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Woman Loses It After She Finds Out A Coworker’s Meal She Helped Herself To Contained MSG, Takes Her To HR
Woman Loses It After She Finds Out A Coworker’s Meal She Helped Herself To Contained MSG, Takes Her To HR
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Woman Loses It After She Finds Out A Coworker’s Meal She Helped Herself To Contained MSG, Takes Her To HR

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Salty. Sweet. Sour. Scrumptious. There are many ways to describe food, nearly as many as there are palettes around. To each their own, one may say, but there are those that take food a little more seriously than others. A connoisseur, one would call them. The elite. Or just snobby hobbyists that turn something enjoyable into a contest.

One situation unfolded in a workplace quite a bit of time ago, where one such foodie came across some food in the work fridge. Wanting to give her compliments to the chef, she marched over and fawned about how great it was that there was no MSG present. Little did she know, she was in for a surprise. The story was brought forth by Reddit user u/Rough_Bike_2252, who asked if they were in the wrong for “tricking” the coworker. Let’s find out.

RELATED:

    MSG is a seasoning that’s surrounded by differing opinions: some love it, others cannot stand it, and there are those that are sensitive to it

    Image source: Rawpixel (not the actual photo)

    One woman, claiming to have an MSG allergy, was in for a surprise as the lunch she found sitting in the work fridge was to have that very flavor enhancer

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    Image source: Richard Masoner (not the actual photo)

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    Image source: Rough_Bike_2252

    Her Chinese coworker had brought in food for the team, of which the woman was not a part, hence ignoring her disdain for the seasoning

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    Image source: voronaman111 (not the actual photo)

    MSG: the three letters that have caused quite a stir in the culinary space. If we take apart the abbreviation, we end up with monosodium glutamate, a sodium salt of glutamic acid. It’s commonly used in cooking to enhance the umami—savory—flavor, especially when it comes to sauces, broths, and soups. In the food industry, it’s known as E621.

    Some of you may have first come across it in one of Uncle Roger’s skits, where he claims that “MSG is the king of flavor. If you sad in life, use MSG. If you happy in life, use MSG. Put MSG in everything, it’ll turn it better.” However, the flavor enhancer has gone through quite a bit of criticism throughout the years, especially when it comes to health concerns.

    However, doctors recognize the fact that some people are indeed more sensitive to MSG than others, with the condition affecting 1% of the general population

    MSG got its bad reputation in the 1960s when Chinese American doctor Robert Ho Man Kwok wrote a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine, explaining that he got sick after consuming Chinese food. He believed his symptoms could have resulted from consuming either alcohol, sodium, or MSG. This sparked a host of misinformation about MSG, which was likely related to then-present biases against Chinese immigrants and their cuisine.

    Later on, numerous studies backed MSG’s bad reputation, stating that the additive was highly toxic; however, present-day health authorities such as the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the European Food Safety Association (EFSA) generally recognize MSG to be safe.

    As noted on Healthline, studies show that umami substances can even lower the desire to salt foods. In fact, some research argues that replacing some salt with MSG can reduce people’s sodium intake by approximately 3% without sacrificing flavor. But, with all that said, some people can feel uncomfortable after consuming MSG.

    Image source: ngader (not the actual photo)

    This situation, therefore, led to a lot of confusion, leaving the person wondering whether they were in the wrong for “tricking” the woman into consuming MSG

    According to NY Allergy & Sinus Centers, the symptoms related to MSG do not involve the immune system, thus it cannot be called a true allergy; however, a sensitivity to the flavor enhancer has been documented, resulting in bloating, diarrhea, headaches, and abdominal pain, similar to what the woman in the story described. Interesting fact: It is estimated that MSG sensitivity affects less than 1% of the general population.

    However, if you know that a certain food is likely to trigger an adverse reaction, maybe you shouldn’t eat anything that’s left in the work fridge without first asking whether it contains the food item you’re trying to avoid. Don’t be going around playing food roulette, now!

