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Artificial versus Natural Flavors
Dec. 12th, 2008 01:18 pmOften we see under the ingredients on the food labels “natural flavors” and/ or “artificial flavors.” This is a legal way that companies that produce consumables can try to keep their formulas secret because they don’t have to write what’s in the flavors(FDA 2008). Most people do not know what constitutes a natural flavor or an artificial flavor. The definitions have become so blurred that people tend to come up with their own ideas regarding the facts. One of these ideas is that natural flavors are more organic and healthy, as opposed to the “dirty” artificial flavors. This, however, is not typically the case.
According to the Code of Federal Regulations from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (1998)the term “natural flavors” actually means:
“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.”
The artificial counterpart to this definition is simply any flavor (not nutrition) not derived from the above (FDA 1998). This means that the difference between natural and artificial flavors is actually the way in which they are derived, not the composition.
Gary Reineccius explains that artificial and natural flavors are a lot like apples. He presents the following analogy, paraphrased: a natural flavor is like buying an apple from the supermarket on the corner. An artificial flavor is like buying that same apple, except at a gas station (2002). In truth, natural and artificial flavors are made of the same basic chemical composition, because it would not be possible to arrive at a specific taste found in nature without using the same chemicals. The only difference in the composition is the ability for the chemist creating the artificial flavor to omit the poisons found in some natural flavor chemicals (2002). Because of this, there is really a negligible amount of difference between natural and an artificial flavoring as far as nutrition goes, because they are the same basic thing.
As far as the methods used to derive the flavorings go, there are huge differences. An artificial flavor is synthesized in a lab from the base chemicals, elements, and compounds (Reineccius 2002). Imagine trying to create salt. A chemist would manually take sodium and combine it with chlorine to create it. Of course it is far more complicated than that, but it makes for an understandable analogy. Natural flavors are sought out of nature itself. The flavors are harvested from their natural source and then isolated and injected into the subject that is being flavored (Reineccius 2002). Imagine harvesters going to the ocean and simply extracting the salt directly.
In many cases in order to get the chemicals for natural flavors, the source is stripped directly. For coconut flavoring, for example, the Massoya tree is completely stripped of its bark in order for the chemical to be extracted. Of course this kills the tree (Reineccius 2002). Many products including coconut oil, confectioner’s coconut shavings (in several different types of grain), and toppings are derived from these flavorings (Heath 1981). This process is also more costly for companies because of the travel (in some cases) the extra resources used and the extra man power (in some cases) needed to achieve the extractions. The main reason companies choose to go through all of those lengths despite seemingly little if any true difference between the two flavoring types is because people are willing to spend more money on “natural” products without researching what that truly means in all cases.
Although there is no way that food and drinks will ever be completely safe, artificial flavors are said to be safer than their natural counterparts (Heath 1981). As mentioned above, nature does not filter poisons out of her compositions, whereas man, in a lab, can, and does in the case of artificial flavors (Reineccius 2002). The downside to filtering is that traces of substance are lost, substances that may be good for people. Artificial flavors are created using the same chemicals nature uses to create the flavors, but nature also throws in a few extra chemicals which do not add to the flavor aspects, and so chemists leave those out of their mix (Haas & Levin 2006).
There are pros and cons to both natural and artificial flavors. Natural flavors are indeed natural, in that they come directly from Mother Nature herself. They contain extra chemicals that people do not get from the artificial flavors. Artificial flavors are safer because chemists omit poisons that are not removed in nature. They are cheaper to produce and are basically the same thing as artificial flavors as far as composition is concerned.
On the flip side, natural flavors are harmful to the environment in some extreme cases. They cause the harvest (and possibly over-harvest) of natural resources. It is more costly than the process used for acquiring natural flavors and there are often trace poisons in the chemicals extracted. Artificial flavors often leave out certain chemicals which the chemists say are not related to taste and people lose out on the extra nutritional stimulation. Also, the artificial flavors are not as marketable as the natural flavors.
There is little true difference in the composition of the two kinds of flavoring, but there are enormous differences in the methods used to extract these flavors in order to put them into foods and drinks and any other ingestibles. It is up to the public to decide which they prefer, but it is important that they realize what it is that they are paying for.
Works Cited:
Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (1998). Food and drugs (food labeling: specific food labeling requirements). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (2008). A Food labeling guide: chapter VI. ingredient list (contains nonbinding recommendations). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Haas, Elson M., & Levin, Buck. (2006). Staying healthy with nutrition. Berkeley: Celestial Arts.
