What Are Natural Flavors?

Oi, what are Natural Flavors?  I don't know, but they are not always so very natural!  Here is a link to Today Food, a branch of NBC News that explains natural flavors.  Is it still confusing after reading that article?  Then let us go a little deeper, but not too deep; otherwise I might not be able to follow my own blog post.  You can check out Wickipedia that may further your understanding, or not.

One confusion is that you will see both artificial flavors and natural flavors listed on conventional processed food labels, but you will also see natural flavors listed on All Natural and Organic food labels?!?!!?  The only difference is that in All Natural foods the base that the Natural Flavor is mixed in has to be from a natural source (the flavor itself is probably not natural), and in Organic foods the base that the Natural Flavor is mixed in and the method of extraction must be organic (the actual flavor itself is probably not organic or natural.).  Natural Flavors are allowed in 'All Natural' and 'Organic' foods, so beware and read your labels!

According to the US Code of Federal Regulations*, a natural flavor or flavoring is:

…the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.

Here is what I do know.  Natural flavors are created by scientists called flavorists that produce these flavors in laboratories (not kitchens) using natural and chemical compounds.  The reason these flavors are lumped into one ingredient called natural flavors is because there are too many ingredients to list, and even if they were listed we would not know what they are.  If you want true blueberry flavor then purchase an item with blueberry listed as the ingredient instead of natural or artificial blueberry flavor!

Photo from sott.net

Both natural and artificial flavors are created in the same factories and most artificial flavors are made from petroleum products/byproducts, so cross contamination is possible.

Some artificial flavors are safer than their natural counterparts. Benzaldehyde is almond flavor, and when derived from nature, traces of hydrogen cyanide--a deadly poison--can be found in it.  Also, Vanillan, artificial vanilla, can cause allergic reactions. It can limit the liver enzyme dopamine sulphotransferase by 50%. Its sources are the waste product of paper mills and petroleum. It can be very difficult to know which is better: artificial or natural. It is hard to find a list of all flavorings to research them all. It is thus best to avoid flavorings in general. (yahoo)  Yikes!!!

For some more information here is a great article from Natural News.

Vegetarians Beware: Natural Flavors can be derived from meat, seafood, poultry, eggs and dairy products.  If you are not purchasing an approved vegetarian product but just 'think' it is vegetarian from reading the ingredient label and Natural Flavors is in the ingredient list you may be eating animal byproduct!

I was unable to find a list of natural flavors :(  So I guess the long and short of it is that natural flavors are not so natural after all, but rather just made to taste 'natural'!  And not necessarily organic either.  Read labels and put it back if you are unsure to what you are purchasing.  I know for a fact that many options are out there without natural flavors in them, you just have to be willing to read a lot of labels to find the brand you are comfortable eating!



*In order to read the regulations for flavorings – you need to go to the US CFR site, and search for the term “natural flavor”. The first document returned will have the appropriate information.