstantChaos1]

@@evergreentree8042 that's a placebo

[@ConstantChaos1]

The concept of getting sick from msg was designed by racists to prevent cultural diversity

[@j-trainchannel4626]

MSG is not cheating, because salt is not cheating. Salt is pure "salty," while MSG is pure "umami." It is a useful seasoning and should be treated as such.

[@yuzan3607]

But salt occur in nature while MSG is manufactured.

[@TwistyMcFisty]

@Yuzan, both are naturally occurring. MSG is just more complicated to extract.

[@DiMacky24]

Tomatoes are loaded with MSG.

[@Ara66it]

@@yuzan3607 lol wtf. literally first 10 seconds in the video they explain this.

[@frequencydecline5250]

@@elg94 No, salt as we always used it does not exist in nature. The manufacture of salt is just as "chemical" as the manufacturing of msg. ...Frankly I don't even understand by what you mean by "chemical process." MSG is currently mostly produced through a fermentation process, so I guess all wines and beers are now "chemical." Just a quick glance at wiki shows salts being extracted from boiling spring waters...that is a "chemical process." Hate to break it to you. In 1908 msg was produced through hydrolysis, a chemical reaction in which a molecule of water ruptures one or more chemical bonds. Maybe that sounds a bit scarier, but it is a pretty basic, and at its most basic, "A common kind of hydrolysis occurs when a salt of a weak acid or weak base (or both) is dissolved in water."

[@Arichiiii]

I actually understands more when you guys illustrate the sciency stuff especially when they put tiny enzyme Jamie XD

[@fevre_dream8542]

Jamie enzyme = best enzyme.

[@Foodgeek]

If you think MSG is cheating, then so is salt :)

[@tomekstec981]

No, because salt impacts your tastebuds, while msg affects your neuron connections in your brain xd

[@greenmachine5600]

@@tomekstec981 ...bruh. all tastes affect your neurons

[@jzjzjzj]

@@tomekstec981 stupid all taste affects your brain

[@tomekstec981]

@@greenmachine5600 but not all are excitotoxins that cheat it ;) glad you can learn something today!

[@tomekstec981]

@@jzjzjzj not all are brain damaging excitotoxins though! You seem so verbose with strong argumentation, I'm sure you're a good source of information and not a paid troll of the industry. ;)

[@GlaciusTS]

Not cheating, also this was not a blind experiment. MSG is no different from salt or vinegar or sugar. They occur naturally but we like to add extra because it enhances flavor for certain things. Another chemical that gets a lot of bad flack is Meat Glue. It too is naturally occurring in meat, but we seem to treat it differently because it is used to modify structure/texture rather than taste.

[@xSintex]

He said its cheating, because they were getting to use it while the chef was not. It'd be the same thing to call salt cheating if the chef wasn't allowed to use salt. It would produce a stronger flavor because salt enhances.

[@HidekiShinichi]

meat glue actually have real and proper concern. if you use it and do not tell people you can make them sick. steaks are perfectly fine eaten rare, but thats because most if any pathogens occur on the outside of the meat and when you sear it you make it safe. with meatglue you can make a steak out of scraps and that means you are trapping bacteria inside the meat, its no longer safe to eat rare. not to mention a problem of selling cheap scraps of meat as a good quality meat that was never cut from pieces. on its own meat glue is fine, its how people use it to deceive others that a problem

[@HidekiShinichi]

@@xSintex nope. it would be cheating if both of themwould not beallowed to use msg yet one of them would. if its part of the rules tho its not cheating by definition.

[@krablord]

No one said it was an experiment? It's a taste test

[@hail2tfreeman]

Would have been more valid if he tasted the MSG, and MSG without burgers blind to remove Experimenter Bias

[@dannysplace7]

I don't agree that if MSG made the burger awesome it would be bad, it's just another seasoning like salt. Try make a burger without salt, I don't care who the chef is, there is no way they make a better burger than somebody using salt, but that doesn't make it bad to use salt.

[@8BitAntre]

This is a bad way of looking at things because there is another factor at play. You say you need salt to make a good burger, I say the natural salt in the things you add to a burger is more than enough because I hate the taste of salt and think people overuse it in foods. A person's pallet is important when cooking food, so there is never going to be one end-all-be-all seasoning. If MSG improves the flavor for home cooking, that's great, but if MSG can allow poor practices to produce chef-similar foods, it is bad because it helps encourage a lack of skill. That is what they are talking about when they say it is bad. Chances are though if you get 100 people judging these burgers, the split would probably be pretty even because as I said, a person's pallet is the most important factor for cooking.

