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Natural Flavors

MerrillC1977

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MerrillC1977 Apprentice
MerrillC1977
Posted

Why are NATURAL FLAVORS on the Un-Safe foods list (https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/forbidden-gluten-food-list-unsafe-ingredients-r182/)?

Thank you.

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psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

While "natural flavors" can contain gluten, they very rarely actually do. The most likely source would be barley malt, and that is a relatively expensive ingredient, so it is usually explicitly declared as "malt flavor."

If there were wheat in it, in the US it would be required by law to be disclosed as just that, "wheat."

Open Original Shared Link on flavorings:

It would be rare to find a "natural or artificial flavoring" containing gluten (a) because hydrolyzed wheat protein cannot be hidden under the term "flavor." and (B) barley malt extract is almost always declared as "barley malt extract" or "barley malt flavoring." For this reason, most experts do not restrict natural and artificial flavorings in the gluten-free diet.

Gluten-Free Diet - A Comprehensive Resource Guide, published 2008, page 46

pricklypear1971 Community Regular
pricklypear1971
Posted

Because some natural flavoring, depending on what it is and where it was manufactured, can be gluten product derived.

A lot of people seem to find "natural flavors" in things they react to - when all other ingredients are clean, and it is assumed "natural flavors" are the culprit.

Personally, I avoid them because I have a problem with things like MSG - which IS a natural flavor.

mommyto2kids Collaborator
mommyto2kids
Posted

Grated cheese is dusted with flour and not declared because it is on, not in the cheese. That can be a tricky one. So that is one way they can get around declaring wheat in something.

sa1937 Community Regular
sa1937
Posted

Grated cheese is dusted with flour and not declared because it is on, not in the cheese. That can be a tricky one. So that is one way they can get around declaring wheat in something.

No way this can be true or it would have to be declared. Anti-caking agents are used on shredded cheese to prevent sticking but they're not made from gluteny flours.

ETA: If you are concerned about this, you can buy a chunk of cheese and shred it yourself.

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

Grated cheese is dusted with flour and not declared because it is on, not in the cheese. That can be a tricky one. So that is one way they can get around declaring wheat in something.

Please don't spread rumors like that on the board. Wheat that can trigger allergic reactions, like flour dust on cheese, has to be declared in the US or the food is mislabeled and the FDA will recall it. If you have a letter from a manufacturer stating this is true, please share.

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

I wonder if we could get Scott to put a footnote on the natural flavors in the lists explaining what you just did, Peter?

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kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Grated cheese is dusted with flour and not declared because it is on, not in the cheese. That can be a tricky one. So that is one way they can get around declaring wheat in something.

The purpose of dusting shredded cheese is to keep it from clumping & sticking together, right? Wheat flour would not work. When wheat flour get moist (from the cheese) it gets gummy.

That said, I like the home shredded cheese better. :)

pricklypear1971 Community Regular
pricklypear1971
Posted

Cheese aside, we need to remember there are people on this board (quite a few, actually) and site who are not in the U.S. Rules are different for other countries. I assume that's why it's on the list.

Sometimes other countries have better rules, sometimes not.

lovegrov Collaborator
lovegrov
Posted

Cellulose, not wheat, keeps grated cheese from clumping. Wheat would clump. It should be a relief that those worrying about this can now drop it from their list of concerns.

I agree with Peter on the natural flavors, at least in the U.S. It used to be that natural flavors could hide wheat. No longer. It COULD possibly still hide barley, but would be extremely rare.

richard

MerrillC1977 Apprentice
MerrillC1977
Posted
  • Author

Thank you, everyone.

So would you agree that, if I live in the US, and all the label says is "Natural Flavors" (not "Malt Flavoring" or something clearly wheat related), that it's safe to eat?

MerrillC1977 Apprentice
MerrillC1977
Posted
  • Author

Also, the footnote on the Unsafe Foods list states:

"

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

The US law requiring wheat to be clearly disclosed is the Food Allergy Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, commonly refered to as FALCPA.

