Yeast extract might well be called the darling of the processed food industry, and the straw that breaks the camel’s back for MSG-sensitive people. Like MSG it’s manufactured (not “natural”), and also like MSG it contains toxic manufactured free glutamic acid.
Yeast extract is one of those “clean label” ingredients, often used in products such as soups and fake proteins that state “No added MSG” on the label (which is actually against FDA regulations, but enforcing that rule is no longer bothered with by the FDA). Also qualifying as a “clean label” ingredient would be any ingredient other than MSG that contains free glutamate. (Check out over 40 ingredient names that contain varying amounts of free glutamate here.)
Now we’re learning of a recent invention, a method for “large scale” production of a yeast extract product with nearly triple the brain damaging “glutamic acid content” of other yeast extracts. Its patent describes how this new and improved yeast extract “possesses more delicious flavor and improved capability for food flavor enhancement.” Glutamic acid, the patent states, in free form can “strengthen the delicate flavour of food.” We’re being told in this official document that the more free glutamate an ingredient contains, the more flavor it will impart to any food it’s added to.
The patent was applied for and owned by Angel Yeast Co., which calls itself a “high-tech yeast company in China” with 10 “advanced” manufacturing facilities in China, Egypt and Russia. Angel provides yeast extract to food manufacturers for use in everything from soup to snacks, promising its product provides a “magic flavor explosion.”
It’s a “magic flavor explosion” that comes with brain-damaging – excitotoxic – glutamate.
When consumed in excess (which differs from person to person), free glutamate becomes excitotoxic, with the capacity to overstimulate glutamate receptors in the body, causing them to fire rapidly and die. In simple terms, it causes brain damage.
We know that the new and improved yeast extract will contribute to the accumulation of toxic free glutamate.
What we don’t know is how much it will take to cause an excitotoxic “explosion.”
Placing an ad in the Super Bowl for the first time, Popeyes is going big for national exposure, but where its ingredients are concerned, it’s hush-hush.
Do fast-food customers care about what’s in the food they eat?
It appears that Restaurant Brands International, which owns both Burger King and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, thinks they do. So much so that both brands have announced to the media how they have been hard at work shifting to “clean” ingredients.
Burger King promoted a list of 120 “non-essential artificial ingredients” that it planned to remove from its menu items back in 2021. That was followed by Popeyes’ announcement of going “clean” by 2025, with a focus on one additive in particular, monosodium glutamate (MSG). As reported in Fortune in 2022, Popeyes is “… currently testing all-clean ingredients in our batter, breading and sandwiches in a few U.S. markets and we expect to be on track to an all-clean menu nationwide by 2025.”
Deciding to take a look at the ingredient list for Burger King and Popeyes food to see just how “dirty” or “clean” it might be, we found something curious. Both chains keep the ingredients for their menu items a deep, dark secret.
We called a Popeyes restaurant and asked if we could see a list of ingredients. That appeared to be quite baffling to the manager. who said that no such thing existed.
Thinking that he just didn’t understand the request, we went to corporate “guest care” and asked there. The supervisor sent back this response: “We do not have a publicly available ingredient list for our U.S. locations at this time.”
We were told that our request would be escalated to the “internal nutrition team,” and information would eventually be provided. We are, however, still waiting.
“We do not have a publicly available ingredient list for our U.S. locations at this time.”
Popeyes customer service, 2/13/24
So, whether Popeyes or Burger King has indeed removed “non-essential artificial ingredients” or even MSG in particular from its food is a secret. All we do know is that even by Restaurant Brands International’s admission, “globally” its ingredients comprise tons of nasty additives.
The moral of this story is that if the food ingredients are kept secret, there’s a reason. And of course, you can’t believe everything Big Food tells you.
