What the heck does organic flavor mean??!
Question:
What the heck does organic flavor mean??
why cant they just say what the organic flavor is??
Answers:
Wow. 8 answers and none of them correct. Organic flavour is supposed to mean that any flavourings added are not synthetic (manmade) or petroleum based (again manmade), but derived by submerging the particular actual flavouring foodstuff, ie lemon, maple, rum, vanilla, orange, almond, licorice, etc in water, alcohol or glycerine and making a solution of it, an extract, an essence if you will (Yup, just like Emeril would say). In a way, it's just like making a tincure, except you're going for flavouring rather than medicinal effect. Because the word "organic" is not always used honestly in the US, you must indeed check to make sure your flavouring is certified organic to truly be so. Organic sometimes only means carbon based at its root, so if you have any questions about whether something is truly organic or not, ask to see its certification papers. Any storefront in this country advertising something as "organic" or "transitional" is supposed to have the certificates on file for any requesting consumer to see at any time. Regarding vanilla, as vanilla comes from a tropical orchid, I believe there is truly no way to tell or to trust ANYONE telling you their vanilla is organic. Mexico (one of the biggest producers of vanilla) and all of Central and South America is literally a dumping ground for outlawed American pesticides and chemicals that have been proven to be major carcinogens like DDT and dioxin. I do hold Frontier Herbs in very high esteem, but anything coming from outside of the US (and unfortunately even some things coming from inside it, can be contaminated w/ poisons and outlawed substances.) A flavouring or herb could indeed have been grown organically, but processed using inorganic methods or adulterated during that processing. As with anything, do your research.
It is unfortunately not uncommon for vanilla manufacturers to adulterate their product w/ unnatural solvents or to even use vanillin, a petroleum based product. The price of real, true vanilla has lately gone through the roof, for example.