The Truth About "Natural Flavouring Substances" in Snacks
A curious foodie who can't stop flipping ingredients labels and assessing wait, whats that? OG Scoop decodes the science behind every food in plain, snackable English with OG Twist.
Does your snacks contain “Natural Flavouring Substances” on label? If yes, and you don’t know what that actually is, don’t worry you are not alone!
The OG Scoop is here to reveal these subtle details and hidden truths from the labels, helping you become more aware of what you're really eating so you can make better choices every day!
In this blog, let's explore what "Natural flavours" are, deep dive on a popular brand, and understand why brands use them. As always, we'll explain it in plain and simple English, but with an OG Twist!
What are Natural flavouring substances & Why Brands use it?
Flavoring substances aren't just one ingredient; they're a category that comes from natural raw materials. These materials are extracted and processed, then added only for flavor, not for nutrition.
To explain why brands use them, imagine you're creating a cocoa-flavored protein bar with 12-15 grams of protein and you want it to be something people enjoy eating repeatedly. You would ideally:
1. Eliminate the chalky protein taste.
2. Tone down the sharp cocoa flavor.
3. Perfect the flavor without adding too much sugar.
To achieve this, you might add vanilla extract, which is expensive and often inconsistent, resulting in each bar tasting different every week.
Here's an easy solution from the lab: Add a flavoring substance that could contain 15-30 aroma ingredients sourced from natural materials.
Natural flavouring substances are like noise cancellations for packaged foods!
Then why don’t brands list the real ingredients instead of just “Natural substances”?
Most natural flavouring substances contain over 10 natural ingredients, making it hard to list them all on the label. However, the main reason brands don't include them is because of trade secrets.
Brands don't want competitors to reverse engineer and replicate the same taste. It's that simple!
Let us look at Cadbury Bournville’s label:
As I mentioned above, cocoa is naturally bitter and its taste can vary greatly depending on its origin and type of roast. So, Bournville adds "Natural Flavouring Substances," like vanilla extract, to reduce bitterness and maintain a consistent taste.
The OG Recommendation
Natural substances are safe, but consumers deserve more clarity than just a vague term. Choose brands that clearly list their ingredients, for example: Cocoa > Chocolate flavor, Vanilla > Natural flavoring substance, etc.
Next time you spot a “Natural Flavoring” substance on the food label, ask why its there and if there’s a substitute with explicit ingredients, prefer that!
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