Image Source: Isagenix Health
There are certain substances that are natural that are obtained from "plant or animal raw materials" and are extracted by "physical, microbiological, or enzymatic processes"(1). The FDA Code of Federal Regulations states that "flavoring constituents derived from [foods]… whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional [having a nutritional value]" may be called natural flavors(2). As well, they can't be "obtained by synthesis or isolated through chemical processes" - those are "nature-identical"(1). Artificial flavors typically come from petroleum(1,2) [not a food-intended natural substance!], with "fractional distillation and additional chemical manipulation(1). Artificial flavors' adverse health effects were touched on by our sister blog, Rainbows of Autism, in (link following:) "Toxic Substances: Artificial Flavors and Other Additives."
Transparency on ingredients labels is definitely good. However, when "d-limonene is one of many natural volatile compounds that make citrus taste like citrus... 3-methylbutanal, 3-methyl-l-butanol, and geranial are compounds that make tomato taste like tomato," and "[a]fter completing a university education, certified flavor chemists must spend seven years in apprenticeship to learn the art and science behind flavors", the hundreds of natural flavors extracted from naturally-occurring plant and animal materials will not be able to be on an ingredients label while being recognizable as a harmful substance or no(2).
NOTE: there will be a possible unpleasant-to-mention caveat or two about natural flavors. Castoreum, a natural substance with at least 24 known compounds making it up, is obtained from anal-area castor sacs part of the scenting process of North American or European beavers. It isn't used so much, however, in food - about 300 pounds at a certain point annually(3).
Sources:
1. Wikipedia contributors. "Flavor." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 11 March 2020. Web. 27 April 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flavor.
2. "What are 'Natural Flavors'?" Isagenix Health. Isagenix Worldwide, Inc., 24 March 2020. Web. 27 April 2020. https://www.isagenixhealth.net/what-are-natural-flavors-2/.
3. Wikipedia contributors. "Castoreum." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 21 Mar. 2020. Web. 27 April 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castoreum.
Transparency on ingredients labels is definitely good. However, when "d-limonene is one of many natural volatile compounds that make citrus taste like citrus... 3-methylbutanal, 3-methyl-l-butanol, and geranial are compounds that make tomato taste like tomato," and "[a]fter completing a university education, certified flavor chemists must spend seven years in apprenticeship to learn the art and science behind flavors", the hundreds of natural flavors extracted from naturally-occurring plant and animal materials will not be able to be on an ingredients label while being recognizable as a harmful substance or no(2).
NOTE: there will be a possible unpleasant-to-mention caveat or two about natural flavors. Castoreum, a natural substance with at least 24 known compounds making it up, is obtained from anal-area castor sacs part of the scenting process of North American or European beavers. It isn't used so much, however, in food - about 300 pounds at a certain point annually(3).
Sources:
1. Wikipedia contributors. "Flavor." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 11 March 2020. Web. 27 April 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flavor.
2. "What are 'Natural Flavors'?" Isagenix Health. Isagenix Worldwide, Inc., 24 March 2020. Web. 27 April 2020. https://www.isagenixhealth.net/what-are-natural-flavors-2/.
3. Wikipedia contributors. "Castoreum." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 21 Mar. 2020. Web. 27 April 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castoreum.
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