Natural and Artificial Flavors

The process of analyzing natural flavors involves collecting volatile molecules from food to identify and recreate the flavor compounds. These compounds are separated using gas chromatography to determine their composition. Natural flavors can come from various sources, where some might require extensive cooking and extraction processes for commercial use. On the other hand, artificial flavors are synthesized from scratch. In the past, vanilla flavor was made from wood pulp and lignin, a component found in wood structures.