[@BanefulAura]

@@8BitAntre Eh I see a point you have. I do think adding salt as you go is important though. THe goal is to add just enough salt.

[@bbydykdyl7779]

@@8BitAntre That's like saying using an oven with temperature controls is cheating because it's harder to cook something over an open fire. Making things more consistent and easier to use isn't a bad thing at all.

[@8BitAntre]

@@bbydykdyl7779 A tool to assist a skill is not the same as an ingredient that masks a lack of skill. Big difference there.

[@jasonbolding3481]

@@8BitAntre seasoning isnt masking skill

[@corthew]

I think this burger will taste better than a chef. I've never actually tasted a chef though so I may be way off on this.

[@proccessingunit2337]

I think it depends how the chef is served. Like if it’s in a burger it might be good, but if it’s just sitting there raw then it’s gonna be too hairy to enjoy

[@ABCodeX]

corthew I would hope you’d rather eat a burger over a human being.

[@corthew]

@@ABCodeX It really depends on the human...and what you mean by, "eat".

[@hanschenklein8124]

I'm only a home cook but my gf says I taste great, so I would recommend giving it a try if you ever get the chance!

[@StabbyJoe135]

I don't know, James does look pretty tasty..

[@ziyziy2]

I heard that the bad name of MSG was for boycotting chinese restaurants. The name for the 'side effects' is also referd to as Chinees Restaurant Syndroom.

[@abbf26-_-13]

youve hit the nail on the head: i think some guy wrote a paper like 'whenever i eat chinese food i get a headache!!!! it must be all that Ethnic MSG in all that Ethnic Food!!!!!' and it kinda stuck around

[@terramerc733]

Yes Americans are always racist :p

[@mukkaar]

While msg was not reason, really bad food safety was. In past enforcement of restaurant standards was not as effective and quite a bit of immigrants could run restaurants same way as in their original country. I mean food safety in China is still quite horrible by western standards.

[@Tinyflower1]

yep it's a xenophobia thing

[@MsLilyPickles]

mukkaar Uhm, have you ever watched Kitchen Nightmares? Fuccccggkking ew. And WOOPS, all American or British.

[@brownguy903]

Yall should explain that MSG is not actually bad, the whole thing started as a racist claim against Asian American restaurants, it's literally just a salt of one of the most common amino acids

[@yunakovc]

They clearly said there is no evidence it is bad.

[@MilwaukeeWoman]

@@yunakovc But they didn't say that it was taught to be bad in the first place because of racist reasons.

[@plorin3015]

J K “yall should explain that MSG is not actually bad”

[@kari7168]

Tanya S Ben’s comment on the slight chance it could be bad muddied the waters a bit.

[@Tridd666]

It was an anti racist claim though Making up stuff about msg sounds better than telling the truth, that Chinese restaurants used to be absolutely disgusting and dangerous to eat at

[@abagOmoney]

The idea of it being bad was literally one guy complaining about Chinese food giving him head aches and he just wrote out a theory with no testing.

[@JR-zi9vj]

Binging with banish niggas be like

[@jasonroberts271]

Mecha_Valcona Actually it was the government that came up with the fake harmful effects because they were concerned over the Asian immigrants mixing their cuisine and culture into America. Which is ironic, because one of the DEFINING features of American culture is that it’s a unique blend of OTHER cultures.

[@yuzan3607]

MSG is a manufactured substance that does not occur isolated in nature. So, it's better to avoid it.

[@swaggafrog4762]

Jace Roberts no?

[@robyndare7723]

@@yuzan3607 so is most of the world, I hate to break it to you but things like bread don't grow on trees either 😕

[@FenDwells]

"Beat the Chef." This looks to me like the beginning of an amazing new series.

[@WZRDr]

Or a brazzer series

[@SennaAugustus]

There are lots of stuff that has quite a high amount of MSG or glutamate, like tomato paste, cheese, milk, yeast extract, beef... Basically anything with the taste is going to have the same chemical.

