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.
According to 2023 research, natural flavors stem from substances that you extract from plant or animal sources.
- spices
- fruit or fruit juice
- vegetables or vegetable juice
- edible yeast, herbs, bark, buds, root leaves, or plant material
- dairy products, including fermented products
- meat, poultry, or seafood
- eggs
Manufacturers can obtain these flavors by heating or roasting the animal or plant material.
Additionally, manufacturers are increasingly utilizing enzymes to extract flavor compounds from plant sources, thereby helping to meet the demand for natural flavors.
Natural flavors are meant to enhance flavor, not necessarily to contribute nutritional value to a food or beverage. These flavorings are extremely common in foods and beverages.
Research has shown that when “natural” appears on food packaging, people tend to form positive opinions about the product, including its perceived healthiness.
However, since the FDA hasn’t officially defined this term, it can describe almost any type of food.
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.
Importantly, all flavors contain chemicals, whether they are natural or artificial. In fact, every substance in the world, including water, consists 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, receive criticism from nutrition experts and public interest groups for not disclosing safety data on natural flavors.
In most cases, natural flavors are safe for human consumption when present in processed foods.
However, given the number of chemicals that may be part of a natural flavor mixture, adverse reactions may be possible.
For people who have food allergies or follow special diets, it’s very important to investigate what substances a natural flavoring contains.
If you have allergies and want to dine out, ask for ingredient lists. Although restaurants aren’t legally required to provide this information, many do so to attract and retain customers.
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 ingredient lists, not to reveal the original sources or chemical mixtures of these flavors.
To determine the origin of natural flavors in a food product and identify the chemicals they contain, you can contact the food company directly by phone or email to ask them.
The term “natural” has no official definition; flavors sourced from genetically modified crops can also be natural.
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 comes from distilled bananas in order to provide a banana-like flavor in baked goods.
- Citral: Also known as geraniol, citral comes from lemongrass, lemon, orange, and pimento. It is in citrus-flavored beverages and sweets.
- Benzaldehyde: This chemical comes from almonds, cinnamon oil, and other ingredients. It is frequently used to impart an almond flavor and aroma to foods.
- 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:
- Linden ether: Honey flavor.
- Massoia lactone: Coconut flavor.
- Acetoin: Butter flavor.
You may also have noticed that most ingredient labels indicate that the food involves both natural and artificial flavors.
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.
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.
Overall, natural flavors don’t appear to be any healthier than artificial flavors.
Yes, natural flavors are safe to consume.
Natural flavors can include a wide variety of chemicals, including enhancers, preservatives, and emulsifiers.
Natural flavors tend to mean the flavor comes from plants or animal sources, rather than chemically made.
Natural flavors are flavoring agents that food manufacturers add to their products to enhance the taste. However, the term “natural” can describe almost any type of food, since there is no definition provided by the FDA.
All flavors contain chemicals, and they have a similar effect on health and chemical composition. When choosing foods, opting for fresh or frozen whole foods is always the best option.