How exactly do you know what's in the "natural flavor"?

Question

Whenever I'm reading the ingredients, natural flavor always bothers me so much since it can be so many things. It can be beef, soy, wheat, etc. and as a vegetarian I have no way of knowing unless I take the time to call up the company which would be hard to do since it seems so many products have that listed as an ingredient.

When things such as fries or cheese sticks has natural flavor added to them, I usually stay away since the chances of meat additives being in those foods is pretty high, but what am I suppose to do when I want to eat a cookie and the unknown natural flavor is in it?

Answer 1

unfortunately, the only way you can tell what (Natural Flavor's ) are, is to contact the Company that made it.  But I will tell you, that most meats in product have to be listed.  If you read the labels, the first ingredient is what is mostly in the product, followed down to the last.

Answer 2

Frankly, I think that there are several companies that have excellent reputations in the Natural Foods Industry such as Nature's Path, Cascadian Farm, Walnut Acres, Nasoya, Amy's, White Wave, Eden Foods, Knudsen, San-J. They are committed to vegan/vegetarian foods. If you have any question about ingedients in any of their products they will give you a straight answer. When it comes to any of the mainsteam food companies  there you will have more of a problem. But then, I avoid them at all costs anyway.

Answer 3

Either take the time to call or e-mail the company or buy foods labeled as vegetarian/vegan certified.

Answer 4

sorry to tell you this but I was a product developer for a very large food company for 25 years.  Over the years "natural flavor" has become more and more corrupt.  Every flavor company now has almost it's whole line "natural" because the food companies will settle for nothing less.  But the definition has been stretched beyond all recognition.  Almost everything is natural (actually you won't find much artificial flavor labeled anymore).  

What's worse for you is that even if you call the companies they won't or can't tell you what's in the natural flavor.  Won't because it's proprietary and can't because often what they buy from the flavor companies is proprietary to the flavor companies and won't tell them what's exactly in the flavor.  

Now if all you want to know is whether the flavor contain a meat based derivative you may be able to get that information.  But they won't tell you what's in it.  I couldn't even find out when I was using the flavor companies product.

This is also the reason I don't believe much in the "natural" or "organic" foods.

PhD  Food Chemistry and Nutrition