[@Tiggypeth]

Good quality cheese doesn't have naturally occuring MSG. Neither does milk. Grapes and tomatoes do though

[@wwoods66]

@@Tiggypeth -- Sure they do. "Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of the common amino acid glutamic acid. ... MSG occurs naturally in many foods, such as tomatoes and cheeses. People around the world have eaten glutamate-rich foods throughout history." www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/questions-and-answers-monosodium-glutamate-msg

[@thecaverns4228]

@@Tiggypeth Parmigiano-Reggiano and Roquefort have some of the highest amounts of free glutamic acid. Check yer sources www.seriouseats.com/2019/01/ask-the-food-lab-the-truth-about-msg.html

[@tommybro5313]

Boring.

[@Roof_Pizza]

I don't have time for flat earthers or MSG haters.

[@eyan4329]

My mam is allergic to msg

[@phantom7700]

Michael T bet ur a dumb bitch

[@hijodelsoldeoriente]

Ditto.

[@gutwounds]

I laff'd

[@gustlightfall]

@@michaelt3172 Must be talking about yourself. We in Asia use it a lot, and we are at the top with life expectancy lol.

[@MICQUIAMBAO]

The contrast of their methods of making a burger is extraordinary to witness, James was a bit scientific with it and on the other hand Jaime went full food truck connoisseur with his. Both burgs looks splendid.

[@koroxus]

Hit that notification as soon as it popped!! I dont think Msg is cheating, and I don't really have any personal issues with it. I've seen used in dishes where it seems to makes sense, but I also think it can be an easy thing to overuse, or use frivolously, like in a dish that already has plenty of savory flavor without it.

[@vaibhavguptawho]

Having recently obtained and started adding MSG to our food at home, we're definitely tasting the difference in Umami. I feel like Sorted came in here either: > sitting on the fence, not wanting to offend, or > already having their minds made up, because the question they're asking is "is MSG cheating" but in the Chef vs Chef Chinese food battle, it's not cheating to use the Lee Kum Kee sauces for either umami or saltiness, and it's not cheating to add salt for saltiness. This is not an indictment of Sorted. It is definitely an observation that they're fairly careful with their opinions and are not averse to basing it around the popular opinion.

[@cqdude0158]

It doesn't make any sense to add MSG to meat though. It's already got loads of it. It'd make more of a difference if you use it in foods that are lacking in that department, like bland vegetarian dishes or plain instant noodles and stuff. On a lighter note, there's this lore in my family that my granddad used to add MSG to pandan custard. Ponder that ^^

[@SortedFood]

But if it's a flavour enhancer it might not affect already bland dishes? When we applied it to the burger pattie it genuinely did make it taste different!

[@Tismitch]

@@SortedFood I add just a sprinkle onto steak after cooking. It makes cheaper cuts, ones without much marbling such as rump steak, taste a bit better. It is just an additive like salt but doesn't do as much. Still worth using on some foods though imo

[@cqdude0158]

@@SortedFood That's a good point. You could do further experiments on it. ^^ I've tasted it on its own and I still can't decide if it's an enhancer or a flavor all on its own really.

[@riturajsinghbais]

I can vouch for the instant noodles. Their spice mix have loads of msg in them. I know that coz a couple of years ago Indian govt. banned all instant noodles until they changed the mix with lesser msg content. That was a dark period in India's history.

[@rosequill7925]

I mean meat already has sodium in it but you still salt it

[@phoebeshepherd7573]

Ahhh omg I’m literally obsessed with this show I’ve literally binge watched every video the last couple of weeks off this channel

[@isabellelord-fortin9857]

welcome to my life for the past 4 years. In a bit you will have your favorite cast member and have to decide if you're team James or team Ben. Good luck:)

[@phoebeshepherd7573]

Isabelle Lord-Fortin definitely James

[@phoebeshepherd7573]

Isabelle Lord-Fortin but Ebbers is the funniest and the benuendos make the show x100 funnier lol

[@jmandoeskarate4456]

Plot twist: the chef used MSG also Plot twist 2: The chef didn’t Plot twist three: the burger is a paid actor

[@jvcgskeueegvebe5802]

You suck kid

[@VixeyTeh]

Actually... did they check the ingredients of the mustard, mayo, and tomato ketchup... there very well could have been MSG in those already.

[@GavinPriebe]

If he put salt on the tomato, he used MSG.

