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Nov 3, 2017 · All three experts say that ultimately, natural and artificial flavors are not that different. While chemists make natural flavors by extracting chemicals from natural ingredients,...
- Overview
- What are natural flavors?
- What does ‘natural’ actually mean?
- Should you consume natural flavors?
- Ingredients classified as natural flavors
- Should you choose natural flavors over artificial flavors?
- Are natural flavors safe?
You may have seen the term “natural flavors” on ingredient lists. These are flavoring agents that food manufacturers add to their products to enhance the taste. However, this term can be pretty confusing and even misleading.
This article takes a detailed look at what natural flavors are, how they compare to artificial flavors and potential health concerns around them.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Code of Federal Regulations, natural flavors are created from substances extracted from these plant or animal sources (1):
•spices
•fruit or fruit juice
•vegetables or vegetable juice
•edible yeast, herbs, bark, buds, root leaves, or plant material
•dairy products, including fermented products
Research has shown that when “natural” appears on food packaging, people tend to form positive opinions about the product, including how healthy it is (4).
However, since the FDA hasn’t officially defined this term, it can be used to describe almost any type of food (3).
In the case of a natural flavor, the original source must be a plant or animal. By contrast, the original source of an artificial flavor is a synthetic chemical (5).
Importantly, all flavors contain chemicals, whether they are natural or artificial. In fact, every substance in the world, including water, is composed of chemicals.
Natural flavors are complex mixtures created by specially trained food chemists known as flavorists.
However, members of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA), a trade group that evaluates the safety of flavor additives in the United States, have been criticized by nutrition experts and public interest groups for not disclosing safety data on natural flavors (6, 7).
The original source of natural flavors must be plant or animal material. However, natural flavors can be highly processed and contain many chemical additives.
In fact, in some cases natural flavors aren’t much different from artificial flavors in terms of chemical composition and health effects.
From a health and safety standpoint, try to focus on choosing fresh or frozen whole foods whenever possible.
Food manufacturers are only required to list flavors on ingredients lists, not to reveal the original sources or chemical mixtures of these flavors.
To find out where the natural flavors in a food product come from and what chemicals they contain, you can contact the food company by phone or email to ask them directly.
According to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research organization, these mixtures can contain more than 100 different chemicals in addition to their original flavor source, including preservatives, solvents, and other substances (10, 11).
There are hundreds of natural flavors created by food chemists. Here are a few that are commonly found in foods and beverages:
•Amyl acetate. This compound can be distilled from bananas in order to provide banana-like flavor in baked goods.
•Citral. Also known as geranial, citral is extracted from lemongrass, lemon, orange, and pimento. It is used in citrus-flavored beverages and sweets.
•Benzaldehyde. This chemical is extracted from almonds, cinnamon oil, and other ingredients. It is frequently used to give foods an almond flavor and aroma.
•Castoreum. A somewhat surprising and unsettling source, this slightly sweet substance is found in the anal secretions of beavers. It is sometimes used as a substitute for vanilla, although this is rare due to its high cost.
Other natural flavors include:
It may seem healthier to choose foods that contain natural flavors and avoid those with artificial flavors.
However, in terms of chemical composition, the two are remarkably similar. The chemicals in a particular flavor may be naturally derived or synthetic.
In fact, artificial flavors sometimes contain fewer chemicals than natural flavors.
In addition, some advocacy groups, such as the American Council on Science and Health, have argued that artificial flavors are actually safer because they are produced under tightly controlled laboratory conditions (3, 13).
Artificial flavors are also less expensive to produce, which makes them more appealing to food manufacturers.
In addition, people who are vegetarian or vegan may unknowingly be ingesting animal-derived natural flavors in processed foods.
Before natural or artificial flavors can be added to food, they must be evaluated by the FEMA Expert Panel to confirm that they meet safety standards (14).
Results of this evaluation are published and reported to the FDA. If the flavoring meets safety criteria, it can be added to the “Generally Recognized as Safe” list of substances that are exempt from further evaluation by the FDA.
In addition, most natural flavors determined to be safe through this program have also been reviewed by other international regulatory organizations, such as the European Food Safety Authority.
Although some public interest groups have criticized FEMA for not disclosing information on the safety of natural flavors, most of these flavors are considered safe when consumed in moderation (6, 7, 8).
Still, because natural flavor mixtures often contain many different chemicals, some people may experience adverse reactions.
For this reason, it’s very important to be aware of the ingredients in the natural flavors you consume, especially if you have any food allergies or dietary restrictions.
- Franziska Spritzler
5 days ago · 4. Labeling: The final product is simply labeled as "natural flavor." Are Artificial Flavors Bad for You? The Ongoing Debate. While both artificial and natural flavors are heavily processed, artificial flavors are entirely lab-made. The safety of artificial flavors has been questioned due to potential links to allergies and other health ...
Sep 21, 2015 · Artificial flavors are any flavors that are not defined as natural, even if they have the exact same chemical composition as flavors isolated directly from nature [1]. This distinction between the origins of flavors has no bearing on how safe, healthy, or delicious they are.
Aug 28, 2022 · The main difference between artificial and natural flavors is the origin of the flavor chemicals used in the product; the toxicity of artificial flavoring compounds is an area of ongoing research. Rather than eliminating these food additives altogether, it’s best to focus on consuming fresh, minimally processed foods while limiting ...
Mar 20, 2024 · Artificial flavors are the opposite of what you would expect from natural flavors—flavoring extracted from synthetic sources and lab-produced products versus natural elements. In particular, any flavoring used outside of the natural list provided by the FDA would be considered artificial.
Jul 29, 2002 · There is little substantive difference in the chemical compositions of natural and artificial flavorings. They are both made in a laboratory by a trained professional, a "flavorist," who blends...
