Flavor Enhancers
AdditiveOverview
Flavor enhancers including MSG, yeast extracts, and natural flavors intensify taste to compensate for processing losses in ultra-processed foods. These additives appear in hidden forms across 80% of packaged savory products.
241,837
Products contain this
5,530
Ingredient variations
Common forms
MSG, yeast extract, hydrolyzed proteins, nucleotides
Function
Flavor enhancers amplify umami and other taste sensations, allowing reduced sodium and cost savings while maintaining palatability. They mask off-flavors from processing and inferior ingredients.
Sources
MSG is produced through bacterial fermentation, yeast extracts through autolysis, and natural flavors through complex extraction and synthesis. All involve industrial processes despite "natural" labeling.
Health Considerations
Flavor enhancers may override natural satiety signals leading to overconsumption. MSG sensitivity affects 1-2% of population, while hidden sources prevent informed avoidance.
Regulatory
MSG requires specific labeling but appears unlabeled in dozens of ingredients including hydrolyzed proteins and yeast extracts. Natural flavors are protected as trade secrets.
Common Variations (50 total)
Products Containing Flavor Enhancers
Showing 12 of 241,837 products, sorted by processing level