Editing American Chinese cuisine (section)

=== Impact on United States ===
Chinese American cuisine provides an option for Americans to taste Chinese food that is adapted to both Chinese and American flavors. It allows people in America to learn more about Chinese traditional culture. During this process, Chinese Americans have developed a new cuisine which is different from [[Chinese cuisine|traditional Chinese food]], contributing to the food diversity in America. By running their own restaurants or eateries, first-generation Chinese immigrants reduced discrimination against them and gained sufficient income to send the next generations to universities or colleges.<ref name="Ch Six">Ch Six, "The Globalization of Chinese Food: The Early Stages", in J. A. G. Roberts. ''China to Chinatown: Chinese Food in the West'' (London: Reaktion, 2002) {{ISBN|1-86189-133-4}}.</ref> For [[Chinese Americans]], American Chinese cuisine has already become part of their childhood memories and life,<ref name="Liu-2009">{{cite journal |last1=Liu |first1=Yinghua |last2=Jang |first2=SooCheong (Shawn) |date=September 1, 2009 |title=Perceptions of Chinese restaurants in the U.S.: What affects customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions? |journal=International Journal of Hospitality Management |volume=28 |issue=3 |pages=338–348 |doi=10.1016/j.ijhm.2008.10.008}}</ref> which also would be a bridge between Chinese and American cultural communications and interactions. For example, [[Panda Express]] and [[P.F. Chang's]], two of the most famous American Chinese restaurants in the United States, have become the symbol of American Chinese cuisine and have gained appreciation from many Americans.

Additionally, American Chinese cuisine brought some new ingredients and cooking methods to the United States, such as stir-frying and steaming. Thus, many restaurants in the United States started to combine non-Chinese dishes with traditional Chinese cooking techniques and flavors, which promoted the development of fusion cuisine.<ref name="Smith" /> Introduction of Chinese food also triggered people's curiosity about Asian food, including [[Japanese cuisine|Japanese]], [[Thai cuisine|Thai]] and [[Singaporean cuisine|Singaporean]] food, leading to a prevalence of Asian cuisine.

'''Authenticity'''

American Chinese food is often criticized for the lack of authenticity or called ‘fake’ Chinese food. The criticism stems from its different characteristics such as taste, ingredients, and preparation of the food. On the on hand of the debate, scholars like Haiming Liu observe that: “Traditions that seem timeless and ancient are in fact being constantly modified and reinvented within any given historical context,” so what may be authentic in a given time may not be in another.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Liu |first=Haiming |date=2009-02-16 |title=Chop Suey as Imagined Authentic Chinese Food: The Culinary Identity of Chinese Restaurants in the United States |url=https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2bc4k55r |journal=Journal of Transnational American Studies |language=en |volume=1 |issue=1 |doi=10.5070/T811006946|doi-access=free }}</ref> However, some argue that it represents a new yet authentic Chinese cuisine. While distinct from traditional [[Chinese regional cuisine|regional Chinese cuisine]], it's a [[Fusion cuisine|fusion]] of American and Chinese flavors as it is a product of [[History of Chinese Americans|Chinese immigrants]] who have “adapted to their social environments, developed new identities, and formed new cultural sensibilities.” What started as a way for Chinese immigrants to eat familiar foods later transformed into a cultural blend of their traditional recipes and their adapted way of life facing the U.S. economy.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Liu |first=Haiming |date=February 16, 2009 |title=Chop Suey as Imagined Authentic Chinese Food: The Culinary Identity of Chinese Restaurants in the United States |url=https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2bc4k55r |journal=Journal of Transnational American Studies |language=en |volume=1 |issue=1 |doi=10.5070/T811006946|doi-access=free }}</ref>

'''Authenticity in Restaurants'''

Articles have stated that authenticity involves “more than food; music, ambience, and serving style come into play”. Restaurants’ authenticity is often not fixed, but rather based on communication, symbols, and changing ideas. Some argue that ethnic restaurants help immigrants feel connected culturally.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-26 |title=Monterey Park, an Asian cultural hub, shaken by shooting |url=https://apnews.com/article/monterey-park-california-shooting-802a4ad2a515d814264ba6a0f36dcdd3 |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref> This suggests that social connections and reputations contribute towards how authenticity is perceived in the culinary context. However, past studies argue that the concept of authenticity is simply a marketing ploy to attract non-Chinese customers rather than a true reflection of the culture. In other words, the concept of authenticity has often been examined from the perspective of the tourist seeking an authentic experience.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Clair |first1=Robin Patric |last2=Kuang |first2=Kai |last3=Long |first3=Ziyu |last4=Tan |first4=Jasmin E. |date=2016 |title=Authenticity, Personal Relationships and the Aura of Home: The Case of the Chinese American Restaurant |url=https://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/digest/article/view/27863/33081 |journal=Digest: A Journal of Foodways and Culture |language=en |volume=5 |issue=1 |issn=2329-4787}}</ref>

'''Nutritional Concerns'''

The adaptation of Chinese cuisine to American tastes has also shifted its nutritional content. Many have claimed that these modifications have made it less healthy, as the dishes now contain higher levels of sodium, fat, and oil. This has influenced some to perceive the ‘Americanization’ of the cuisine to have contributed to the reduced nutritional value. For example, the [[Orange chicken|Orange Chicken]] at [[Panda Express]] contains 22 grams of fat, exceeding the recommended daily intake of 20 grams. Similarly, the [[Kung Pao Chicken]] contains 21 grams of fat, which also surpasses the dietary guidelines. However, it is possible to customize the meals to fit an individual's nutritional needs.

'''MSG Panic'''

In the 1980s, a popular food seasoning known as [[monosodium glutamate]] (MSG) became the subject of health concerns leading up to the “MSG panic.” A report from Dr. Robert Ho Man Kwok, in a medical journal describing the symptoms he experienced after dining at a Chinese restaurant contributed to the growing concerns about MSG. Media coverage amplified these concerns which popularized the term “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome,” despite MSG being a widely used seasoning in a range of foods. In response to a heightened public concern, researchers hastily conducted studies that framed the issue towards Chinese cuisine rather than the seasoning MSG, though it has been claimed as the initial linkage.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Rotten Science Behind the MSG Scare |url=https://www.sciencehistory.org/stories/magazine/the-rotten-science-behind-the-msg-scare/ |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=Science History Institute |language=en-US}}</ref>

Sociologist Stanley Cohen defined the fear surrounding MSG as a "[[moral panic]]”,in which “a condition, episode, person, or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests. Some research claims it was influenced by historical [[xenophobia]] toward Chinese Americans and immigrants, contributing to the stigmatization of Chinese cuisine as being of lower quality or unhealthy due to its MSG content.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Ezra's Archives Volume 10, Number 1, Spring 2020 |url=https://ecommons.cornell.edu/collections/a92fc791-8ca5-4550-bf46-0f6ec55f1ad7 |journal=Cornell Historical Society |language=en |archive-url=https://ecommons.cornell.edu/communities/74950321-14ac-4ae2-a1a1-e98faa878105 |archive-date=July 24, 2024 |via=Cornell Historical Society}}</ref>