    The internet community took the coworker’s side for the most part, even debating the existence of an MSG allergy to begin with

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    Eglė Radžiūtė

    Eglė Radžiūtė

    Writer, Community member

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    Hi, I'm Egle! If you made it onto this page, you may want to learn more about me. Would recommend reading works by Edgar Allan Poe much more than reading this bio, but suit yourself. I have plentiful interests, starting from the things I studied in university (Propaganda & Film, Sci-fi Writing, Psychiatry & History of Mental Illness, etc.) and ending with an addiction to tattoos, documentaries, and dancing in front of a mirror at 3am. I'm also a budding artist; I dabble in painting and drawing random bits of chaos. My favorite desert is Tiramisu.

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    Eglė Radžiūtė

    Eglė Radžiūtė

    Writer, Community member

    Hi, I'm Egle! If you made it onto this page, you may want to learn more about me. Would recommend reading works by Edgar Allan Poe much more than reading this bio, but suit yourself. I have plentiful interests, starting from the things I studied in university (Propaganda & Film, Sci-fi Writing, Psychiatry & History of Mental Illness, etc.) and ending with an addiction to tattoos, documentaries, and dancing in front of a mirror at 3am. I'm also a budding artist; I dabble in painting and drawing random bits of chaos. My favorite desert is Tiramisu.

    What do you think ?
    Juanjo
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Convo with HR: - dude, if she's allergic to any kind of stuff, she should NOT eat food made by anyone else until she checks with who made it and CONFIRM no allergic stuff is in it. That's all, thanks and good day.

    WindySwede
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    As I read somewhere "Sometimes the AITA nowadays, is like: 'I was hit by a car, AITA?' ..."

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    That Bi Book Lover
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Uncle Roger would throttle this woman

    HelluvaHedgehogAlien
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Wow damn. NTA. ‘Trish’ is definitely TA. I would’ve done the exact same if I was there, probably because I’m Chinese too and in fact I’m in Beijing right now :) yay

    Lakota Wolf
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Ha, seriously! My ex is Chinese. My mom is one of those willfully ignorant people who think that MSG is made from scrapings of the chilblains on the devil's àrse. (She also claims that drinking water makes her sick, but that's a story for another day.) She says that she is "allergic" to MSG and it makes her super-sick. After nearly 10 years of my mother making snarky comments like "no thanks, all you Chinese people like to use MSG in your food and it'll make me sick" whenever my ex would offer to cook or bring over food his mom had made, we snuck MSG into something my ex made and gave it to my mom. She was perfectly fine. I'd love to say that she saw the light and changed her ways when we told her she'd just eaten MSG, but no. She is still the same narcissistic bacterium as ever.

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    Bunzilla
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There's lots of foods out there that naturally have MSG in it. Like Parmesan cheese has a ton, tomatoes have quite a bit (dried tomatoes even more so)... and if she's eating 'authentic' or even non authentic Italian food like the OP mentioned in particular, more than likely she's eaten both of those things. If she has no reaction to that, then she does NOT have an MSG allergy/sensitivity, and she's just being racist and over-dramatic.

    Her Name Was Lola
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's also found in mushrooms, any aged cheese, salami, chorizo, soy sauce, and my favorite one - BREAST MILK. We are predisposed to like the stuff... which is why it's freakin delicious.

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    ERIKA H.
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Trish sounds like a major racist a-hole

    Thor Haugen
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think some people have a sensitivity to MSG (I do not). But I don't think anyone has an obligation to label leftovers with ingredients. It truth, I probably would not have called out the person on MSG. People like that live on drama and I don't need any in my life. NTA, but honestly not worth the effort to be right. Let the drama queen secure her place in hell, but treat her with to respect she deserves.

    Rahul Pawa
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Exactly! I've learned I'd much rather be happy than right. It's not my job to correct people.

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    Roddfergg
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    As someone who spent quite a while in Asia, with a significant amount in China, they put MSG in everything. Also, there is NO such thing as a MSG allergy, but too much can cause headaches in those who are not used to it.

    Marcellus II
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Italians won't eat Domino's" --- True to an extent. The chain opened in Italy, but closed again recently. So who ate there in the years it was open? Some tourists, some foreigners, but certainly also some italians... but not enough.