[@rossco3603]

It's a flavour enhancer just like salt. It needs to be used with subtlety. As for the silly concerns about it being somehow "cheating" then you can make the same argument about all herbs and spices. Only difference is you'd be laughed out the room. As for concerns about adverse effects if you over use it; overuse dried chilli or cinnamon and you'll know all about adverse reactions.

[@aleciastar1433]

Ross McCullagh I would prefer to add powdered mushrooms or other natural sources, which would add more flavor in addition to umami

[@rossco3603]

@@aleciastar1433 I have no problem with using either. I also use fish sauce in cottage pie for similar effect. The thing with MSG is it's cheap and doesn't turn rancid. It's a brilliant product for poorer people in regions without refrigeration or unreliable electricity.

[@Sean-mq7wt]

@@aleciastar1433 MSG is completely natural. It is made by fermentation of vegetable matter. While you can synthesize it, that method is not currently used. It is effectively as natual a product as any pickle or alchohol is.

[@nodatags8697]

@@aleciastar1433 MSG is NATURAL you dumbass

[@kenjong1465]

as a Filipino cook, all I have to say is YES! even hot water + MSG = soup.

[@Artherus]

Are you referring to "Betchin" ? Is "betchin" pure msg?

[@aeressulit1901]

@@Artherus betsin = vetsin = pure msg

[@ayingchanda]

@@Artherus betchin is derived from a chinese word for msg called "bicheng" here in malaysia we also call it betsing or bitsin. Im amazed the word is spread around asia

[@melsyoutube]

James whispering "leaving the house..." when Ben was listing things that are bad in excess 😭😭😭 me

[@ektevalia]

Sorted, or the only food channel that can go, on the same week, from a vegetarian episode to a full meat burger one... That's exactly why I love you!

[@gulktroktet]

"I thought it was like a chemical" Unlike all those non-chemicals in your food?

[@gcap7711]

K. They literally use burger cheese which is pumped full of chemicals haha

[@mabuaun7499]

@@gcap7711 everything in that burger is a chemical, that's because most things are chemicals

[@HidekiShinichi]

@@mabuaun7499 thats because nearly everything on the eart is a chemical, maybe aside of electromagnetic radiation...

[@jasonbolding3481]

@@mabuaun7499 'most" is technically correct when literally every food is a chemical

[@mabuaun7499]

@@jasonbolding3481 yeah

[@mijemumijemu4466]

I thought you should know that your body makes its own MSG and eating it in food is not going to hurt you. They use MSG in China and other countries like we use salt and pepper it is perfectly natural product.

[@jasonstrickland9245]

My issue is, there are certain places I can eat and I have problems, not headaches but more jaw and throat issues, I never blamed MSG and certainly don't now that I know where it comes from but there are a handful of quick order places, not necessarily fast food, that give my throat issues. Any ideas?

[@abbf26-_-13]

@@jasonstrickland9245 like some other commentators it might be an allergy. allergies can get super specific too: im allergic to red apples but green ones are perfectly fine if you want to see if its an allergy in specific order from one your regular places and get the same dish from a different place. if you get the same reaction: youre allergic. if you dont: the place thats making you react might just be using things your body doesnt like. thats basically what a doctor would tell you to do anyway. best of luck mate

[@jlebrech]

MSG used to be made from a carcinogenic chemical, most isn't anymore but there are stockpiles of it and that's what gives people migraines and headaches.

[@SurafelMulatu92]

@@jlebrech While it was Synthesised from acrylonitrile and i believe formaldehyde at one point, both toxic compounds, the properties of MSG itself do not change by definition regardless of the synthetic route taken. That said if it is not purified correctly trace amounts of the starting materials or some other impurity could potentially have remained but i don't know enough about the details of the synthetic route or the industrial purification process used to comment further on that possibility.

[@Chronon88]

How is it natural if it's chemically extracted? -.-

[@JonWPK]

"If I stuff you, will you plunge me?" - Mike's top pike up line for 2019

[@slothfulcobra]

If there's no severe health complications involved, and it just tastes good, then it's a food additive like any other.

[@CurlyFreys]

While I loved this video, I definitely think James preferring the non-MSG burger version of Mike and Jamie's was personal bias and not necessarily a true reflection of the flavor. I totally understand the hesitance from chefs to say that msg is like this miracle seasoning that makes everything taste better because then all of their skills and practice and training can seem a little pointless if someone who isnt as good of a cook can make something taste just as good just by sprinkling something on the dish.