UPDATE
Just as this blog was about to be published, Popeyes managed to come up with the ingredients for four of its menu items, which we’ve listed below. Apparently, not only haven’t they done away with MSG, but it’s used quite extensively in the chicken, shrimp, and rice and bean items. Also included in Popeyes food are a bevy of preservatives, so-called “natural flavors,” emulsifiers such as carrageenan (a cause of gastric problems for many people), and artificial colorings — including the infamous FD&C red #3, a synthetic coloring derived from petroleum that was found to be carcinogenic in animals. Banned from use in cosmetics decades ago, it’s curiously still permitted by the FDA to be added to food.
And that’s another thing Popeyes wanted us to know – that its “natural flavor(s)” consist of ingredients “… Approved For Use in a Regulation Of Food And Drug Administration or Are Listed as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) on a Reliable Published Industry Association List.”
If you check out the list of ingredients below, it seems obvious why it’s so hard to find out what’s actually in Popeyes’ food.
Classic Chicken Tenders Marinated Chicken: Chicken, Contains up to 30% solution of water, seasoning blend[seasoning(modified corn starch, salt, natural flavor, monosodium glutamate, onion powder, garlic powder, maltodextrin), modified food starch, sodium phosphate, carrageenan, chicken broth], mild seasoning[food starch modified(corn), monosodium glutamate, salt, seasoning mix of dried onion, dried garlic, dried celery and spices including paprika, natural flavor (oleoresin capsicum, polysorbate 80 added for emulsion and stability)]. Flour: Bleached wheat flour enriched (bleached wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid, malted barley flour. Batter: Enriched bleached wheat flour (enriched with niacin, reduced iron, thiamine, mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), salt, s-pack [enriched bleached wheat flour (enriched with niacin, reduced iron, thiamine, mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), salt, sugar, FD&C yellow #5 (may also contain yellow #6, red #40, grape color extract, blue #1, blue #2, beet color extract, annatto extract and / or turmeric extract), soybean oil, spices including mustard, dried whole eggs, nonfat dried milk, leavening (sodium bicarbonate and/or sodium aluminum sulfate), microcrystalline cellulose, natural flavor (all flavor ingredients contained in this flavor are approved for use in a regulation of food and drug administration or are listed as generally recognized as safe on a reliable published industry association list. This product also contains corn syrup solids)]. Shortening (Beef Tallow): Beef Fat with BHT and citric acid added to help protect flavor. Dimethylpolysiloxane, an antifoaming agent, added.
Spicy Chicken Tenders Chicken: Chicken, containing a solution of water, seasoning (selected blend of capsicums including paprika, salt, garlic, monosodium glutamate, cumin & mustard), seasoning (modified food starch, sodium phosphate, carrageenan, monoglycerides, chicken broth, oleoresin (natural flavoring and coloring, cottonseed oil, mono and diglycerides, soybean oil, tocopherol (antioxidant)). Flour: Bleached Wheat Flour Enriched (Bleached Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Malted Barley Flour. Batter: Enriched Bleached Wheat Flour (Enriched With Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine, Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Salt, S-Pack [Enriched Bleached Wheat Flour (Enriched With Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine, Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Salt, Sugar, Fd&C Yellow #5 (May Also Contain Yellow #6, Red #40, Grape Color Extract, Blue #1, Blue #2, Beet Color Extract, Annatto Extract And / Or Turmeric Extract), Soybean Oil, Spices Including Mustard, Dried Whole Eggs, Nonfat Dried Milk, Leavening (Sodium Bicarbonate And/Or Sodium Aluminum Sulfate), Microcrytalline Cellulose, Natural Flavor (All Flavor Ingredients Contained In This Flavor Are Approved For Use In A Regulation Of Food And Drug Administration Or Are Listed As Generally Recognized As Safe On A Reliable Published Industry Association List. This Product Also Contains Corn Syrup Solids)]. Shortening (Beef Tallow): Beef Fat with BHT and Citric Acid added to help protect flavor. Dimethylpolysiloxane, an antifoaming agent, added.
