# what exactly is "natural flavor"?



## Elisabeth (Jul 18, 2011)

i know that in people food, most of the time it's MSG. i'm very sensitive to it and know it's an neurotoxin. i sure would not want my dog to have it!


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## Kibblelady (Jul 13, 2012)

It really depends on the manufacturer, you have to call and asked them, or email. Some will tell you some will not. In the food I feed it is a flavor made by the creator she had formulated that is made from I believe it was beef and some mixed broths? It was many years ago I asked her about this so my memory is hazy. I do know it was something totally natural and not chemical. Here is the AAFCO definition:

"The term _natural flavor_ or _natural flavoring_ means the essential oil, essence or protein hydrolysis, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional"

Basically it is from food/nitrogen soruces, not chemicals. Now, realize as well that MSG *IS* a "natural substance." It is the sodium salt of an non essential amino acid. It is not like something Frankenstein created in a lab, know what I mean? I know many people are sensitive to it though, not sure about dogs.


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## Kibblelady (Jul 13, 2012)

Elisabeth said:


> i know that in people food, most of the time it's MSG. i'm very sensitive to it and know it's an neurotoxin. i sure would not want my dog to have it!


Short article with an explanation, do not know the accuracy at the moment, have to get dinner going. Is MSG A Neurotoxin? Fact Vs. Myth | The ZocDoc Blog


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## Elisabeth (Jul 18, 2011)

i know broth always gets me. i can't hardly eat anything processed. broth is listet as one of the hidden names for msg:
HIDDEN NAMES. it's a real bummer they have to put it in everything.


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

A piece of poop boiled down could be natural flavors. LOL It is such a generic term and I don't think it should be allowed.


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## DaViking (Sep 27, 2011)

"Natural Flavours" is used since consumers respond better to that than for example "liver concentrate" or "kidney digest" The only thing known about Natural flavors" is that it can not contain artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. The rest is unknown.


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## DaViking (Sep 27, 2011)

wolfsnaps88 said:


> A piece of poop boiled down could be natural flavors.


No it couldn't


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## monster'sdad (Jul 29, 2012)

DaViking said:


> "Natural Flavours" is used since consumers respond better to that than for example "liver concentrate" or "kidney digest" The only thing known about Natural flavors" is that it can not contain artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. The rest is unknown.


Most "natural flavors" are a fermentation of chicken liver or some other organ, like the digestive tract of chickens or turkey. All of these things a dog would happily eat if you made a fermentation at home. The internet is wonderful at spreading myths that what is used is MSG.

Some companies are more transparent and will list it as "chicken liver".


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## Elisabeth (Jul 18, 2011)

monster'sdad said:


> The internet is wonderful at spreading myths that what is used is MSG.


it's no myth to me because most of those hidden names give me a 2-day headache at the least!


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

Elisabeth said:


> it's no myth to me because most of those hidden names give me a 2-day headache at the least!


Ive always wondered if MSG's being "natural flavors" carried over to pet foods. It would be interesting to ACTUALLY know, since there is no way I believe the companies when they tell us what it is/could be!:wink:

And Im right there with ya with the MSG....I feel like I was run over by a train WHILE having a week long flu any time I get into some!! :wacko:


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## Sheltielover25 (Jan 18, 2011)

DaViking said:


> No it couldn't


Why couldn't it? Actually, the true meaning of natural flavors is basically a pot of chemicals, with a drop of something natural (like say lemon) dropped into it. That's all it has to be to be labeled as natural flavoring. It has to contain the equivalent of about a drop of something naturally occurring. Therefore, poop would match that requirement. Anyone who even tries to argue natural flavoring is natural makes me laugh. I remember when I first came on here and asked this same question! DaViking answered me and the answer, I could tell, wasn't correct. So I researched it for a few days.... Natural Flavoring could mean, yes, all broth boiled down from an animal... but most of the time it's junk. I'd go by who manufactures it to determine the quality of junk it is. I'd trust Orijen's natural flavoring over Purina's Natural Flavoring any day for example but bottom line is most of it definitely ain't natural... Don't you love how u get a bag of chips and it's maltodextrin, chemical, chemical, chemical, GMO potato, natural flavorings... you really think all those chemicals and unhealthy ingredients, natural flavoring is going to be something healthy? The only way to TRULY be healthy is to avoid ANYTHING processed and not to feed anything you don't know 100% what it is. ZiwiPack would meet those requirements, I believe, if you want to feed a kibble. If you can't afford that, then don't try to make up justifications of ingredients to make yourself feel better... just work harder to get to where you're comfortable with.


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## DaViking (Sep 27, 2011)

Sheltielover25 said:


> Why couldn't it? Actually, the true meaning of natural flavors is basically a pot of chemicals, with a drop of something natural (like say lemon) dropped into it. That's all it has to be to be labeled as natural flavoring. It has to contain the equivalent of about a drop of something naturally occurring. Therefore, poop would match that requirement. Anyone who even tries to argue natural flavoring is natural makes me laugh. I remember when I first came on here and asked this same question! DaViking answered me and the answer, I could tell, wasn't correct. So I researched it for a few days.... Natural Flavoring could mean, yes, all broth boiled down from an animal... but most of the time it's junk. I'd go by who manufactures it to determine the quality of junk it is. I'd trust Orijen's natural flavoring over Purina's Natural Flavoring any day for example but bottom line is most of it definitely ain't natural... Don't you love how u get a bag of chips and it's maltodextrin, chemical, chemical, chemical, GMO potato, natural flavorings... you really think all those chemicals and unhealthy ingredients, natural flavoring is going to be something healthy? The only way to TRULY be healthy is to avoid ANYTHING processed and not to feed anything you don't know 100% what it is. ZiwiPack would meet those requirements, I believe, if you want to feed a kibble. If you can't afford that, then don't try to make up justifications of ingredients to make yourself feel better... just work harder to get to where you're comfortable with.


When did poop become an accepted ingredient in any plant producing anything meant for either human or dog consumption? Can you provide some info and background on that? I am not justifying anything, merely providing some insights to what "natural flavors" can mean. The "drop" you are referring to is in fact the flavoring and must be all natural. How that "drop" came into existence, meaning how it was made, can include various chemical processes. 
The rest is just confrontational ramblings. It's ZiwiPeak by the way, and it's air dried products. To my knowledge they do not sell or manufacture kibble.


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## Elisabeth (Jul 18, 2011)

Scarlett_O' said:


> Ive always wondered if MSG's being "natural flavors" carried over to pet foods. It would be interesting to ACTUALLY know, since there is no way I believe the companies when they tell us what it is/could be!:wink:
> 
> And Im right there with ya with the MSG....I feel like I was run over by a train WHILE having a week long flu any time I get into some!! :wacko:


i wouldn't believe them either! just look at a bag of chips. on the front they claim no MSG, and in the ingredients is yeast extract listed! 
i know how we can test the kibble scarlett - we could eat some of it and wait and see


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## Justapup (Jul 9, 2012)

Elisabeth said:


> I know how we can test the kibble scarlett - we could eat some of it and wait and see


Eww!! I'll pass. Though dog food has to be healthier then some of the processed things we eat. Also I don't believe dog food labels that claim to have 'natural flavors'. Its all processed. How can you have natural flavors?


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## monster'sdad (Jul 29, 2012)

Dr. Tim's uses "chicken liver meal" for both protein and palatability.


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