What exactly is meant by “natural flavors” on product ingredient lists? We asked some experts for insight.
Wright states that, to create natural flavors, her team samples actual passionfruit to identify its molecular fingerprint. They then search for other sources which match this fingerprint in terms of molecular composition.
Flavor
The FDA defines natural flavors as any essence or extract extracted from fruits, vegetables, spices, meats, poultry, fish, crustaceans eggs dairy products or fermentation products thereof. Food and beverage manufacturers do not have to label the contents of natural flavors containing one of the eight (soon to be nine) allergens, including milk egg soy peanut tree nut wheat or shellfish allergens.
However, it can still be difficult to distinguish what makes up a “natural flavor.” Citral from oranges or benzaldehyde from almonds could all contribute, or something completely unexpected like castoreum secreted from glands in a beaver’s anal area could also play a part.
Product developers sometimes opt for natural or FTNF flavors over more complex synthetic taste systems because they’re simpler and often cheaper, although if their product contains allergens or non-natural ingredients like chemicals that aren’t an essential oil or extract they must still include a disclaimer as part of their packaging.
Aroma
Food manufacturers who label a product as natural indicate that it contains ingredients found in nature for its flavoring. Though this sounds straightforward, there can be numerous complexities at play when labeling something as “natural.” For instance, the FDA defines natural flavors to include any that come from fruits, spices, herbs, bark leaves berries roots seeds seeds or flowers (source).
Not all organic ingredients are necessarily defined as such – in fact, most aren’t; what sets these apart is being extracted directly from whole plant extracts rather than manufactured synthetically in a lab.
Key to creating an exceptional fruit flavor is harnessing volatile compounds with their distinctive aroma compounds, distinguishing natural fruit flavors from vanilla extract or essential oil flavors. Natural flavors can be used to add variety and enhance any liquid, baked good or candy without artificial colors, preservatives or calories being added – ideal for vegan diets!
Acidity
Our tongue can detect flavors like sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami (savory). Fruits each possess their own levels of acidity that contribute to their distinct tastes; finding the balance between their acidity level and sugar content is key in creating their overall taste.
Not only are natural flavors available as food additives; there are other forms of flavor enhancers as well. Extracts, oils and essences derived from fruits, vegetables and spices often fall under FEMA GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) certification standards.
Food manufacturers are not required to list the contents of “natural flavors.” Instead, they must identify whether a certain ingredient contains one of the top 10 allergens such as milk, egg, fish shellfish wheat peanuts tree nuts soy. Therefore it’s essential that you read labels thoroughly. Your eating and drinking habits may also have an impact on how much acid comes into contact with your teeth; holding or swirling beverages or foods increases their exposure time which increases risk for dental erosion.
Nutrition
Natural flavors are generally created from ingredients found in nature such as fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices; animal foods including meat and dairy; or the products extracted using chemical extraction techniques to produce flavor compounds.
These compounds are then combined with other chemicals in industrial manufacturing to form the final food product, using various processing aids like solvents, carriers and emulsifiers for flavor production, storage and consistency purposes. Natural flavors may also be considered “nature-identical”, provided their ingredients have been previously approved by the FDA as safe (FEMA GRAS).
Natural flavors don’t seem to cause any health concerns for most people, though severe allergies or specific dietary preferences should always be checked before eating any product that contains natural flavors that could pose risks.
