Are edible flavors safe? Understand the scientific truth in one article

Are edible flavors safe? Understand the scientific truth in one article

Core point: Edible flavors evaluated by international authorities are safe when used in compliance with regulations. What we really need to be vigilant about is illegal abuse.

1. Global dual safety certification system

JECFA (United Nations agency)

Completed toxicological evaluation of more than 2,000 spices

Official website discloses all experimental data (including carcinogenicity/genotoxicity tests)

FEMA GRAS (US industry standard)

2,600 spices passed the "generally recognized as safe" certification

China's GB 2760-2024 standard adopts international conclusions simultaneously

2. Three scientific guarantees for the safety of flavors

✅ Self-limiting dose

The amount added is usually 0.01%-0.1% (excessive amount will damage the flavor)

Example: vanilla flavor exceeding 0.2% will produce bitterness

✅ Homologous supervision of auxiliary materials

Auxiliary materials such as solvents/carriers must pass the same safety tests

✅ Chinese-style control

All 1,892 approved spices have been evaluated for localization

Update standards every 5 years to eliminate risky substances

3. Three major chaos that really need to be vigilant

⚠️ Substituting inferior goods for good ones

Duck oil flavor impersonating duck meat/flavored rice incident

⚠️ Illegal additions

Illegal addition of flavors to pure milk (Maiqiuer incident)

⚠️ Black factory products

"Three-no" flavors produced by unqualified small workshops

Consumer self-protection guide

Recognize the SC number (production license)

Beware of unusually strong fragrances

Choose pre-packaged foods from big brands

Experts remind:

"The safety of legal flavors is equivalent to that of salt. The real danger is food fraud."

——Technical Committee of China Food Additives Association