    And the like
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think the "not enough" is the keyword here 😉

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    Kumkum Wada
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Basically msg is non allergen. yes, some people have adversity for msg, but allergic? And if you avoid msg, you can substitute it with sugar.

    TJay
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Wait till she eats Mexican food...we use chicken flavored msg in everything

    Honu
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    She probably eats MSG all the time, but doesn't realize it's a common ingredient in many places.

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    Trillian
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Lol, if you eat from the office fridge you're on your own. No one with real allergies would do that.

    Elio
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That co-worker is really annoying and pretentious. Clearly she doesn't really have an allergy or sensitivity if she only got sick after learning the food had MSG. It's a psychological response. Regardless, the coworker is the one who decided to eat mystery food so that is her problem.

    AliJanx
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    HR Here: first question would be - was this food intended for you, specifically? If the answer is no, not specifically, next question is why did you eat it before speaking with the person who made it? We in HR aren't idiots, nor are we gorgons. But most companies hold us as duty-bound to investigate any and all complaints, even the ridiculous ones.

    Lyyyy
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    As someone who has a nut allergy, I can confirm that something you do not know the exact contents of, you eat at your own risk.

    Ponyo (they/them)
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    i have irritable bowel syndrome and a few mild to moderate allergies and i’m usually not careful about what i eat and trust me i pay the consequences. i have had bad experiences because of this but would never blame anyone else under any circumstances. i saw food that looked good and i ate it knowing exactly what could happen. that’s on me and my impulsivity, not anyone else.

    Tristan J
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You're not going to eat much authentic Chinese food whilst avoiding msg

    Tristan J
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Which is a good thing for Chinese food lovers

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    Rahul Pawa
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    OP didn't lie to her about the ingredients or do anything deceptive. The other woman ate food without asking about the ingredients and then got mad about the ingredients after the fact. That's totally on her. I'd consider talking to HR about how she talks about your culture, and honestly how she talks about food in general. No one cares if she refuses to eat domino's because it's not "real" pizza, she sounds obnoxious. Maybe you can say her vocal negativity creates a hostile work environment. I wouldn't want to be in any break room with her.

    R Dennis
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My wife was one of those "sensitive to MSG" people. Until I told her the secret ingredient to my paella, saffron rice, and mushroom sauce was Accent (MSG is main ingredient).

    Ches Yamada
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Look, just because your wife seems like she wasn't sensitive to it after her claims doesn't mean others aren't. Your use of quotations appears to be mocking those that say this and that's not cool. I'm not one of those people, by the way - but I know someone who is.

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    Dawnieangel76
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have to question EVERYTHING I'd like to eat as I'm severely allergic to raw onions, and sensitive to cooked ones. The idea of eating something that wasn't mine to begin with, and not asking about the ingredients first, is MY problem, not the cook's.

    Ginger Winters
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Allergic to the juice of onions and agree entirely! I question everything in dishes I didn't make

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    CHRISTY SMITH
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I hope this gets an update. All she has to do install HR she was perfectly fine until she find out that have MSG and then startedhinking like your stomach hurt. And also bring documentation, actual studies confirming that nobody’s allergic to MSG, period, It doesn’t exist. Not to mention how she’s completely racist towards OP on a constant basis … in other words, take that b***h out and make sure the c**t gets a write up for her constant racist remarks.

    Honu
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Personally, I think I would avoid the MSG debate. I would most certainly avoid coming off as purposely challenging her allergy. That steps over serious boundaries. Plus, the real truth is that OP did not do any of that intentionally. She simply shared leftover food in the communal area. Anyone with food allergies or sensitivities knows better than to eat stuff without knowing the ingredients. HR would need to establish that the onus was on OP rather than the people eating the food. To make that fair, that would mean no sharing food without complete ingredient lists. That is unlikely to happen.

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    DuchessDegu
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I use Ajinomoto on every savoury dish, learned from my Italian gran! It just takes the umami flavour a notch up

    And the like
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Italian as born and raised in Italy, or italian as born in the USA from a very remote Italian ancestry?