[@elwynbrooks]

That's ridiculous though, obviously it doesn't nullify their training/expertise any more than salt or rosemary or paprika does. It's the same as any other "unami bomb" like anchovies or miso or soy sauce or fish sauce. And, like, bouillon powder? When it comes down to it ... basically just all MSG. And that's ok.

[@CurlyFreys]

@@elwynbrooks I totally agree but I feel like I rarely see chefs react to it that way. It's just like any other seasoning and yet chefs rebuke it for whatever reason.

[@kaldogorath]

Even if MSG could make food better than a chef's food, if a chef uses MSG their food would then be that much better too. Also yes, there is definitely personal bias here, even if they tried not to - that's the reason blind taste tests are a thing, to remove bias - accidental or intentional.

[@xSintex]

How was it a bias when he didn't know who made which burger (since they revealed who's burger won at the end) ?

[@linited]

Idea: cook foods with and without msg and test the chefs/normals to see if they can identify the msg. This video has just made me crave burgers.

[@marieflorin4451]

NEXT WEEK Salt: is it cheating?

[@Chronon88]

Sugar*

[@xSintex]

He said its cheating, because they were getting to use it while the chef was not. It'd be the same thing to call salt cheating if the chef wasn't allowed to use salt. It would produce a stronger flavor because salt enhances.

[@yhgohrainbow]

"Yes! I'm still a Chef" I hear that and broke down laughing XD

[@sther9608]

is it cheating to put anchovies / fish sauce / soy sauce / seaweed in foods? or using truffle (oil), parmezan, marmite / other yeast based extracts? iirc, those flavourings are high in naturally occuring msg. but i thing using this powder is absolutely unneccessary. especially in meaty, cheesy, fishy or mushroomy dishes.

[@Steelmage99]

That's the thing. It is like people are using MSG wrong. Do you add sugar to an already sweet dish? Do you add salt to an already salty dish? MSG is to be used, where there is little to no umami flavour.

[@juliebragdonarmstrong4191]

Nothing better than a mushroom Swiss burger.

[@Tinyflower1]

with powder I'd only add a pinch, just to enhance it a tiny bit. Like how you can add the tiniest amount of salt into a sweet dish to enhance it (pro tip: if you don't like bitter coffee, adding the tiniest amount, like so tiny you don't taste it, removes the bitterness way more than adding a lot of sugar)

[@sther9608]

@@Tinyflower1 it is not clear to me, sorry: the tiniest amount of what? salt or msg?

[@Tinyflower1]

@@sther9608 salt, even trace amounts you cant taste can significantly reduce bitterness

[@CaptainCupcakez115]

Loved the infographic at the beginning with the texts about flavours to the brain and when it says “fatty” the reply is “rude” rather than “thanks”😂

[@raagasingireddy7300]

Love this video! Pass it on with a special international cuisine theme or a scientific theme would be awesome!

[@MissRora]

A molecular gastronomy theme would be nearly guaranteed to end in complete chaos. =D

[@fevre_dream8542]

@@MissRora absolutely!

[@MeganSin]

I grew up eating stuff with msg. It was always in the spice cabinet. My Thai mother would add it to Thai dishes for a more authentic flavor. I never noticed if it helped because the food was also good.

[@raideurng2508]

I consider this more of a Chef vs. Chef battle because come on, it's Jamie cooking burgers. That's the one dish he probably knows MORE than the chefs about.

[@GeninApprentice]

Well let's be fair here, there was also MSG in James' (see, I used the apostrophe correctly) burger... It's a naturally occurring chemical in some vegetables, such as tomatoes, and also in most (if not all) cheeses... Just saying, there's a reason a cheeseburger is tastier than a regular hamburger.

[@rayrichards8776]

Not to be that person, but the correct use of the apostrophe would be "James's" since James is not plural.

[@Tiggypeth]

It depends on the cheese. Real good quality cheese doesn't have MSG at all naturally. However, you are correct regarding the tomatoes. They have natural glutimates in them. So does spinach and grapes.

