Natural and Nature-Identical Flavouring Substances

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Natural flavouring substances are flavour preparations and single substances obtained exclusively by physical, microbiological, or enzymatic processes from plant or animal raw materials intended for human consumption. Nature-identical flavouring substances are chemically synthesised or isolated compounds that are chemically identical to substances naturally present in such raw materials, used to impart or modify the taste and/or smell of food.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

As a broad class, natural and nature-identical flavouring substances are generally recognised as safe (GRAS) at Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) levels; individual safety is assessed substance-by-substance by EFSA, FDA/FEMA, and JECFA, and specific compounds may carry their own ADIs or use restrictions. A small number of flavouring compounds have been removed from approved lists in certain jurisdictions due to carcinogenicity observed in animal studies, illustrating that class-level approval does not guarantee the safety of every individual member. Some natural flavour extracts derived from botanical or animal sources may also trigger allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Regulated under Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008. The EU abolished the separate 'nature-identical' sub-category; all chemically defined flavouring substances are now assessed individually and placed on a single Union list (adopted 1 October 2012 via Implementing Regulation (EU) No 872/2012). The term 'natural' may only be used for substances derived directly from animal or vegetable material. Regulation also prohibits addition of certain naturally occurring undesirable substances above set maximum levels. EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings (FAF) carries out individual risk assessments upon request from the European Commission.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Defined and permitted under Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, Regulation 3.3.1(1), at GMP levels across most food categories (e.g., beverages, margarine, fish products). Labelling under FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 requires declaration of only the class name ('natural flavouring substance' or 'nature identical flavouring substance') — not the individual substance name — distinguishing these from artificial flavouring substances, for which the common name must be declared.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Natural flavours defined and regulated under 21 CFR 101.22; synthetic (nature-identical) flavouring substances governed under 21 CFR 172.515. FDA does not use the 'nature-identical' classification; it uses a binary 'natural' vs 'artificial' distinction. FEMA (Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association) has independently declared more than 2,600 flavouring substances GRAS via its expert panel. Some specific flavouring substances (e.g., benzophenone, ethyl acrylate, styrene) have been removed from the approved list due to carcinogenicity in animal studies. Flavouring substances are also evaluated by JECFA for international standards.

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Infants — Flavouring substances including nature-identical compounds are often restricted or prohibited in foods manufactured specifically for infants; FSSAI and EU Regulation 1334/2008 impose separate, stricter controls on food for infant nutrition and infant formula.

Children — Certain flavouring substances commonly found in confectionery and beverages marketed to children may carry individual-substance ADIs or restrictions; EFSA's risk assessments explicitly consider dietary exposure in children as a specific population.

Pregnancy — Some individual natural flavouring substances derived from herbal or botanical sources (e.g., concentrated extracts used medicinally at high doses) may be contraindicated during pregnancy; concentrated flavour applications should be used only as directed by a healthcare provider.

Nut Allergy — Natural flavouring substances can be derived from tree nuts or peanuts, and the class-name-only labelling convention (permitted under FSSAI and EU rules) may not reveal the specific botanical origin, posing a risk to nut-allergic individuals.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FDA. Food Additive Status List — Natural and Synthetic Flavoring Substances (21 CFR 172.515); FEMA GRAS Programme. fda.gov
2PubMed. Natural food flavours: a healthier alternative for bakery industry — a review, 2024. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations — Flavouring Agent Declaration Requirements, 2021. fssai.gov.in
4FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2009 — Definitions of Natural and Nature-Identical Flavouring Substances, 2009. fssai.gov.in
5EFSA. Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on flavourings and certain food ingredients with flavouring properties for use in and on foods, 2008. food.ec.europa.eu

Independently researched5 citations