Artificial Kesar Flavour

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Artificial kesar (saffron) flavour is a synthetically produced food flavouring designed to mimic the aroma and taste of natural saffron (Crocus sativus L.), whose key bioactive compounds — crocin, picrocrocin, and safranal — are responsible for its characteristic colour, bitter taste, and fragrance. It is used in confectionery, dairy products, beverages, and traditional Indian sweets as a cost-effective substitute for real saffron, one of the world's most expensive spices.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Artificial flavouring substances as a class are permitted under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) limits by major food safety authorities including FSSAI, FDA, and via the EU's Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 framework; no specific standalone ADI has been established for 'artificial kesar flavour' as it is a proprietary blend rather than a single defined chemical entity. The EU's EFSA FAF Panel evaluates individual flavouring substances for genotoxic potential, sub-chronic toxicity, and dietary exposure before authorisation, but the specific chemical composition of commercial artificial kesar flavour blends varies by manufacturer, making blanket safety characterisation difficult. At typical use levels under GMP, no significant toxicological concern has been identified for the general adult population, but the lack of compositional standardisation means individual constituents should be verified against authorised flavouring substance lists.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Governed by Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008. The Union list of flavouring substances approved for use in and on foods was adopted on 1 October 2012 (Annex I). Individual synthetic flavouring substances mimicking saffron must appear on this positive list and be evaluated by EFSA's FAF Panel. The term 'natural' may not be used for artificial flavourings per Article 16 of the Regulation.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Permitted under FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, Regulation 3.3.1. Natural, nature-identical, and artificial flavouring substances are all allowed at GMP levels. Labels must declare the common name of the artificial flavour (e.g., 'artificial kesar flavour').source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Artificial flavouring substances are regulated under 21 CFR Part 172.515 (synthetic flavouring substances and adjuvants). Individual constituent chemicals of artificial kesar flavour must appear on the FDA's permitted list or hold GRAS status. Labels must use the descriptor 'artificially flavored' per 21 CFR Part 101.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Children — Children have higher dietary exposure relative to body weight; EFSA guidance specifically flags children as a sensitive target population for flavouring substance exposure assessments, and the variable composition of proprietary artificial flavour blends warrants caution at high consumption frequencies.

Pregnancy — Pregnant women are identified by EFSA as a specific target population requiring dedicated dietary exposure assessment for flavouring substances, and the undefined chemical composition of commercial artificial kesar blends means individual constituent safety during pregnancy cannot be fully assured.

Other — Individuals with known hypersensitivity or allergy to saffron (Crocus sativus) or related Iridaceae family plants should exercise caution, as artificial kesar flavour may contain trace botanical extracts or structurally similar synthetic molecules that could trigger cross-reactive responses.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FDA. Food Additive Status List — 21 CFR Part 172.515 (Synthetic Flavouring Substances). fda.gov
2PubMed. Phytochemistry, quality control and medicinal uses of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.): an updated review, 2023. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3EFSA. Scientific Guidance on the data required for the risk assessment of flavourings to be used in or on foods, 2022. efsa.europa.eu
4FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 — Compendium (amended 2022), 2022. fssai.gov.in
5other. EU Rules on Flavourings — Union List under Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008, 2012. food.ec.europa.eu

Independently researched5 citations