Flavoring (flavouring)
A product added to food to give or change its smell and taste. It is made of flavoring components and, usually, solvents or carriers that are not flavorings themselves.
Flavor categories
Flavoring substance
A single, chemically defined compound with flavoring properties, for example vanillin or ethyl butyrate.
Natural flavoring substance
A flavoring substance obtained from plant, animal or microbial material by physical, enzymatic or microbiological processes, and that is found in nature.
Nature-identical substance
A synthetic substance chemically identical to one found in nature. The term is no longer used in the EU, and in the US such substances count as artificial.
Artificial (synthetic) flavor
Any flavoring that is not from a natural source. In the US it triggers “artificial” or “artificially flavored” labeling.
Flavoring preparation
An extract, distillate or other product with flavoring properties obtained from natural raw materials, for example a vanilla extract or an essential oil (EU term).
Thermal process flavoring
A flavoring made by heating a mixture of ingredients, such as an amino acid and a sugar, under controlled conditions (Maillard reaction).
Smoke flavoring
A flavoring made by condensing and purifying smoke from untreated wood. In the EU each primary product needs its own authorisation.
Flavor precursor
An ingredient with no flavor of its own that produces flavor when the food is processed, for example certain sugars or amino acids.
Flavor with modifying properties FMP
A substance that changes the perception of taste or smell, such as a sweetness or saltiness enhancer, without adding its own strong flavor.
Flavor enhancer
A food additive that strengthens existing taste or smell, for example monosodium glutamate. Regulated as an additive, not as a flavoring.
Compounded flavor
A blend of flavoring substances and preparations built to a formula by a flavorist.
Seasoning
A blend of spices, herbs, salt and other ingredients added for taste. Seasonings are foods, not flavorings, but may contain flavorings.
Labeling
Natural flavor
US: flavoring whose components come only from natural sources such as a spice, fruit, vegetable, herb, meat or dairy product (21 CFR 101.22(a)(3)).
From the named food FTNF
A natural flavor whose flavoring comes entirely from the food named, for example a lemon flavor made only from lemon.
With other natural flavors WONF
A natural flavor partly from the named food and partly from other natural sources that reinforce it. Named “natural X flavor with other natural flavors”.
Type flavor
A flavor built to taste like a named food without any component from that food. It cannot be called “natural X flavor”.
Characterizing flavor
The flavor a product name or picture promises, such as the strawberry in “strawberry yogurt”. It decides how the flavor must be named.
Non-flavoring ingredients
Solvents, carriers, emulsifiers, preservatives and other ingredients in a flavor that do not provide flavor. They are declared by name in descending order.
Carrier
A substance used to dissolve, dilute or disperse a flavor without changing its function, for example propylene glycol, ethanol or maltodextrin.
Carry-over
An additive in an ingredient that has no function in the finished food. It may be exempt from the finished-food label.
Major food allergens
US: milk, egg, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, soybeans and sesame. The EU list has 14 groups, including celery, mustard, lupin, molluscs and sulphites.
Clean label
A marketing idea, not a legal term: short ingredient lists with familiar names. It has no regulatory definition.
Kosher / Halal
Religious dietary certifications. For flavors they depend on the source of ethanol, glycerin, animal-derived materials and on processing equipment.
Natural raw materials
Natural raw material
Plant, animal or microbial material used as the source of a flavoring, used as it is or after simple processing.
Natural complex substance NCS
A natural material made of many components in variable proportions, such as an essential oil or an extract.
Essential oil
The volatile oil obtained from a plant by distillation, or from citrus peel by expression.
Oleoresin
A solvent extract of a spice that keeps both the essential oil and the non-volatile taste compounds, for example capsicum or black pepper oleoresin.
Absolute
A concentrated extract made by washing a concrete or resinoid with ethanol and removing the waxes and the ethanol.
Tincture
An ethanol solution made by soaking a natural raw material, used as it is.
Distillate
The condensed vapour collected when a material is heated, alone or with water or steam.
