Flavours & fragrances
ncompassing both taste and smell, flavour is at the forefront of the minds of any food developer. It is a powerful factor that drives the purchasing choices made by consumers, and a powerful determinant of brand loyalty. Humans have added flavourings to food since the dawn of time, and herbs and spices have frequently been more valuable commodities than gold, but the definition of what constitutes a flavouring has changed over time.
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Advances in science and technology have created artificial flavourings, now commonplace in an age when people want food that is convenient and lasts longer before spoiling. Flavouring agents are, in fact, the most common food additive and hundreds of varieties are currently in use. Nevertheless, there is an intense and often polarising debate about what kinds should be used. Should we rely on flavourings extracted from naturally occurring plant or animal sources, or is it advantageous to opt for chemically synthesised flavourings?
The first challenge is to define the terms ‘natural’ and ‘artificial’. Flavours extracted directly from naturally occurring sources – often referred to as ‘natural flavours’ – can be identical to chemically synthesised molecules, which are described as ‘nature-made’ or ‘nature-identical’. ‘Artificial’ could also refer to chemicals that do not exist in nature but are synthesised to imitate natural flavours. In any case, there is some ambiguity in the minds of consumers. Regulators attempt to define what is natural, though not what is artificial. In the UK, the Assimilated EU Regulation 1334/2008 defines the rules for flavourings, covering source materials, production methods, purity of the final products and, in some cases, in which food categories individual substances are permitted. In this legislation, the term ‘natural’ can only apply to flavouring substances obtained from vegetable, animal or microbiological origin, either in the raw state or processed using defined traditional food preparation processes. The resulting flavourings should also be naturally present and identified in nature. “In the UK, there is no definition of a synthetic or artificial flavouring,” says Matthew Carpenter, chair of the UK Flavour Association (UKFA). “It is not a legal term, so will not appear on the ingredients list. Flavourings are just listed as ‘flavourings’ or a more specific term such as one of the natural terms, or a specific extract.”
In the US, the term ‘natural flavour’ is defined under regulation 21 CFR 101.22 as being derived from natural raw materials, including plant, animal and microbiological sources, with no artificial constituents. Notably, even flavours obtained from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are considered natural. The EU, unlike the US, restricts
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manufacturing methods, excluding the use of synthetic and inorganic catalysts. “Ultimately, natural flavours are those obtained from natural products such as plants, while synthetic flavours are those synthesised from chemicals,” says food researcher Ahmed Olatunde of the Department of Medical Biochemistry at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University. “A natural compound can be synthesised in a lab and still be natural. So, a substance can have the same chemical composition and still be called natural.”
Do consumers care?
The rapid growth in the natural flavourings market suggests it is clear that the term ‘natural’ grabs customers’ attention. By some estimates, the global market reached $6.4bn in 2022 and could exceed $17bn by 2034. Part of this growth is due to the perceived health benefits of consuming food containing natural flavours, as consumers become more aware of the ingredients and additives they consume, and better understand the importance of diet as a component of a healthy lifestyle. ‘Natural’ and ‘healthy’ seem to thus be inextricably linked. “The choice of whether to use natural flavourings or not is largely down to the requirements of the food manufacturer,” says Carpenter. “Whilst taste is the key driver, aspects such as budget, marketing and sustainability can also be of influence.” “Naturally sourced ingredients are increasingly more sought after by consumers,” he remarks. “There is a perception that they are safer and this is often exacerbated by marketing claims on the front of packs or in advertising. Historical issues surrounding some additives or colours have made consumers more informed and questioning about what they consume, so it is understandable that flavourings would be subject to the same scrutiny. Happily, there are no concerns that consumers need to be aware of.” Carpenter highlights a vital issue – the balance between food safety, consumer preference, cost and sustainability. Food manufacturers have to find some equilibrium between all of these factors, while recognising that natural and artificial flavours each bring their own pros and cons.
“Natural sources can be subject to seasonal availability and price fluctuations dependent on harvest yields,” he notes. “The levels of flavour components can also vary with the terrain, climate or storage, providing a challenge to flavourists to maintain consistency. There can also be a disadvantage over food miles if sustainability is a concern, although extraction at source can help mitigate this. Land use and deforestation are also factors.
“Man-made flavourings are able to recreate these flavours, often at a lower cost and also without concerns over contamination or pesticide residues,”
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