Popcorn Shrimp Shrimp, Breader (Enriched Bleached Wheat Flour [Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid], Salt, Leavening [Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate], Seasoning [Sugar, Spices], Soybean Oil), Water, Batter Mix (Bleached Enriched Wheat Flour [Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, And Folic Acid], Salt, Modified Corn Starch, Methyl Cellulose, Seasoning Mix [Enriched Bleached Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Salt, Sugar, Tartrazine (FD&C Yellow 5) [May Also Contain Sunset Yellow FCF (FD&C Yellow 6), Allura Red (FD&C Red 40), Grape Color Extract, Brilliant Blue FCF (FD&C Blue 1), Indigotine (FD&C Blue 2), Beet Color Extract, Annatto Extract Or Turmeric Extract], Spices, Dried Whole Eggs, Nonfat Dried Milk, Leavening (Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate), Microcrystalline Cellulose, Natural Flavor, This Product Also Contains Corn Syrup Solids]), Cottonseed And/Or Soybean Oil, Shrimp Seasoning (Spices Including Paprika, Salt, Monosodium Glutamate, Soybean Oil [Partially Hydrogenated], TBHQ and Citric Acid [To Protect Flavor], Dimethylpolysiloxane [Antifoaming Agent]), Sodium Tripolyphosphate (To Retain Moisture), Salt, Sodium Metabisulfite (As A Preservative). Shortening (Beef Tallow): Beef Fat with BHT and Citric Acid added to help protect flavor. Dimethylpolysiloxane, an antifoaming agent, added.
Red Beans & Rice Red Beans: Water, red kidney beans, pork fat [cured with water, salt, smoke flavor (sunflower oil and wood smoke flavors), sodium phosphate, sugar, brown sugar, sodium nitrite (salt, sodium nitrite {6.25%}, FD&C red #3)], red bean seasoning mix (salt, spices including paprika and parsley, dried garlic, and monosodium glutamate), dried onions. May contain food starch-modified. Long Grain White Rice: Pre-cooked parboiled long grain rice enriched with niacin, ferric orthophosphate (iron), thiamin mononitrate (thiamin) and folic acid. Red Rice Seasoning: Salt, seasoning (dried onion, dried garlic), spices including paprika, not more than 2% silicon dioxide or sodium aluminum silicate added to prevent caking. Less than 2% palm oil. Liquid Margarine: Liquid and hydrogenated soybean oil, water, salt, contains less than 2% of palm and palm kernel oil, vegetable mono & diglycerides, soy lecithin, sodium benzoate (a preservative), citric acid, natural & artificial flavors, calcium disodium EDTA added to protect flavor, beta carotene (color), vitamin A palmitate added.
The information provided regarding our food is as complete as possible at the time of this email and is based on ingredient lists provided by our suppliers. Variations may occur depending on the season, supplier, and/or product preparation at your local restaurant. Please also note that normal kitchen operations can involve shared cooking, preparation areas, and utensils, and the possibility exists that your food may come in contact with other food products, including other allergens and ingredients. Popeyes recommends that you always consult your healthcare provider for questions regarding your diet.
Restaurant Brands International, apparently happy with the reaction to its Burger King “banned ingredient” list of 2021, is now tapping another one of its brands, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, in promising “all-clean ingredients.”
While Burger King announced it was planning to ban 120 “non-essential artificial ingredients” from its food, Popeye’s seems to be focused on one in particular: monosodium glutamate (MSG).
“We are currently testing all-clean ingredients in our batter, breading and sandwiches in a few U.S. markets and we expect to be on track to an all-clean menu nationwide by 2025,” the company told Bloomberg.
Sounds healthy, doesn’t it? But will they actually get rid of the ingredients that contain the component in MSG that causes brain damage and adverse reactions, such as asthma and migraine headache? It’s deceptive and misleading to replace MSG with other toxic ingredients. But worse yet to refer to excitotoxic amino acids as “clean” ingredients. Today, there is a whole clean-label industry centered around toxic manufactured free glutamate (MfG). An industry that promotes the use of ingredients that contain the same toxin that MSG contains, but will give no clue to its presence.
