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BADOP! by J. Kenji López-Alt is a blend of kosher salt and pure monosodium glutamate (MSG), optimized for everyday cooking. It’s a true 1:1 replacement for salt that delivers more savory, deeper flavor with less sodium.
Kosher Salt + Monosodium Glutamate (produced via natural fermentation). That’s it.
Kenji designed BADOP! to use while you cook, just like regular salt. Marinate, season, finish, and build flavor from the ground up. It works great as a finisher too!
No new techniques are required. If your recipe calls for a teaspoon of salt, use a teaspoon of BADOP! instead. BADOP! makes everything taste better.
Keep it dry and keep it close. Your kitchen countertop works great. Our tin is shelf-stable, and BADOP! is just salt + MSG, so it’s not going to expire before you eat it all anyway.
Yes to both. BADOP! is vegan, gluten-free, and calorie-free.
Serving size: 1/4 tsp (1.2g) • Servings per container: About 95
Calories: 0 • Total Fat: 0g • Sodium: 440mg (19% DV) • Total Carb: 0g • Protein: 0g
Not a significant source of saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, dietary fiber, total sugars, added sugars, vitamin D, calcium, iron, or potassium.
Monosodium glutamate is just the salt form of glutamic acid, which is the most naturally abundant amino acid on the planet. Glutamate activates the savory, umami receptors on your tongue, making any food more satisfying and satiating. It’s produced through a natural fermentation process, the same way soy sauce, vinegar, and yogurt are made. No mystery, no weird additives.
Not really, and that's the point. BADOP! is kosher salt plus MSG, so it has sodium like any other salt. The difference is how much you need. MSG adds umami, making your food more savory with just a pinch. Every chef knows, and hey, now you do too.
MSG = sodium + glutamic acid.
When MSG touches water or your tongue, it immediately separates into:
- Free glutamate (glutamic acid)
- Sodium ions
That’s it.
The sodium part just tastes salty.
The glutamate part is what creates umami.
So, the active component in MSG is free glutamic acid, and free glutamic acid is identical to the free glutamate naturally present in kombu, tomatoes, parmesan, soy sauce, mushrooms, etc.
The key point is your body cannot tell the difference between:
- Free glutamate from kombu
- Free glutamate from tomato
- Free glutamate from parmesan
- free glutamate from MSG (Ajinomoto, BADOP!, etc.)
Chemically, they are the exact same molecule. There is zero structural difference.
Kenji is one of the world’s foremost experts in culinary science. We partnered with him to dial in the ideal salt-to-MSG ratio so every pinch enhances the natural savoriness of the food you cook.
We’re sorry to hear that. Please email us at support@badop.co with your order number and we’ll look into it right away.
We stand by the quality of our products and packaging. Please email support@badop.co with your order number and photos of the damage. We’ll send a replacement or issue a full refund within 30 days of delivery.
Please contact us at support@badop.co with your order number and let us know which items are missing. We’ll send you the correct products.
Carriers sometimes mark an order as “Delivered” while it’s still in transit. Your package will usually arrive within 1 – 2 days.
If it hasn’t shown up within 2 days of the “Delivered” status, please contact us at support@badop.co with your order number and we’ll sort it out.
Our warehouse moves fast to get your order out the door. In most cases, once an order has been placed, we’re unable to change or cancel it.
That said, if you reach out to us immediately at support@badop.co with your order number, we’ll do our best to catch it before it ships. Please put “Urgent” in the subject line.
Because BADOP! is a consumable, perishable food product, we do not accept returns or exchanges. All sales are final once an order has been shipped.
We’ll make it right. Please email support@badop.co within 30 days of delivery with your order number, a brief description of the issue, and a photo of the damaged product and shipping box.
Depending on your preference, we’ll issue a full refund to your original payment method or send a replacement at no additional cost.
Once approved, refunds are processed to your original payment method within 5 – 7 business days. It may take additional time for your bank or credit card company to post the refund.
All orders are processed within 1 – 2 business days. Standard nationwide shipping takes 3 – 5 business days.
Standard shipping: $7.99 | Free shipping with 2 tins
As soon as your order ships, you’ll receive a confirmation email with tracking information.
We currently ship to the contiguous United States only. We’re working on expanding to more regions—stay tuned.
Standard shipping typically takes 3 – 5 business days after your order is processed (1 – 2 business days). Total delivery time is usually 4 – 7 business days from when you place your order.
Our warehouse moves fast. If you’ve entered the wrong address, contact us immediately at support@badop.co with the correct address and “Urgent” in the subject line. We’ll do our best to catch your order before it ships.
We accept all major credit cards (Visa, American Express, Mastercard, Discover), PayPal, Apple Pay, and Shop Pay.
Credit cards can decline for several reasons. Common issues include:
Mismatched billing address: Make sure the billing address on your card matches what you’re entering at checkout.
Unrecognized shipping address: If the address isn’t recognized by our shipping carriers, the transaction won’t go through. Double-check your address before submitting.
If none of these apply, please reach out to support@badop.co and we’ll help troubleshoot.
We’d love to hear from you. Please contact us at support@badop.co with details about your store and we’ll follow up with wholesale information.
Bulk orders are accommodated on a case-by-case basis with volume-based pricing. Please reach out to support@badop.co and we’ll put together a custom quote.
Yes! Sign up at the bottom of our website to get Kenji approved recipes, exclusive access to new product launches, and more.
Absolutely. Please contact us at support@badop.co and we’ll assist you as quickly as possible.
For any questions not covered above, email support@badop.co