Chicken essence contains 40% MSG. Although the packaging of most chicken essences says "made from fine fat chicken" and "made from real fine chicken", it is not as we imagine. It is a natural condiment mainly made from chicken, chicken bones or their concentrated extracts. Its main ingredients are actually MSG (sodium glutamate) and salt. Among them, MSG accounts for about 40% of the total ingredients, and is also compounded by sugar, chicken or chicken bone meal, spices, inosinic acid, guanylic acid, chicken flavor, starch and other substances. The reason why chicken essence tastes so fresh is mainly due to the role of MSG in it. In addition, inosinic acid and guanosine acid are both freshness aids and have flavoring effects. When combined with sodium glutamate, they can make the chicken essence have a softer flavor, a rounder, fuller taste, and a richer aroma. As for the realistic chicken flavor in chicken essence, it mainly comes from chicken and chicken bone powder, which are extracted from fresh chicken and chicken bones. The use of chicken flavor can also make the "chicken flavor" of the chicken essence thicker; the role of starch is to make the chicken essence granular or powdery. Chicken essence and MSG have different nutritional contents. Which one is more nutritious, chicken essence or MSG? MSG is mainly extracted from rice, corn and other grains or molasses through microbial fermentation. Its main component is sodium glutamate, which is a type of amino acid and the main component of protein. Since the ingredients of chicken essence are more complex than MSG, the nutrients it contains are also more comprehensive. In addition to sodium glutamate, it also contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. However, no matter how nutritious chicken essence is, it is just a condiment and cannot be compared with chicken. Moreover, according to a survey by the Guangdong Provincial Consumer Commission, it was found that the protein content of different brands of chicken essence on the market is different, which is mainly related to their chicken meal or chicken bone meal content. The safety is similar to that of MSG. Many people are afraid to eat MSG, mainly because they are worried that it will produce certain carcinogens. However, food additive experts from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization believe that under normal circumstances, MSG is completely safe and can be eaten with confidence. Just do not heat it above 120°C, otherwise the sodium glutamate in it will lose water. It turns into sodium pyroglutamate and produces carcinogens. Since chicken essence also contains a certain amount of sodium glutamate, it is about the same safety as MSG. You should also be careful not to heat it at high temperatures for a long time. In addition, since chicken essence itself contains about ten percent salt, if chicken essence is used when cooking and making soup, the amount of salt must be reduced. Chicken essence also contains nucleotides. The metabolite of nucleotides is uric acid. Gout patients should eat less of it. The difference between chicken essence and MSG 1. Chicken essence is based on fresh chicken, chicken bones, and fresh eggs. After cooking, decompression, and juice extraction, it is mixed with salt, sugar, MSG (sodium glutamate), and chicken powder. , spices, inosinic acid, guanylic acid, chicken flavor essence and other substances, it is a compound freshness-enhancing and flavor-enhancing seasoning with umami and chicken flavor. 2. Chicken essence can be used in all occasions where MSG is used. It can achieve the effect when added in appropriate amounts to dishes, soups, and pasta, and the effect is more obvious in soups. Because chicken essence contains a variety of flavoring agents, its taste is relatively comprehensive and coordinated. Because it contains salt, be careful to add less salt when seasoning. 3. Most manufacturers do not recommend the amount of chicken essence, and simply ask you to "replace MSG and add it until it is delicious"; at most they only give you a recipe for clear soup, "dissolve 20 grams of chicken essence in 1 liter of boiling water." Therefore, the dosage of chicken essence is individualized and optional. MSG is relatively pure and the dosage is relatively stable. 4. MSG is easily soluble in water, so when cooking, adding MSG before cooking is generally more effective and the dishes will taste more delicious. Because if MSG is heated in an aqueous solution for a long time, a small amount of water will be lost to form sodium pyroglutamate. Although sodium pyroglutamate is harmless, it has no umami taste. The usage of chicken essence seems to be much looser. At least no manufacturer has ever reminded consumers about which part of the cooking process they should add chicken essence. MSG can be hydrolyzed into glutamic acid (a type of amino acid), which has a strong umami taste. However, when using it, you should pay special attention to the temperature and cooking methods, and do not add MSG too early, because sodium glutamate will chemically change into sodium pyroglutamate above 120 degrees, which will not only reduce the umami flavor, but also cause It is slightly toxic, so MSG is usually added before serving. In addition, avoid using it with alkali or baking soda to prevent the sodium glutamate in MSG from turning into disodium glutamate and losing its umami flavor. As for the dosage of MSG, under normal circumstances, each person should not consume more than 6 grams of MSG per day, otherwise, symptoms such as headache, nausea, and fever may occur. Excessive consumption of MSG may also cause high blood sugar. In addition, the more MSG, the more fresh it is. When cooking and making soup, just add an appropriate amount of MSG to increase the freshness. Adding too much MSG will make your tongue numb. It produces a strange taste that is salty but not salty, astringent but not astringent.