[@HakingMC]

@@rayrichards8776 Both James' and James's are acceptable. There are different conventions regarding apostrophe s after a s. Some argue to drop the s if the word in question is a proper noun. Some say to drop in a improper noun. Some argue to drop the s entirely. As far as I can tell, there's no established standard that everyone follows.

[@HughGort]

@@Tiggypeth How can cheese not have any MSG naturally? It's already IN cheese via milk. That's why cheese is so good. Nobody is going around removing it from cheese. It's the real good quality stuff that has MSG naturally, as opposed to the slice of processed goop James used.

[@Tiggypeth]

@@HughGort hmm... I just had a look. I am incorrect, I thought that they were low MSG (which I find amusing, puzzling and concerning all in one as I am intolerant to MSG. High glutimate containing foods make me sick). However, the levels of glutimates in milk and cheese depends on the fat content. Low fat dairy products and powdered milk are higher in MSG than the high fat stuff.

[@brianahicks4805]

Well I made frozen pizza for lunch BUT I added fresh basil so I’ve basically upgraded myself from normal to chef 💁🏽‍♀️

[@brianahicks4805]

Cosmin Costea you okay? Going through something?

[@joopnotyop]

Jesus Christ I hate people like this kid lmao

[@Problematic_0]

“Excessive salt, excessive sugar, excessive alcohol, leaving the house” 😂😂

[@lewismaddock1654]

I''ve been using MSG for about two decades while cooking. But, usually I only use it in the end, when I see that the recipe is missing a factor of wowness, that I can't put my finger on.

[@ThinlyCut90]

My family used to run a fairly successful Chinese restaurant where we did use MSG. We have never had complains about MSG induced health effects. Just as with any other flavour enhancers like salt, pepper, spices, etc. more does not equal better. If used in the right amount, MSG could potentially boost the flavour of basically any sort of savoury dish to newer highs. Just because it was discovered in a lab from naturally occurring sources doesn't mean that it's bad, as how it has been labelled. The whole MSG issue was rooted deeply in racism, so I'm quite glad that you guys did an episode about it. Now I'm hoping that you guys make another episode covering MSG but have the chefs try to use it to compare to the same foods to see if there is a difference. I think that would be quite fun and informative.

[@the_rachel_sam]

ThinlyCut90 I am curious, are you Chinese or east asian in appearance? I am only asking because if you look white vs asian, I wonder if that would have an impact, either intentionally or an unintentional bias, on people feeling “ill” after eating food containing MSG.

[@ĆrankyÓldMan2024]

Salt and MSG both enhance flavors. MSG can give same taste results with a reduced sodium level. Substituting MSG for salt can benefit those who need to restrict sodium intake

[@Brooksie603]

I wasn't sure what to have for lunch today, but now I want a burger!

[@Warlundrie]

Nonononono, don't put a hot burger ontop of the lettuce!!! it turns soggy so quickly from the heat of the burger, put the slice of tomato as a protective layer inbetween instead of ontop! Other than that, great video as always #TeamMike&Jamie

[@lelandunruh7896]

I don't add MSG to any beef dishes, but find it really helpful in "beef-replacement" dishes. For example, if I'm making a chili-like stew with chicken or a vegetarian version with beans or lentils, a bit of MSG really dials-up the flavor. A lot.

[@bigjoeangel]

MSG works well in chinese food. Make a simple chicken chow mein, spring onion, msg, salt, good noodles, beansprouts premium dark soy, no garlic. Just like a takeaway, perfect. Try that with and without msg, there is a subtle, but noticeable improvement to all the flavours.

[@epicgamer8646]

bigjoeangel im chinese but im sad i dont have msg :(

[@niBBunn]

bigjoeangel Except soy sauce has msg 🤔

[@bigjoeangel]

@@niBBunn no it doesn't

[@lengrith]

Thank you whoever made James' chef uniform a short sleeved one!

[@shazmo1989]

*Sigh*

[@Jas10n]

Who else didnt notice that there were two different teams

[@capfogful]

Yeah, it took me a while too

[@Janani_Kannan]

"120 percent of sauce. Surely that's gonna win!"

[@naomiavery1906]

Ok think i may have watched too much sorted food (if thats possible), i knew james was gonna say 'yes!, im still a chef' before he said it hahaha

[@Denmon0728]

I use MSG alot in my home cooking when I'm making basic everyday food for lunchboxes to work and eating on weekdays because it adds so much without having to go all in on my cooking everyday.