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    And the like
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Trish is right in one thing: we Italians wouldn't call Domino's pizza a pizza.

    Justin Smith
    Community Member
    2 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And pizza isnt Italian. Just something that italians tried to claim as theirs.

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    Clown fish
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's her fault she ate food with out asking

    Suzy Creamcheese
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I've endured my share of a-hole co-workers in my time (haven't we all?), but nothing like "Trish", thankfully.

    and_a_touch_of_the_’tism
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Does anyone know what MSG is in this context? I feel like I’m missing something. Also the coworker is a racist POS and I hope HR skins her alive.

    Juanjo
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    why is coworker racist? dumb, yes. Karen, yes. but racist? mmm. I don't see it. yet, modern wokes call anything racist or transphobe, so...

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    Livingwithcfs
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have foid allergy and because of it I would never eat something without checking the ingredients, the aftermath is just not worth it. Anyone with a food allergy will tell you that

    Illustrious G
    Community Member
    2 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My ex had an MSG allergy… at least that was the only connection we could make. It was the weirdest thing: the night after eating it, he would get these itchy red splotches on the palms of his hands, soles of his feet, and around his hairline on his forehead! I told him he looked like a Star Trek alien! He had a reaction twice before we figured out what it was from.

    Ralph Watkins
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    An Army buddy of mine made Exlax brownies for his co-workers one night. He was looking at pranking them. Things were very busy the moment they got in on shift & they did not have time to hit the brownies. Shift supervisors instead snuck some of the brownies & got their just reward. They called the Military Police on him for trying to poison them. My buddy brought up a good point. Did you have permission or did you steal my brownies? Now the cops were looking at the supervisors for theft. To all of us, that was the best prank ever.

    Sagtiya Sieelan
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I want to know the next part of this story after meeting with HR..

    SarahBee
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    She should have waited until the next day to tell her co-worker the truth.

    ColorEd
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Come on, how is this even a question? NTA.

    Libstak
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Im old enough to remember Chinese special fried rice with msg...It was fantastic, these days It is bleh why bother. Also as a Croatian/Slovenian vegeta which contains msg is the main seasoning in most of my favorite dishes, can't imagine chicken noodle soup or schnitzel without it.

    Katie Lutesinger
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sheesh, what a hypocritical drama queen.

    Sami-Jo Ross
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Genuinely hope OP brought up that Trish is obnoxiously racist towards her.

    Deborah Rubin
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Trish is racist. And stupid. If she really had an allergy she would check first. I always do. I'm so deathly allergic to shellfish that I won't even go to a restaurant that serves it for fear of cross contamination. But that is on me. It is my body, it is my job to make sure I only eat items that are safe (there are other items too). If Trish were truly allergic, she wouldn't need to be told to have a reaction.

    P.A.B.
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If Trish was really allergic she would have cocked her toes up by now because she is totally not cautious about what she eats. She’s just full of it. 😑

    Craig Reynolds
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Tell HR the food was NOT for her, only for your group, which means she stole the food. Then tell them you want to file separate complaints against her for theft, racism, and harassment. If HR balks, tell them you will file a police report for petty theft against Trish. I would also get in Trish's face and tell her you will put whatever you want in your own food, and if she touches it again, you will demand she is fired for theft. Make no mistake! ALL food thieves should be terminated immediately. No excuses.

    Century Foods
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Looking so yummy, Thanks For sharing!!

    Pati G
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If didn't tell her, I'll bet she won't have symptoms of any kind.

    Jane Alexander
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Trish had no problem until she was told about the MSG. Try telling her her last snack (at someone else s expense) had arsenic in it and see if she drops dead.

    Danish Susanne
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How can you take someone else's food and then claim you were tricked into eating it. Does she mean, that it was not under lock and key, or what?

    StarlightPanda!
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    NTA - She's a very sad person and needs to see a professional for her self-entitled delusions.

    Marilyn Russell
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That woman is a toxic dramatic nutter. Who touches other people’s food?

