Nature-Identical Strawberry Flavour

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Nature-identical strawberry flavour is a blend of synthetically produced aroma chemicals (such as ethyl butyrate, ethyl methylphenylglycidate, and methyl anthranilate) that are chemically identical to compounds naturally occurring in strawberries; it is manufactured in controlled laboratory conditions rather than extracted from fruit. It is used to impart strawberry taste and aroma to processed foods, beverages, confectionery, dairy products, and pharmaceutical preparations.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Individual nature-identical flavouring substances are assessed for safety by international frameworks including FEMA GRAS, the EU Union list of flavouring substances, and FSSAI Regulation 3.3.1, and are considered safe for the general population at typical use levels. Some published in vitro studies have identified cytotoxic and genotoxic potential for artificial liquid food flavourings including strawberry flavour at high concentrations, though these findings require cautious interpretation in terms of real-world dietary relevance. No formal Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) is established for the mixture as a whole, and no IARC carcinogenicity classification applies to the category.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	The standalone 'nature-identical' flavouring category was abolished by Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008, which replaced Directive 88/388/EEC. Constituent substances are now regulated as 'flavouring substances' under the Union list established by Regulation (EU) No 872/2012. Individual substances must be safety-evaluated by EFSA and listed on the Union list to be permitted; the term 'nature-identical' no longer appears on EU food labels.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Defined under FSS Regulations 2009, Regulation 1.2.1(29), as substances chemically isolated from aromatic raw materials or obtained synthetically that are chemically identical to substances present in natural products intended for human consumption. Permitted per Regulation 3.3.1(1) of FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations 2011. Labels must declare the class name 'flavour' or 'flavouring' qualified by the word 'nature-identical' per FSS (Labelling & Display) Regulations 2020.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	In the US, nature-identical flavours are classified as 'artificial flavours' under 21 CFR 172.515 (synthetic flavoring substances and adjuvants). Component substances are evaluated for GRAS status by the FDA and/or the FEMA Expert Panel, which has declared more than 2,600 flavouring substances GRAS. Labels must declare 'artificial flavor'. Some specific synthetic flavouring compounds (e.g., benzophenone, styrene) were removed from the approved list by FDA in 2018 due to carcinogenicity concerns in animal studies.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Children — In vitro studies have demonstrated cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of artificial strawberry flavouring; children have proportionally higher dietary intake relative to body weight and their developing physiology may confer greater susceptibility to synthetic aroma chemicals.

Pregnancy — Precautionary principle applies as synthetic aroma chemicals in nature-identical flavours have not been specifically evaluated for foetal safety in controlled human studies; minimising unnecessary synthetic additive intake during pregnancy is recommended by general dietary guidance.

Ibs — Synthetic flavouring compounds may trigger gastrointestinal sensitivity reactions in individuals with IBS or food chemical intolerance, as these persons can react adversely to low-molecular-weight synthetic additives.

Other — Individuals with known hypersensitivity to synthetic food chemicals (e.g., salicylate sensitivity or general food additive intolerance) should limit or avoid nature-identical flavourings, as component aroma chemicals may provoke reactions in chemically sensitive individuals.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FDA. Synthetic Flavoring Substances and Adjuvants — 21 CFR 172.515 and FDA Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS). fda.gov
2PubMed. Natural food flavours: a healthier alternative for bakery industry — a review (PMC10894155), 2024. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Labelling & Display) Regulations, 2020 — Compendium (operationalised July 2022), 2022. fssai.gov.in
4FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2009 — Regulation 1.2.1(29): Definition of nature-identical flavouring substances, 2009. fssai.gov.in
5other. 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