[@gullerback]

Its seasoning, if you like it use it. There's been a campaign it seems against it for decades for bogus reasons.

[@linneascott6715]

Where’s “I’m gooey in the middle baby let me bake” that was my favourite part

[@bcaye]

It's Jade, Pancake Song.

[@Cruxador]

Slight correction on the science: The taste isn't from Monosodium Glutamate, but from Glutamic Acid - MSG is a salt made of glutamic acid and a sodium ion, which returns to those two constituent parts when dissolved in water (or watery compounds like saliva). Excessive amounts of MSG can make you feel sick from the sodium if consumed in very large amounts, just like table salt (sodium chloride) can.

[@Diviance]

Yeah, around 3 grams of pure MSG (no food) will make you feel a bit sick. Which is a massive dose. It would be roughly equivalent to drinking an entire _cup_ of soy sauce at once.

[@HuyLy94]

Fairly most MSG is produced by refining "yeast extract" or as most people know it as Vegemite/Marmite, this is why if you look at a lot of processed food it'll have 'yeast extract' listed as an ingredient rather than MSG or e621.

[@izzy1221]

When I was a kid I’d actually down packets of MSG from instant noodles...almost daily. *I’m surprised I’m not dead*

[@tsui1024]

MSG is jsut like any other seasoning. The MSG fear is legit just racism against Chinese started by the Americans.

[@wikihowsamples2972]

@@tsui1024 only anecdotal i know, but i always get a headache after any significant amount of msg so i find that hard to believe.

[@Rpground]

@@wikihowsamples2972 That's more then likely just the salt, because MSG is salt and salt (MSG) which is sodium dehydrates you...

[@pocaiesc]

@@Rpground I don't think so. My mom always seems to know when msg has been used, even when no one tells her and it makes her not feel good. But she uses tons of salt and sugar on her food with no problem.

[@vamptress100]

@@pocaiesc you're mom may just have an allergy to msg, I have a similar problem with artificial sugars but I'm fine with real sugars.

[@Toto-yj8hc]

I am an American through and through but maybe that's why this bizarre and fantastically interesting channel is so entertaining

[@AbiSaysThings]

If MSG is cheating then so is salting your food 🤷‍♀️

[@ConstantChaos1]

Or using meat

[@khadizaahmed8989]

Or cooking your food

[@nanahara80]

Or having food at all

[@Sissellsseashells]

Watching from Australia 👋🏻 11:00pm here & past my bed time BUT I’m addicted to Sorted 😂

[@DRC92]

Darcy O'Malley haha same, wa here

[@DanteYewToob]

Most people don't notice that MSG is already in everything they eat. Tons of fast food places add it to their fries, it's in chips and snacks like cheetos, and in lots of deli meats and other common household foods. People already eat it every single day. Most modern people probably consume at least one food containing MSG per day. Probably more for the snacky types.

[@Adiarby13]

Me: "yeap MSG is bad" *put tons of salt to my chips and seasons everything with it*

[@oropher777]

That was so cool! I had always heard MSG demonized and was surprised to find out it's naturally occurring and not dangerous. Thanks for teaching me!!

[@tli55w]

The thing is, chefs will still be better at using msg than regular people anyways. even if the chemical is there, there is still the texture, the moisture content, the flavours combination, the smell, the look, etc.

[@reiyari]

I think the comparison would be better if both used the same recipe but with the addition of MSG? Lovely video still! 💖

[@amitabasu7730]

I'm glad James won too. But I disagree with Ben. We ingest and use lots of things everyday with much bigger risks. Automobiles, electricity, firearms, dumbbells, stairs, planes, nuclear power... GRAS is a way to quantify risks based on evidence. There's any number of very useful things with much higher risks. Doesn't make sense to cut them out. Why not follow the evidence?

[@drunkenwhaler9507]

@@JamesTamesGames Salt can kill you. Mercury in fish can be rather harmful. A badly processed cashew could kill you. Everything non-gaseous you put in your mouth has the capacity to choke you. Even drinking from old plastic bottles could harm you.

[@angelkisses5933]

I'm so glad I found this channel I LOVE it!!! I always laugh, there isn't a single video I've watched that hasn't made me really laugh lol xx and people can only wish for friends like you guys ❤ xxx

[@TylerHague]

The use of the American singles cheese made me cry. A good burger deserves good cheese.

