New Campaign Calls on NEJM to Revisit Racist Terminology, ‘Chinese Restaurant Syndrome’
MSG has reached new heights of fame with viral cucumber recipes. While it’s clear it’s a beloved ingredient by Logan, the comments section is flooded with misinformation and questions about the polarising ingredient.
Amid this backdrop of social activity, the leading supplier of MSG, Ajinomoto, is pursuing its mission to combat misinformation around the wrongfully victimised ingredient and address a long-standing issue with racist terminology which was originally shared by the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) in 1968.
Today, a coalition of Asian American activists, supported by The Ajinomoto Group, shared an open letter to NEJM addressing a long-standing issue with the term "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" (CRS). This initiative seeks to compel the NEJM to acknowledge its role in perpetuating a culturally insensitive and racially biassed stereotype and address a glaring omission in its recent efforts to confront its own historical biases. List of signatories include:
- Calvin Eng, chef & owner of Bonnie’s
- Cara Harbstreet, MS, RD, LD
- James Park, cookbook author
- Jessica Steier, DrPH, MPH, PMP
- Kat Lieu, DPT, cookbook author & food writer
- Maddy Park, recipe developer
- Tessa Nguyen, MEd, RD
- William L. Goldberg, MD
- And proudly supported by The Ajinomoto Group
The public letter, which has been shared on Instagram and TikTok with the hashtag #RevisitCRS, represents the third attempt to urge NEJM to address the term’s problematic legacy. This effort aims to push beyond mere consideration and drive meaningful change. Tomorrow, August 28th, ambassadors will take to their personal social channels, posting anecdotes about how CRS has personally impacted their life.