    Mad McQueen
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Msg isn't bad. Watch some videos on YouTube w msg. You can put it on a lot of foods to bring up the flavor. It's not salt. But if pops sugar and salt notes. The headache myth from msg was when people sensitive to salt Added a lot of soy to their meals. Soy sauce is salty and that combo can give a headache.

    Kat Min
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Just in case anybody needs to read this: MSG is just a kind of salt and the whole 'Oh, it's so bad' stems from a racist medical hoax in a science magazin, 50 years ago. Yes, if you eat tablesppons of it, it will make you ill. But so will Natrium Chloride.

    Michael Largey
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    When you made the food available to everyone, it would have been smart to warn Trish about the MSG. The first syllable of "foolproof" is there for a reason.

    pebs
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The only thing I can say this woman is right about is the point that Italians would never eat at Dominos. In fact, this chain had also opened in Italy but then went bankrupt.

    v
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    BP has been sitting on this one for a year. All the comments above are dated 1 year previous. Go to the actual reddit link and the whole thing is 2 years old.

    CatWoman1014
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Karen sounds pretentious AF. OP is NTA. It’s not her job to make sure Karen doesn’t eat her food.

    RoanTheMad
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I bet she's never been to Beijing either.

    Mason Kronol
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Pizza from Italy? No- pizza from NYC.

    Jared Robinson
    Community Member
    2 years ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    Yes and no to being the AH. You didn't know or intend for her to eat the food so not your problem. And to anyone saying no MSG allergies are morons. MSG at the very least can be a migraine trigger. And many doctors say that you CAN be allergic to MSG. Why does everyone wanna suck MSG's d**k so bad that they will literally go against medical doctors to say that MSG allergies do not exist?

    Justin Smith
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Because msg is in more foods that those people eat than not. They just dont know it.

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    Jake Lewis
    Community Member
    2 years ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    Even though OPs NTA, people will continue to be dumb after her HR meeting. Also, don't put food in communal fridges saying "Hypochondriac? Help yourself!"

    Justin Smith
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    She didn't. Her teammate did. And if you have an allergy don't go wating random foods whos ingredients you don't know.

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    Scott T Brynildsen
    Community Member
    2 years ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    My mom is allergic to MSG. She gets horrendous migraines from it, so the first comment who calls it racist propaganda is clearly an ignorant a*****e. They most certainly did not just take time of their day to do hours of research so they could be offensive to people who are sensitive to it.

    Becky Samuel
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There's a huge difference biologically between food sensitivities and a true allergy. Getting a migraine from MSG is a horrible sensitivity issue, but *not* a life threatening allergic reaction.

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    Juanjo
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Convo with HR: - dude, if she's allergic to any kind of stuff, she should NOT eat food made by anyone else until she checks with who made it and CONFIRM no allergic stuff is in it. That's all, thanks and good day.

    WindySwede
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    As I read somewhere "Sometimes the AITA nowadays, is like: 'I was hit by a car, AITA?' ..."

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    That Bi Book Lover
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Uncle Roger would throttle this woman

    HelluvaHedgehogAlien
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Wow damn. NTA. ‘Trish’ is definitely TA. I would’ve done the exact same if I was there, probably because I’m Chinese too and in fact I’m in Beijing right now :) yay

    Lakota Wolf
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Ha, seriously! My ex is Chinese. My mom is one of those willfully ignorant people who think that MSG is made from scrapings of the chilblains on the devil's àrse. (She also claims that drinking water makes her sick, but that's a story for another day.) She says that she is "allergic" to MSG and it makes her super-sick. After nearly 10 years of my mother making snarky comments like "no thanks, all you Chinese people like to use MSG in your food and it'll make me sick" whenever my ex would offer to cook or bring over food his mom had made, we snuck MSG into something my ex made and gave it to my mom. She was perfectly fine. I'd love to say that she saw the light and changed her ways when we told her she'd just eaten MSG, but no. She is still the same narcissistic bacterium as ever.