[@grouch314]

IMO the plastic cheese is perfect for a burger. If I'm eating a cheeseburger, I want the taste of the beef. I find that if it's proper cheese, the cheese flavour distracts from the burger flavour. The plastic cheese just adds a rich creaminess to it. I guess it's a personal preference thing

[@isabellelord-fortin9857]

OMG I agree, I hate american singles, they taste like nothing you should put in your mouth! There are other sliced cheeses to use, please people.

[@calum5975]

@@isabellelord-fortin9857 I hate the taste of cheese. American cheese is perfect for me, especially in a burger when I just want some cream texture.

[@bdhale34]

@@isabellelord-fortin9857 Depends greatly on the american cheese slices, originally American cheese was a blend of cheddar and colby. In short don't buy the processed crap.

[@isabellelord-fortin9857]

@@bdhale34 i agree. I'm talking about kraft singles mostly. They almost taste like plastic

[@nickleewilliams]

“Msg is salt on crack” - Uncle Roger

[@PetesShredder]

I have MSG in my spice rack, I use it quite a bit. I used it earlier today on mushrooms for breakfast. Its strong though, its easy to over do it.

[@MiscGaming]

‘Are you thinking what I’m thinking?’ No one: Mike: MSGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!

[@CraftsAndGame]

MSG is love... But only in small quantities though.

[@DivineDarkness91]

More of these videos. I learned alot

[@insertinconspicuousname2843]

“If it makes all food just taste better, then it feels kind of like a cheat.” Have you heard of salt? Or seasoning in general?

[@maddyfeisner]

MSG is the taste of umami, salt is the taste of salty, sugar is the taste of sweet, so MSG should be viewed as no different as adding salt or sugar!

[@Chronon88]

I agree with the sugar part, though I think it ruins foods. Although not flavoreless, honey or maple syrup is much better sweetener.

[@maddyfeisner]

@@Chronon88 yes they have a lot more aromatic and other compounds that make them better overall but those are retronasal aromas not contributing to taste!

[@Patrick_Kozma]

@@Chronon88 pretty much all store bought honeys is fake, they give a sugar infused syrup to bees and the bees make the honey that way, it is a lot faster process and does not take up any space, real honey you can tell right away by the flavor 1, by the smell 2(if it smells aromatic like flowers than its probably real), and by the way it looks after a week or 2, because store bought honeys often starts to build up sugar at the bottom, when real honey stays the same for, who knows how long.

[@lohkayan]

Here in South East Asia, MSG is an everyday seasoning we use like salt or sugar. Although I would never have thought to use it in a burger... I don't think I ever use it in Western cooking. An interesting experiment!

[@BoredSoprano]

So Jamie set off the fire alarm... why am I not surprised

[@fealubryne]

The funny thing is we just got MSG to use in tamago (it's hard to find dashi around here sometimes so we make a fish sauce//MSG replacement). I also made the immensely stupid decision to try a little on its own and it's horrifying. Really good in food though, but I do think the amount and how it's used matters.

[@donl90019]

How much does a "normal" have to cook/experiment with cooking before one is no longer a "normal" lol. These guys have a lot more experience than some chefs!! Love the series ;)

[@maxharrison9918]

Wtf how would it be any more cheating than using salt?

[@Chronon88]

Salt can be natural. This thing in powdered form can not, it's extracted and modified. If it would be in a natural broth form I'd agree with you. You could compare this MSG to table sugar though ^^

[@maxharrison9918]

@@Chronon88 what do you mean? Salt is extracted from sea water and can be synthesized. Msg can be extracted from tomatoes, grapes etc, or it can be synthesized. Both extractions and synthesis results in 100% exactly the same molecule - if you were given a molecule of MSG sound in nature and one synthesised, it would be impossible to distinguish between the 2.

[@Chronon88]

@@maxharrison9918 There are more natural options for salt than sea salt. Besides sea has micro-plastic so not the best option. This goes a bit beside the point but I don't really care what the end result is if the process is unnecessarily complicated which often includes chemicals no matter how well they are removed in the end.

[@maxharrison9918]

@@Chronon88 your dillusional.

[@Chronon88]

@@maxharrison9918 How? I just don't like unnecessary processing.