Folded oil
A citrus or other oil with part of its terpenes removed, so it is several times stronger in the oxygenated flavor compounds.
Terpeneless oil
An oil with most terpene hydrocarbons removed: more soluble in water and more stable.
Isolate
A single substance separated from a natural material, for example natural citral from Litsea cubeba oil.
Fermentation / bioconversion
Making flavoring substances with microorganisms or enzymes. Products can qualify as natural when the starting material is natural.
Supercritical CO2 extract
An extract made with carbon dioxide under high pressure. No solvent residue remains.
Extraction solvent
A solvent used to extract and then removed, such as hexane or ethanol. Residues are limited in many markets.
Encapsulation / spray drying
Turning a liquid flavor into a powder by drying it with a carrier such as gum arabic or modified starch.
Safety and regulation
Generally Recognized as Safe GRAS
US status for a substance that qualified experts consider safe for its intended use. Most flavoring substances are GRAS through the FEMA Expert Panel.
FEMA number
The number given to a flavoring substance by the FEMA GRAS program.
FL number
The identification number of a flavoring substance on the EU Union list (Regulation (EU) 872/2012).
Union list
The EU positive list of flavoring substances that may be used in food, with any conditions of use.
Positive list
A list of what is allowed; anything not on it is not permitted.
Negative list
A list of what is prohibited or restricted, such as EU Annex III of Regulation (EC) 1334/2008.
JECFA
The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, which evaluates the safety of additives and flavoring substances for Codex.
Codex Alimentarius
International food standards from FAO and WHO, used as a reference in trade. Flavor guidelines are in CAC/GL 66-2008.
Acceptable daily intake ADI
The amount of a substance a person can eat every day for a lifetime without appreciable risk, per kg of body weight.
Threshold of toxicological concern TTC
An exposure level below which risk is very low even without specific data, set by structural class (Cramer class).
Cramer class
A grouping of substances by chemical structure into low (I), intermediate (II) or high (III) potential toxicity.
Margin of exposure MOE
The ratio between a dose that causes a small effect in studies and the estimated human intake. Larger is safer.
Exposure assessment
Estimating how much of a substance people eat, from use levels and consumption data.
Genotoxicity
The ability of a substance to damage genetic material. A key point in flavor safety evaluations.
Self-limiting use
A flavoring substance used only at low levels because more would make the food taste bad.
Quantum satis QS
Use at the level needed for the purpose, in line with good manufacturing practice, with no fixed maximum.
Good manufacturing practice GMP
Production rules that keep quality and safety consistent, including using the lowest amount needed.
Novel food
EU: food not eaten to a significant degree before May 1997. It needs authorisation before sale.
Adulteration
Adding, removing or substituting something to make a product appear better or cheaper. A legal violation in food law.
Traceability
Being able to follow a material one step back to its supplier and one step forward to its customer.
Specification
The agreed limits for identity and quality of a material, such as assay, refractive index and contaminants.
Analysis and sensory
Gas chromatography GC
Separating volatile compounds in a sample so they can be identified and measured. With mass spectrometry: GC-MS.
Isotope ratio analysis IRMS
Measuring isotope ratios to tell natural from synthetic sources, for example natural versus synthetic vanillin.
Authenticity testing
Tests that check whether a natural material is what it claims to be, including chiral GC and isotope ratios.
Enantiomer
One of two mirror-image forms of a molecule. They can smell different, and their ratio helps show whether a material is natural.
Detection threshold
The lowest concentration at which a smell or taste can be noticed.
Retronasal
Smelling through the back of the mouth while eating. This is most of what we call flavor.
Off-note
An unwanted smell or taste, often from degradation, contamination or a poor-quality raw material.
Top note
The first, most volatile impression of a flavor or fragrance.
Umami
The savoury taste of glutamates and certain nucleotides.
Maillard reaction
The reaction between amino acids and sugars on heating that creates roasted, baked and meaty flavors.
Definitions written by Formulatlas for quick reference. The legal texts named in each entry prevail.