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    Bunzilla
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There's lots of foods out there that naturally have MSG in it. Like Parmesan cheese has a ton, tomatoes have quite a bit (dried tomatoes even more so)... and if she's eating 'authentic' or even non authentic Italian food like the OP mentioned in particular, more than likely she's eaten both of those things. If she has no reaction to that, then she does NOT have an MSG allergy/sensitivity, and she's just being racist and over-dramatic.

    Her Name Was Lola
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's also found in mushrooms, any aged cheese, salami, chorizo, soy sauce, and my favorite one - BREAST MILK. We are predisposed to like the stuff... which is why it's freakin delicious.

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    ERIKA H.
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Trish sounds like a major racist a-hole

    Thor Haugen
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think some people have a sensitivity to MSG (I do not). But I don't think anyone has an obligation to label leftovers with ingredients. It truth, I probably would not have called out the person on MSG. People like that live on drama and I don't need any in my life. NTA, but honestly not worth the effort to be right. Let the drama queen secure her place in hell, but treat her with to respect she deserves.

    Rahul Pawa
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Exactly! I've learned I'd much rather be happy than right. It's not my job to correct people.

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    Roddfergg
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    As someone who spent quite a while in Asia, with a significant amount in China, they put MSG in everything. Also, there is NO such thing as a MSG allergy, but too much can cause headaches in those who are not used to it.

    Marcellus II
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Italians won't eat Domino's" --- True to an extent. The chain opened in Italy, but closed again recently. So who ate there in the years it was open? Some tourists, some foreigners, but certainly also some italians... but not enough.

    And the like
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think the "not enough" is the keyword here 😉

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    Kumkum Wada
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Basically msg is non allergen. yes, some people have adversity for msg, but allergic? And if you avoid msg, you can substitute it with sugar.

    TJay
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Wait till she eats Mexican food...we use chicken flavored msg in everything

    Honu
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    She probably eats MSG all the time, but doesn't realize it's a common ingredient in many places.

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    Trillian
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Lol, if you eat from the office fridge you're on your own. No one with real allergies would do that.

    Elio
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That co-worker is really annoying and pretentious. Clearly she doesn't really have an allergy or sensitivity if she only got sick after learning the food had MSG. It's a psychological response. Regardless, the coworker is the one who decided to eat mystery food so that is her problem.

    AliJanx
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    HR Here: first question would be - was this food intended for you, specifically? If the answer is no, not specifically, next question is why did you eat it before speaking with the person who made it? We in HR aren't idiots, nor are we gorgons. But most companies hold us as duty-bound to investigate any and all complaints, even the ridiculous ones.

    Lyyyy
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    As someone who has a nut allergy, I can confirm that something you do not know the exact contents of, you eat at your own risk.

    Ponyo (they/them)
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    i have irritable bowel syndrome and a few mild to moderate allergies and i’m usually not careful about what i eat and trust me i pay the consequences. i have had bad experiences because of this but would never blame anyone else under any circumstances. i saw food that looked good and i ate it knowing exactly what could happen. that’s on me and my impulsivity, not anyone else.

    Tristan J
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You're not going to eat much authentic Chinese food whilst avoiding msg

    Tristan J
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Which is a good thing for Chinese food lovers

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    Rahul Pawa
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    OP didn't lie to her about the ingredients or do anything deceptive. The other woman ate food without asking about the ingredients and then got mad about the ingredients after the fact. That's totally on her. I'd consider talking to HR about how she talks about your culture, and honestly how she talks about food in general. No one cares if she refuses to eat domino's because it's not "real" pizza, she sounds obnoxious. Maybe you can say her vocal negativity creates a hostile work environment. I wouldn't want to be in any break room with her.

    R Dennis
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My wife was one of those "sensitive to MSG" people. Until I told her the secret ingredient to my paella, saffron rice, and mushroom sauce was Accent (MSG is main ingredient).

    Ches Yamada
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Look, just because your wife seems like she wasn't sensitive to it after her claims doesn't mean others aren't. Your use of quotations appears to be mocking those that say this and that's not cool. I'm not one of those people, by the way - but I know someone who is.

