Don't Be Fooled by So-Called Natural Flavorings

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Most shoppers assume that when a food product is labeled “natural,” it is free from unwanted chemicals or hidden ingredients not listed on the label. Unfortunately, that is not the case in the USA, even when the term refers to natural flavorings. This article was prepared, in part, with inspiration and information from Feingold.org.

What is “natural flavor” exactly? Are natural flavors really better than artificial flavors? The simple fact that McDonald’s indicates its “natural beef flavor” found in their French fries is derived from wheat and milk should make you wonder.

Comparing natural and artificial flavors

What are the negatives of natural flavors?

Natural flavor mixtures can contain more than 100 chemicals, including solvents, emulsifiers, flavor enhancers, and preservatives. In fact, some natural flavors, classified as safe, are made of more than 90% other substances used to enhance the flavor being created.

Are natural flavors artificial?

Natural flavors are artificial in the sense that they aren’t created only from the foods they’re supposed to replicate (like bananas in banana bread) Rather, they are mixed with other products to create the desired taste. Artificial flavors, however, are made completely from chemicals.

Confused? Read on (it doesn’t get better)

We don’t know what’s in artificial flavors, nor does the FDA, since manufacturers are not required to disclose this information. They can be composed of dozens of miscellaneous chemicals but they usually use some form of petroleum.

Imitation vanilla (under the very similar name of “vanillin”) is a very common synthetic flavoring listed by name. For many years, it was made from sulfite liquor — the waste product of pulp mills. Today, artificial vanilla is made from petroleum products.

A consumer wrote to the Feingold organization, “My local supermarket carries a large selection of Happy Home Flavorings. One particular bottle stood out—their “Natural Orange,” a Day-Glo color. Here are the ingredients: natural flavor, water, propylene glycol, phosphoric acid, sodium benzoate, ester gum, sugar, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, and FD&C Red #40. Not the ingredients for a ‘Happy Home!’”

People with food sensitivities or allergies or who follow special diets should use caution when consuming them. For example, Some people mistakenly believe they are allergic to chocolate when, in fact, the real culprit is artificial vanilla (aka – vanillin)!

The Science of Flavoring

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines “natural flavors“ as chemical flavor compounds extracted directly from plants, animals, or plant and animal products as found in nature. Artificial flavors are then those not extracted from nature but rather re-produced in the lab.

These so-called “natural flavors” make their way into all kinds of foods many of us or our families eat every day. From naturally flavored coffee and creamer to tiny muffins tucked into kids’ lunchboxes, these flavors are being added to foods to enhance the flavor, not provide any nutritional value.

Sobering details from the FDA

The FDA defines a natural flavor as “ 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.”

A list of no less than 160 plant-derived extractives or natural essences can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, but unfortunately, this can also include plants that are genetically modified organisms (GMO).

Chemicals “flavorists” use

It’s generally assumed that “natural“ is better, but the science of flavoring is so advanced that many artificial flavors actually have the exact same chemical structure as the naturally occurring ones. Flavors are often not one chemical but a combination of chemicals.

The scientists working in this area, “Flavorists,” may use several natural chemicals or several artificial chemicals to create a flavor for a food—or may even use both natural and artificial chemicals.

Take a look at the chemicals:

These flavor mixtures often include: amyl acetate, amyl butyrate, amyl valerate, ethyl butyrate, various aliphatic acid ester, ethyl acetate, ethyl valerate, ethyl isovalerate, ethyl pelargonate, vanillin, lemon essential oil, citral, citronellal, rose absolute, geraninol, orange essential oil, geranium essential oil, aldehyde C10, ethyl heptanoate, acetaldehyde, aldehydes C14 and C16, styralyl acetate, dimethyl benzyl carbinyl acetate, benzyl formate, phenyl ethyl isobutyrate, cinnamyl isovalerate, anise essential oil, esters of colophony and benzaldehyde and may contain terpenyl isovalerate, isopropyl isovalerate, citronellyl isovalerate, geranyl isovalerate, benzyl isovalerate, cinnamyl formate, isopropyl valerate, butyl valerate, methyl allyl butyrate and potentially the synthetic ingredients cyclohexyl acetate, allyl butyrate, allyl cyclohexylvalerate, allyl isovalerate and cyclohexyl butyrate.

What’s the solution for consumers?

Look for foods without added “flavor,” whether natural or artificial
Buy organic to ensure it won’t have undesirable chemicals added
Join the Feingold organization, which investigates food ingredients and issues updated reports on which foods are safe
Purchase simple foods with few ingredients
And, of course, make your own foods when feasible