These affiliations support our work and allow us to continue bringing you valuable, life-changing content. Advertisement. In support of our educational mission, we sometimes share resources offered by trusted partners. In other words, if there’s money to be made, then there are loopholes that can make it okay for a company to let that influence their decision — regardless of any possible dangers to public health. Best known for its use as a natural lemon flavoring, citral is a skin and mucous membrane irritant. The main difference is “natural flavors” come from plant or animal sources and “artificial flavors” mimic the same chemical structure but are created in a lab. At Food Revolution Network (FRN), our mission is healthy, ethical, sustainable food for all. Creating these substances is big business. Our commitment to creating clean label products is based on partnering with local farmers and suppliers who share our values on working towards a sustainable future. These ingredients can actually bypass any FDA safety reviews. Studies show that it doesn’t necessarily have bad health effects when consumed in low amounts. Apples and blueberries and sweet potatoes might start tasting amazing. There are some differences between the natural flavor ingredients in the United States and those used in the European Union. Castoreum is an anal secretion beavers use to mark their territories, that also happens to smell like vanilla. Many flavor additives could be dangerous for people with food allergies, too. The result is a poor substitute for real food, but these practices can be profitable, and most consumers will be fooled. Meanwhile, there are some that are sources of concern based on what we do know. Here are our full terms & conditions. For example, a piece of ripe fruit can taste amazing. Organic natural flavors cannot contain the additives propylene glycol, polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, mono- and di-glycerides, benzoic acid, polysorbate 80, medium-chain triglycerides, BHT, BHA, or triacetin. Commercially known as a common natural berry flavoring, this one has been shown to cause phototoxicity in some people. Despite the fact that “natural flavors” are comprised of just about anything used for flavor, they are all lumped together under one name. Our extensive library of USDA certified and certifiable organic flavors lead the industry in both range and quality. For instance, use real herbs and spices — and real extracts. The options are as limitless as your imagination. The official FDA definition of a natural flavor 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.”.