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    Dawnieangel76
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have to question EVERYTHING I'd like to eat as I'm severely allergic to raw onions, and sensitive to cooked ones. The idea of eating something that wasn't mine to begin with, and not asking about the ingredients first, is MY problem, not the cook's.

    Ginger Winters
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Allergic to the juice of onions and agree entirely! I question everything in dishes I didn't make

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    CHRISTY SMITH
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I hope this gets an update. All she has to do install HR she was perfectly fine until she find out that have MSG and then startedhinking like your stomach hurt. And also bring documentation, actual studies confirming that nobody’s allergic to MSG, period, It doesn’t exist. Not to mention how she’s completely racist towards OP on a constant basis … in other words, take that b***h out and make sure the c**t gets a write up for her constant racist remarks.

    Honu
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Personally, I think I would avoid the MSG debate. I would most certainly avoid coming off as purposely challenging her allergy. That steps over serious boundaries. Plus, the real truth is that OP did not do any of that intentionally. She simply shared leftover food in the communal area. Anyone with food allergies or sensitivities knows better than to eat stuff without knowing the ingredients. HR would need to establish that the onus was on OP rather than the people eating the food. To make that fair, that would mean no sharing food without complete ingredient lists. That is unlikely to happen.

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    DuchessDegu
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I use Ajinomoto on every savoury dish, learned from my Italian gran! It just takes the umami flavour a notch up

    And the like
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Italian as born and raised in Italy, or italian as born in the USA from a very remote Italian ancestry?

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    And the like
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Trish is right in one thing: we Italians wouldn't call Domino's pizza a pizza.

    Justin Smith
    Community Member
    2 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And pizza isnt Italian. Just something that italians tried to claim as theirs.

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    Clown fish
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's her fault she ate food with out asking

    Suzy Creamcheese
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I've endured my share of a-hole co-workers in my time (haven't we all?), but nothing like "Trish", thankfully.

    and_a_touch_of_the_’tism
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Does anyone know what MSG is in this context? I feel like I’m missing something. Also the coworker is a racist POS and I hope HR skins her alive.

    Juanjo
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    why is coworker racist? dumb, yes. Karen, yes. but racist? mmm. I don't see it. yet, modern wokes call anything racist or transphobe, so...

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    Livingwithcfs
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have foid allergy and because of it I would never eat something without checking the ingredients, the aftermath is just not worth it. Anyone with a food allergy will tell you that

    Illustrious G
    Community Member
    2 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My ex had an MSG allergy… at least that was the only connection we could make. It was the weirdest thing: the night after eating it, he would get these itchy red splotches on the palms of his hands, soles of his feet, and around his hairline on his forehead! I told him he looked like a Star Trek alien! He had a reaction twice before we figured out what it was from.

    Ralph Watkins
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    An Army buddy of mine made Exlax brownies for his co-workers one night. He was looking at pranking them. Things were very busy the moment they got in on shift & they did not have time to hit the brownies. Shift supervisors instead snuck some of the brownies & got their just reward. They called the Military Police on him for trying to poison them. My buddy brought up a good point. Did you have permission or did you steal my brownies? Now the cops were looking at the supervisors for theft. To all of us, that was the best prank ever.

    Sagtiya Sieelan
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I want to know the next part of this story after meeting with HR..

    SarahBee
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    She should have waited until the next day to tell her co-worker the truth.

    ColorEd
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Come on, how is this even a question? NTA.

    Libstak
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Im old enough to remember Chinese special fried rice with msg...It was fantastic, these days It is bleh why bother. Also as a Croatian/Slovenian vegeta which contains msg is the main seasoning in most of my favorite dishes, can't imagine chicken noodle soup or schnitzel without it.

    Katie Lutesinger
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sheesh, what a hypocritical drama queen.

    Sami-Jo Ross
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Genuinely hope OP brought up that Trish is obnoxiously racist towards her.

