Natural Thyme Flavor

Definition

Chemical mixture originally derived from thyme and created to mimic naturally occurring flavors. Organic Natural Flavors are slightly more regulated, and cannot contain propylene glycol, polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, mono- and diglycerides, benzoic acid, polysorbate 80, medium chain triglycerides, BHT, BHA, triacetin.

Also Known As

Natural Thyme Flavors, Natural Thyme Flavour, Natural Thyme Flavours, Organic Natural Thyme Flavor, Organic Thyme Flavor, Thyme Natural Flavor, Natural Flavor (Thyme)

Health Impact

Natural flavors can be made with many chemicals, none of which are required to be disclosed on the product label, so it can be very hard to determine what harmful ingredients lie within them. Flavors derived from a specific ingredient likely only use chemicals available in that food, so are slightly more regulated. In general, flavors are created to make food more palatable, so they can be addictive, leading consumers to eat more without feeling full.

Sources

• The Flavor Rundown: Natural vs. Artificial Flavors

  Harvard University: Science In The News

• Synthetic ingredients in Natural Flavors and Natural Flavors in Artificial flavors

  EWG

• We are what we eat: Regulatory gaps in the United States that put our health at risk

  PLOS Biology

• Food-Induced Anaphylaxis: Role of Hidden Allergens and Cofactors

  Frontiers in Immunology