I was randomly looking at some packets and curious to see if I had the ingredients to replicate the hyderabadi hara chicken. Then I noticed they had MSG and honestly I was shocked. I didn’t expect them to contain it, not sure why I never checked the ingredients but I bought them in Canada and I guess somehow I was under the impression it wasnt used anymore..
It definitely something I do not want to be consuming or serving my family!! Some of my biryani packets have it listed and some of them dont, which actually makes me wonder if they just omitted it from the list.
Knowing this, do you or would you still continue to use the masalas? I am definitely chucking mine and going to use a mix of my own whole masalas.
There is nothing wrong with MSG. It's not a known carcinogen, teratogen, asthma inducer or any of the other things people claim it causes them. All sorts of side effects are anecdotal, and are not backed by any properly done research. Glutamate is a naturally occuring amino acid, found in many foods as well as the brain, as it acts as a neurotransmitter.
Knowing all of that, I'm not going to go out of my way to avoid anything with MSG. In fact, I'm about to order it from Amazon since I can't find it in stores, which is absolutely infuriating for me. MSG is also not banned in Canada, but it seems like it's banned in UK (at least in store shelves).
If you're actually really allergic to MSG however, like people are allergic to peanuts or citrus oil or whatever, do avoid it.
Very informative @Ruiner, @Ess_Emm. I was not aware of the bad reputation that MSG had, but I don’t like the bitter taste/thirst it causes. Used to favor shan and avoided others coz of MSG. Guess will have to look more carefully going forward.
Also, the new packaging we see. Is it still the same company? Am wondering if someone else ‘hijacked’ their brand and flooding the market with their own.
It's possible the company Shan makes different formulations of the masalas based on which country they're selling them in, depending on what is and isn't allowed in a certain markets. I just checked a few of my Shan masala boxes which I got in UK, including biryani, and they don't mention MSG in it, but do bold certain known allergens, like other companies do for all the products sold in UK stores. I have not seen bolded known allergens as part of ingredient list in any of the other countries. So if they can change how the boxes look, why can't they add or omit certain ingredients? I forgot to look where my Shan masala boxes are produced. I'm guessing it's in UK. So since MSG isn't allowed in UK, and my UK bought Shan masalas are made in the UK, then that's why they don't have MSG in them?
Also @OYMWA are you sure your aversion to MSG isn't psychological? I mean to say that I'm sure you've been eating salans made out of Shan masalas, and you didn't know they had MSG in it, so you didn't feel thirsty like you reported. But in products you think have MSG, do make you feel thirsty. Makes sense?
@OYMWA...i don't think so. it's still the genuine product of Shan Masala. i saw loads of Shan Masala in stores in India. surprisingly/amazingly, they have taken over the Indian Masala market! :)
I would still say it is unlikely to be psychological. Thing is I try to avoid it, but not fanatically. When I make anything chinese or fried chicken, I use MSG myself. Same thing happens. Or when we eat at chinese restaurants.
But you can’t deny, MSG is what gives Chinese food that extra oomph :jano:
I could be wrong, but recently I watched a random documentary and I think they mentioned at least in US in Chinese restaurants they don’t use MSG anymore.
They soon will be twisting Modi's 'family jewels' to get it banned then. Did you see the uproar over Shah Rukh Khan's comments? It is so ridiculous.
Shah RuKh Khan is no ideal muslim...he is a shame to all muslims in India.