Open Original Shared Link

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Thank you, everyone.

So would you agree that, if I live in the US, and all the label says is "Natural Flavors" (not "Malt Flavoring" or something clearly wheat related), that it's safe to eat?

Personally I never assume something is safe because my reactions are too severe. If I doubt I call the companies 800 number or will do a search for the companies product labeling practices. Some companies are very good at labeling all gluten ingredients and with them I know that there is nothing hidden in natural flavors. Kraft and Unilever are two examples of that.

come dance with me Enthusiast
come dance with me
Posted

I have a little book that has numbers in it. "The Chemical Maze" is the name of it. The book shows all the numbers on the back of the pack then tells you where they come from/ what they may contain/ what reaction they may cause.

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

I have a little book that has numbers in it. "The Chemical Maze" is the name of it. The book shows all the numbers on the back of the pack then tells you where they come from/ what they may contain/ what reaction they may cause.

This poster is in Australia. Additives listed by code numbers are on labels there, and in Europe, but not in North America.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Also, the footnote on the Unsafe Foods list states:

"

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

*** Why couldn't wheat leaves fall into this "Natural Flavors" category?

*** Finally, if I turn out to be Gluten Intolerant, and not actual Celiac Disease, could consuming "Natural Flavorings" that *do* contain wheat be okay....as they are in such small quantities?

Thanks again, to all!!

Wheat leaves??? Sorry but you gotta use a little common sense here. Hay is not used as flavoring! You can find wheat grass in supplements but it's always listed as a big, exciting ingredient, not buried in the natural flavors list. There is no gluten in wheat grass, but most of us avoid it for fear of cross-contamination since it's sprouted from wheat grains.

If you're 100% sure you're not celiac (and I don't know how anyone can be 100% sure given the false negative rate on tests), consume wheat according to your personal tolerance.

T.H. Community Regular
T.H.
Posted

Grated cheese is dusted with flour and not declared because it is on, not in the cheese.

I wonder if you might be thinking of cornstarch? I know that is often used to dust the outside of grated cheese and cheese blocks. Just got an email from Tillamook today confirming that for their cheese, actually.

If you buy a lot of local cheeses, you may want to take extra care, though.

Does FALCPA apply to local companies making local store brands?

The law applies to all food products regulated by the FDA that are required to have ingredient statements. While the FDA technically only has jurisdiction over products that are introduced into interstate commerce, it is difficult to imagine a product that is manufactured locally that would not be subject to the FDA’s jurisdiction. Notwithstanding the FDA’s broad interpretation of “interstate” commerce, it is possible that locally made foods may not be in full compliance with the FDA labeling requirements, including FALCPA. You should carefully read the ingredient statements of all foods and contact the manufacturer if you have questions. (Open Original Shared Link )

Something I've run across from a local cheese maker is beer-washed cheese. The beer is part of the aging process, not an ingredient, so the one I ran into didn't list it in the ingredient section on the label. We were lucky and happened to read the card next to the basket holding the cheese, which did mention the beer washing.

come dance with me Enthusiast
come dance with me
Posted

This poster is in Australia. Additives listed by code numbers are on labels there, and in Europe, but not in North America.

Yeah sorry I'm in Australia. Is there maybe a way like that to work it out in America?

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

The purpose of dusting shredded cheese is to keep it from clumping & sticking together, right? Wheat flour would not work. When wheat flour get moist (from the cheese) it gets gummy.

That said, I like the home shredded cheese better. :)

Not only better but also cheaper! :)

Scott Adams Grand Master
Scott Adams
Posted

Please look at that list again, and you will see that there is a footnote, and that it is under the section: "The following items may or may not contain gluten depending on where and how they are made, and it is sometimes necessary to check with the manufacturer to find out:"

Take care,

Scott

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