Editing Flavoring (section)

== Definition ==
A flavoring is a [[Volatility (chemistry)|volatile]] additive that improves the taste or smell of food. They work primarily via the [[olfactory system|sense of smell]]. In legislation, substances that exclusively have a sweet, sour or salty taste are not considered flavorings. These usually include [[flavor enhancer]]s, [[sweetener]]s, [[acidulant]]s and [[salt substitute]]s. 

There are different ways to divide flavorings. First by the way they are produced. A vanilla flavoring can for example be obtained naturally by extraction from [[vanilla]] seeds, or one can start with cheap chemicals and try to make a similar substance artificially (in this example [[vanillin]]). A nature-identical flavoring is chemically an exact copy of the original substance and can be either natural or artificial.<ref name="au-nz_guide-2002"/> Vanillin is not obtained from the vanilla plant nor an exact copy of vanilla, but a synthesized nature-identical component of the vanilla aroma. Vanillin is not vanilla, but gives a food a vanilla aroma.

The second division is by the effect they have on smell (aroma) or taste of the food. The effect can be the aroma of a specific [[fruit]], [[Benzaldehyde|almond]], [[Artificial butter flavoring|butter]], [[Liquid smoke|smoke from wood]], or some fantasy flavor. The aroma of the flavoring may resemble that of the source, or imitate a particular unrelated food. It may for example be the extract from vanilla seeds and smell like vanilla, or it may be the extract of a potato and smell like a banana. Irrespective of the effect, the flavoring may be natural or artificial. It may for example be the natural tissue of an animal with the aroma of a citrus, or just a chemical that smells like a citrus.