Artificial Flavors: Safer, More Efficient, and More Cost Effective The use of natural and artificial flavorings in food products and the social discussion of which is safer to utilize has led to several social ramifications, especially for the food producers and the consumers. There is a general consensus of the definition of natural and artificial flavorings, with the definition focusing around how the flavoring is synthesized. Some have also utilized the term ‘food additive’ to encompass all nonessential chemical substances that are added to a food for a certain affect. Under this umbrella, numerous substances including food coloring, flavoring, or preservatives are considered to be food additives. Consumers are concerned how safe each flavoring
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As a product, there have been various studies carried out that have linked artificial flavors with various health concerns for consumers. Notably, in a study performed by B. F. Feingold, a link was found between artificial flavors and hyperkinesis (hyperactivity) and learning disabilities. By studying a sample of people who have practiced the K-P Diet, a diet where artificial flavors and colors are eliminated from one’s food intake, Feingold was able to deduce that artificial flavorings “induce adverse reactions affecting every system of the body” and that the diet “will control the behavioral disturbance in 30 to 50% (depending on the sample) of both normal and neurologically damaged children” (Feingold 558). In other words, ingestion of artificial flavorings affects every body system and increases hyperactivitiy in children. Another study performed by Ashish Vartak studied whether there could be a link established between artificial butter flavoring, diacetyl, and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Vartak’s study concluded that, “it would be premature but not incorrect to say that artificial flavoring may cause AD” (Vartak 557). This was an open-ended and inconclusive result due to the lack of scientific animal research data …show more content…
There may be a greater number and stricter restrictions and regulations on food additives and flavorings that may have a plethora of social and economic ramifications. There may also be a movement towards seeing a combination of both natural and artificial flavorings in food. On the other side, there may be a moving away from flavorings, with a greater focus on nutritional value and more simple foods that are not highly processed. For instance, Shatzker advocates in his book that artificial flavorings should be used to bring people to consume more nutritious foods. He states that the current situation of “making the stuff people should eat…incrementally less delicious [and] making the food people shouldn’t eat…taste ever more exciting” is “exactly what you would expect” (Shatzker 157). All these changes in beliefs and actions may additionally lead to a great change in societal eating habits, especially with the fast food culture seen in the United States. Therefore, people should act to become more knowledgeable about the foods and the ingredients of those foods that they are
As a product, there have been various studies carried out that have linked artificial flavors with various health concerns for consumers. Notably, in a study performed by B. F. Feingold, a link was found between artificial flavors and hyperkinesis (hyperactivity) and learning disabilities. By studying a sample of people who have practiced the K-P Diet, a diet where artificial flavors and colors are eliminated from one’s food intake, Feingold was able to deduce that artificial flavorings “induce adverse reactions affecting every system of the body” and that the diet “will control the behavioral disturbance in 30 to 50% (depending on the sample) of both normal and neurologically damaged children” (Feingold 558). In other words, ingestion of artificial flavorings affects every body system and increases hyperactivitiy in children. Another study performed by Ashish Vartak studied whether there could be a link established between artificial butter flavoring, diacetyl, and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Vartak’s study concluded that, “it would be premature but not incorrect to say that artificial flavoring may cause AD” (Vartak 557). This was an open-ended and inconclusive result due to the lack of scientific animal research data …show more content…
There may be a greater number and stricter restrictions and regulations on food additives and flavorings that may have a plethora of social and economic ramifications. There may also be a movement towards seeing a combination of both natural and artificial flavorings in food. On the other side, there may be a moving away from flavorings, with a greater focus on nutritional value and more simple foods that are not highly processed. For instance, Shatzker advocates in his book that artificial flavorings should be used to bring people to consume more nutritious foods. He states that the current situation of “making the stuff people should eat…incrementally less delicious [and] making the food people shouldn’t eat…taste ever more exciting” is “exactly what you would expect” (Shatzker 157). All these changes in beliefs and actions may additionally lead to a great change in societal eating habits, especially with the fast food culture seen in the United States. Therefore, people should act to become more knowledgeable about the foods and the ingredients of those foods that they are