What Is Natural Flavors? Safety, Risks & Alternatives

⚡ Quick Facts

FDA StatusFDA-approved under 21 CFR 101.22. The term 'natural flavor' is one of the most common ingredients on US food labels. FDA…
EFSA StatusEU regulates flavoring substances under Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008. The EU maintains a positive list of approved flavo…
SeverityModerate Risk (6/10)

What Is Natural Flavors?

An umbrella term for flavoring substances derived from plant or animal sources, including fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, bark, roots, meat, seafood, dairy, or fermentation products. The FDA defines 'natural flavor' as any substance extracted from a natural source whose primary function is flavoring, not nutrition. A single 'natural flavor' can contain dozens of chemical compounds.

Mechanism of Action

Natural flavors are processed and concentrated versions of flavor compounds found in nature. They may include solvents, preservatives, and other processing aids that do not need to be disclosed. The distinction between 'natural' and 'artificial' flavors is primarily about the source material, not the chemical structure — in many cases, they are chemically identical.

Why People Avoid Natural Flavors

Regulatory Status

🇺🇸 FDA

FDA-approved under 21 CFR 101.22. The term 'natural flavor' is one of the most common ingredients on US food labels. FDA does not require companies to disclose the specific compounds that make up a natural flavor.

🇪🇺 EFSA

EU regulates flavoring substances under Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008. The EU maintains a positive list of approved flavoring substances. Requirements for specificity are stricter than US FDA rules.

Regulatory Timeline

1958 FDA defines 'natural flavor' in the Food Additives Amendment
2018 FDA updates natural flavor definition to clarify that fermentation-derived flavors qualify
2023 Growing consumer demand for ingredient transparency puts pressure on 'natural flavor' opacity

Products Containing Natural Flavors (10 found)

#ProductBrandScore
1Trail MixKirkland1/100
2Kellog's NutriGrain Power-Fuls Soft Baked Oat Bites Chocolate ChipNutrigrain,Kellog's7/100
3FAVORITE DAY BAKERY COOKIES VARIETY PACK, 16 COUNT, 22.4 OZTarget Stores10/100
4Kellog's Nutrigrain Power-Fuls Soft Baked Oat Bites StrawberryNutrigrain,Kellog's10/100
5Livegfree deluxe rice shells & cheeseLiveGfree14/100
6Trail MixKirkland18/100
7MARKET PANTRY, MAYONNAISE DRESSING, EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OILTarget Stores20/100
8TOASTED COCONUT VANILLA LIGHT GREEK NONFAT YOGURT, TOASTED COCONUT VANILLAWal-Mart Stores, Inc.20/100
9FRUIT & GRAIN CEREAL BARSWal-Mart Stores, Inc.20/100
10Cookie Dough Chunk PuffsBuilt24/100

Average safety score for products containing Natural Flavors: 14/100

Safer Alternatives

✅
Real fruit juice
✅
Spices and herbs
✅
Vanilla bean (instead of 'natural vanilla flavor')
✅
Citrus zest

Scientific Sources

  1. FDA (2022). CFR Title 21, Section 101.22 — Foods; Labeling of Spices, Flavorings, Colorings and Chemical Preservatives
  2. EWG (2023). Natural vs. Artificial Flavors: What's the Difference?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Natural Flavors?
An umbrella term for flavoring substances derived from plant or animal sources, including fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, bark, roots, meat, seafood, dairy, or fermentation products. The FDA defines 'natural flavor' as any substance extracted from a natural source whose primary function is flavoring, not nutrition. A single 'natural flavor' can contain dozens of chemical compounds.
Is Natural Flavors safe?
Natural Flavors is FDA-approved under 21 CFR 101.22. The term 'natural flavor' is one of the most common ingredients on. EU regulates flavoring substances under Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008. The EU maintains a positive li.
Where is Natural Flavors banned?
Natural Flavors is not currently banned in any major market according to our database.
What are alternatives to Natural Flavors?
Safer alternatives to Natural Flavors include: Real fruit juice, Spices and herbs, Vanilla bean (instead of 'natural vanilla flavor'), Citrus zest.
How can I avoid Natural Flavors?
Download CheckIt AI and scan any product's barcode or ingredient label. The app will flag Natural Flavors and suggest safer alternatives.
What foods contain Natural Flavors?
Natural Flavors is commonly found in: Virtually every processed food, Beverages, Snacks, Yogurt, Cereal, Supplements. Our database has flagged it in 10 products.
What are the side effects of Natural Flavors?
Concerns about Natural Flavors include: Lack of transparency — companies do not have to disclose what compounds are in 'natural flavors'; Can contain allergens not listed on the main ingredient panel; May contain processing aids like propylene glycol that are not labeled.
Is Natural Flavors natural or artificial?
Natural Flavors is a synthetic (artificial) ingredient. Natural flavors are processed and concentrated versions of flavor compounds found in nature. They may include solvents, .
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Related Ingredients

Compare Natural Flavors

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Red 40 (Allura Red AC)Yellow 5 (Tartrazine)Yellow 6 (Sunset Yellow FCF)AspartameBHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole)BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene)Sodium NitriteCarrageenan 📱 Natural Flavors Scanner App Ingredient Comparisons All Ingredients Ingredients Banned in Europe Scoring Methodology

⚕️ This page provides ingredient information for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional for personalized dietary guidance.

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Ingredient Safety

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Free-From Finder

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Ingredient Comparisons

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📋 Cite This Data
APACheckIt AI. (2026). "What Is Natural Flavors? Safety, Risks & Alternatives | CheckIt AI". Climaverse PBC. Retrieved from https://getcheck.it/ingredients/natural-flavors
MLA"What Is Natural Flavors? Safety, Risks & Alternatives | CheckIt AI." CheckIt AI, Climaverse PBC, 2026-03-05. https://getcheck.it/ingredients/natural-flavors.
HTML Embed<a href="https://getcheck.it/ingredients/natural-flavors">What Is Natural Flavors? Safety, Risks & Alternatives | CheckIt AI — CheckIt AI</a>
BibTeX@misc{checkit2026ingredientsnaturalflavors, title = {What Is Natural Flavors? Safety, Risks & Alternatives | CheckIt AI}, author = {CheckIt AI}, year = {2026}, publisher = {Climaverse PBC}, url = {https://getcheck.it/ingredients/natural-flavors}, note = {Retrieved 2026-03-05} }