    Deborah Rubin
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Trish is racist. And stupid. If she really had an allergy she would check first. I always do. I'm so deathly allergic to shellfish that I won't even go to a restaurant that serves it for fear of cross contamination. But that is on me. It is my body, it is my job to make sure I only eat items that are safe (there are other items too). If Trish were truly allergic, she wouldn't need to be told to have a reaction.

    P.A.B.
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If Trish was really allergic she would have cocked her toes up by now because she is totally not cautious about what she eats. She’s just full of it. 😑

    Craig Reynolds
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Tell HR the food was NOT for her, only for your group, which means she stole the food. Then tell them you want to file separate complaints against her for theft, racism, and harassment. If HR balks, tell them you will file a police report for petty theft against Trish. I would also get in Trish's face and tell her you will put whatever you want in your own food, and if she touches it again, you will demand she is fired for theft. Make no mistake! ALL food thieves should be terminated immediately. No excuses.

    Century Foods
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Looking so yummy, Thanks For sharing!!

    Pati G
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If didn't tell her, I'll bet she won't have symptoms of any kind.

    Jane Alexander
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Trish had no problem until she was told about the MSG. Try telling her her last snack (at someone else s expense) had arsenic in it and see if she drops dead.

    Danish Susanne
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How can you take someone else's food and then claim you were tricked into eating it. Does she mean, that it was not under lock and key, or what?

    StarlightPanda!
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    NTA - She's a very sad person and needs to see a professional for her self-entitled delusions.

    Marilyn Russell
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That woman is a toxic dramatic nutter. Who touches other people’s food?

    Mad McQueen
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Msg isn't bad. Watch some videos on YouTube w msg. You can put it on a lot of foods to bring up the flavor. It's not salt. But if pops sugar and salt notes. The headache myth from msg was when people sensitive to salt Added a lot of soy to their meals. Soy sauce is salty and that combo can give a headache.

    Kat Min
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Just in case anybody needs to read this: MSG is just a kind of salt and the whole 'Oh, it's so bad' stems from a racist medical hoax in a science magazin, 50 years ago. Yes, if you eat tablesppons of it, it will make you ill. But so will Natrium Chloride.

    Michael Largey
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    When you made the food available to everyone, it would have been smart to warn Trish about the MSG. The first syllable of "foolproof" is there for a reason.

    pebs
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The only thing I can say this woman is right about is the point that Italians would never eat at Dominos. In fact, this chain had also opened in Italy but then went bankrupt.

    v
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    BP has been sitting on this one for a year. All the comments above are dated 1 year previous. Go to the actual reddit link and the whole thing is 2 years old.

    CatWoman1014
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Karen sounds pretentious AF. OP is NTA. It’s not her job to make sure Karen doesn’t eat her food.

    RoanTheMad
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I bet she's never been to Beijing either.

    Mason Kronol
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Pizza from Italy? No- pizza from NYC.

    Jared Robinson
    Community Member
    2 years ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    Yes and no to being the AH. You didn't know or intend for her to eat the food so not your problem. And to anyone saying no MSG allergies are morons. MSG at the very least can be a migraine trigger. And many doctors say that you CAN be allergic to MSG. Why does everyone wanna suck MSG's d**k so bad that they will literally go against medical doctors to say that MSG allergies do not exist?

    Justin Smith
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Because msg is in more foods that those people eat than not. They just dont know it.

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    Jake Lewis
    Community Member
    2 years ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    Even though OPs NTA, people will continue to be dumb after her HR meeting. Also, don't put food in communal fridges saying "Hypochondriac? Help yourself!"

    Justin Smith
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    She didn't. Her teammate did. And if you have an allergy don't go wating random foods whos ingredients you don't know.

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    Scott T Brynildsen
    Community Member
    2 years ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    My mom is allergic to MSG. She gets horrendous migraines from it, so the first comment who calls it racist propaganda is clearly an ignorant a*****e. They most certainly did not just take time of their day to do hours of research so they could be offensive to people who are sensitive to it.

    Becky Samuel
    Community Member
    2 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There's a huge difference biologically between food sensitivities and a true allergy. Getting a migraine from MSG is a horrible sensitivity issue, but *not* a life threatening allergic reaction.

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