Home / Aisles / Flavourings

Aisle guide

Flavourings

Flavouring on a pack is a class, not a chemical. Split the aroma from the carrier (ethanol, glycerin) and from any fish or hydrolysed protein.

• Source-dependent

  Natural flavors

  'Natural flavor' is the least informative word pair on the label — a regulated term that covers hundreds of compounds, some animal-derived, many alcoh…

• Source-dependent

  Artificial flavouring

  A legal class, not a chemical. Synthetic aroma chemicals are typical; solvents, carriers and any animal-derived notes are not declared. Treat as mashb…

• Disputed

  Vanilla extract

  Real vanilla extract is vanilla beans steeped in alcohol and water. Whether that alcohol carrier matters is one of the most genuinely contested questi…

• Halal

  Vanilla Bean

  Vanilla Bean: Classified halal as a grain/plant-based ingredient per this list; check any parenthetical source condition noted.

• Source-dependentE1517

  Glyceryl diacetate (diacetin)

  A glycerin acetate, the di-ester next to triacetin (E1518). Glycerin can be plant or animal, so the solvent inherits that question. Not a ruling on th…

• Source-dependent

  Worcestershire sauce

  Anchovy, vinegar, molasses, tamarind and spices, often with barley malt vinegar. Two separate checks: the fish and the vinegar. Vegetarian bottles exi…

• Source-dependent

  Fish sauce

  Fermented fish and salt. Fish is generally treated as halal; added wine, hydrolysed protein or unspecified flavourings on cheap bottles are not.

• Source-dependent

  Oyster sauce

  Oyster extract, sugar and soy. Shellfish rulings differ by school; wheat soy sauce and caramel colour are extra checks. Vegetarian oyster-flavoured sa…

• Source-dependentE422

  Glycerin (glycerol)

  A sweet humectant that keeps foods moist. The molecule is identical whether it came from palm oil or pig fat — which is exactly why the source has to …

A procedure for reading a pack - not a product certification and not a fatwa. See the methodology.