Understanding the nuances of flavor labeling is crucial when selecting flavors, as it can directly impact consumer choices. Here's a breakdown of different types of flavors to help you make an informed choice.
Natural Flavors
- Definition: Must contain a natural source of the named material and be an all-natural product.
- Requirement: All flavor materials must be derived from the named ingredient.
- Example: Natural strawberry flavor must have a natural source of strawberry, and all flavor components must come from strawberries.
Natural Flavors WONF (With Other Natural Flavors)
- Definition: Must contain a natural source of the named material but can also include other natural flavor materials.
- Requirement: The additional natural flavors do not necessarily need to be derived from the named material.
- Example: Natural strawberry flavor WONF must include a natural source of strawberry but can also have natural flavor chemicals not specifically derived from strawberries (e.g., natural ethyl butyrate).
Natural Flavors Type
- Definition: Natural flavors that do not contain the named ingredient.
- Example: Natural strawberry-type flavor includes all-natural ingredients but lacks a natural source of strawberry.
Natural & Artificial
- Definition: Must contain a natural source of the named material but can also include artificial flavor materials.
- Example: A product with natural and artificial strawberry flavor may contain a natural source of strawberry but also artificial flavoring components.
Natural & Artificial Type
- Definition: Contains both natural and artificial ingredients but lacks a natural source of the named ingredient.
- Example: A product labeled as natural and artificial strawberry flavor includes both types of flavoring but is not derived from natural strawberries.
Artificial Flavors
- Definition: Predominant flavor is from artificial ingredients.
- Example: An artificial strawberry flavor is primarily composed of artificial components.