Natural Flavors

What extraction processes and carriers are prohibited and allowed for use in flavors used in organic processing?

Organic standards have additional requirements for flavors beyond what are considered natural flavors used in conventional foods. To begin with, some ingredients that are identified as “natural flavors” are in fact “nature identical” substances that are synthetic, such as ethyl citrate. These are not the same as true nonsynthetic flavors.

Natural flavors may contain synthetic solvents, carriers and preservatives that are also not permitted in organic production. In particular, aromatic petroleum solvents, such as hexane, are not permitted. Exceptions are usually made for synthetic solvents or carriers that appear on the National List, such as carbon dioxide.

Acceptable flavors for use in organic production would need to be extracted using nonsynthetic solvents, such as ethyl alcohol produced by natural fermentation and concentrated by distillation, or by physical means such as pressing and filtration. Synthetic carriers, such as propylene glycol, are prohibited.

The NOP added to the annotation for Flavors in 2018 (effective in 2019). Producers are now required to use certified organic flavors, when possible. If these are not commercially available, only then can producers use nonorganic (but still nonsynthetic) flavors. 

This article originally appeared in the fall 2006 issue of the OMRI Materials Review newsletter, and was revised in July 2023 by Research and Education Manager Peter Bungum.