To find out where the natural flavors in a food product come from and what chemicals they contain, you can contact the food company by phone or email to ask them directly.
According to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research organization, these mixtures can contain more than 100 different chemicals in addition to their original flavor source, including preservatives, solvents, and other substances (10, 11).
These are defined as “incidental additives” (10, 11).
However, food manufacturers aren’t required to disclose whether these additives come from natural or synthetic sources. As long as the original flavoring source comes from plant or animal material, it’s classified as a natural flavor.
What’s more, because the term “natural” has no official definition, flavors sourced from genetically modified crops can also be labeled as natural