Heath, Henry B. (1981). The Source book of flavors. New York: Springer.
Reineccius, Gary. (2002). What is the difference between artificial and natural flavors? Scientific American. Retrieved October 17, 2008 from http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=what-is-the-difference-be-2002-07-29.
According to the Code of Federal Regulations from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (1998)the term “natural flavors” actually means:
“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.”
The artificial counterpart to this definition is simply any flavor (not nutrition) not derived from the above (FDA 1998). This means that the difference between natural and artificial flavors is actually the way in which they are derived, not the composition.
Gary Reineccius explains that artificial and natural flavors are a lot like apples. He presents the following analogy, paraphrased: a natural flavor is like buying an apple from the supermarket on the corner. An artificial flavor is like buying that same apple, except at a gas station (2002). In truth, natural and artificial flavors are made of the same basic chemical composition, because it would not be possible to arrive at a specific taste found in nature without using the same chemicals. The only difference in the composition is the ability for the chemist creating the artificial flavor to omit the poisons found in some natural flavor chemicals (2002). Because of this, there is really a negligible amount of difference between natural and an artificial flavoring as far as nutrition goes, because they are the same basic thing.
As far as the methods used to derive the flavorings go, there are huge differences. An artificial flavor is synthesized in a lab from the base chemicals, elements, and compounds (Reineccius 2002). Imagine trying to create salt. A chemist would manually take sodium and combine it with chlorine to create it. Of course it is far more complicated than that, but it makes for an understandable analogy. Natural flavors are sought out of nature itself. The flavors are harvested from their natural source and then isolated and injected into the subject that is being flavored (Reineccius 2002). Imagine harvesters going to the ocean and simply extracting the salt directly.
In many cases in order to get the chemicals for natural flavors, the source is stripped directly. For coconut flavoring, for example, the Massoya tree is completely stripped of its bark in order for the chemical to be extracted. Of course this kills the tree (Reineccius 2002). Many products including coconut oil, confectioner’s coconut shavings (in several different types of grain), and toppings are derived from these flavorings (Heath 1981). This process is also more costly for companies because of the travel (in some cases) the extra resources used and the extra man power (in some cases) needed to achieve the extractions. The main reason companies choose to go through all of those lengths despite seemingly little if any true difference between the two flavoring types is because people are willing to spend more money on “natural” products without researching what that truly means in all cases.
Although there is no way that food and drinks will ever be completely safe, artificial flavors are said to be safer than their natural counterparts (Heath 1981). As mentioned above, nature does not filter poisons out of her compositions, whereas man, in a lab, can, and does in the case of artificial flavors (Reineccius 2002). The downside to filtering is that traces of substance are lost, substances that may be good for people. Artificial flavors are created using the same chemicals nature uses to create the flavors, but nature also throws in a few extra chemicals which do not add to the flavor aspects, and so chemists leave those out of their mix (Haas & Levin 2006).
There are pros and cons to both natural and artificial flavors. Natural flavors are indeed natural, in that they come directly from Mother Nature herself. They contain extra chemicals that people do not get from the artificial flavors. Artificial flavors are safer because chemists omit poisons that are not removed in nature. They are cheaper to produce and are basically the same thing as artificial flavors as far as composition is concerned.
On the flip side, natural flavors are harmful to the environment in some extreme cases. They cause the harvest (and possibly over-harvest) of natural resources. It is more costly than the process used for acquiring natural flavors and there are often trace poisons in the chemicals extracted. Artificial flavors often leave out certain chemicals which the chemists say are not related to taste and people lose out on the extra nutritional stimulation. Also, the artificial flavors are not as marketable as the natural flavors.
There is little true difference in the composition of the two kinds of flavoring, but there are enormous differences in the methods used to extract these flavors in order to put them into foods and drinks and any other ingestibles. It is up to the public to decide which they prefer, but it is important that they realize what it is that they are paying for.
Works Cited:
Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (1998). Food and drugs (food labeling: specific food labeling requirements). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (2008). A Food labeling guide: chapter VI. ingredient list (contains nonbinding recommendations). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Haas, Elson M., & Levin, Buck. (2006). Staying healthy with nutrition. Berkeley: Celestial Arts.
Heath, Henry B. (1981). The Source book of flavors. New York: Springer.
Reineccius, Gary. (2002). What is the difference between artificial and natural flavors? Scientific American. Retrieved October 17, 2008 from http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=what-is-the-difference-be-2002-07-29.
