Food Safety Facts Food Safety Information

United States Department of Agriculture

Food Safety and Inspection Service

USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline

1-888-MPHotline

(1-888-674-6854)

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health

agency in the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for ensuring

that the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products

is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged.

USDA Photo

What substances or ingredients can be listed

as “natural flavor,” “flavor,” or “flavorings”

rather than by a specific common or usual

name?

Spices (e.g., black pepper, basil, and ginger), spice

extracts, essential oils, oleoresins, onion powder,

garlic powder, celery powder, onion juice, and garlic

juice are all ingredients that may be declared on

labeling as “natural flavor,” “flavor,” or “flavoring.”

Spices, oleoresins, essential oils, and spice extracts

are listed in the Food and Drug Administration

regulations.

Can the terms “dried meat or poultry stocks,”

“dried broth,” “meat extracts,” and “dried

beef plasma” be listed on meat and poultry

labels as “natural flavorings”?

No. Substances derived from animal sources must be

identified as to the species of origin on the label and

be consistent with the definition established by

Federal regulation. For example, the listing on the

label would read “dried chicken stock,” “lamb

extract,” or “dried beef plasma.”

If “meat extract” is added to a processed

meat product for flavoring, can it be listed as

“flavoring” in the ingredient statement or will

it be identified as a “meat product”?

Meat extract” cannot be identified as “flavoring” in

the ingredients statement. “Meat extract is defined

as a meat product by Federal regulations and must

always be identified by its common or usual name.

Natural Flavorings on Meat and Poultry Labels

The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline receives many questions about natural flavorings listed on meat and poultrylabels. Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

How will I know if there is monosodium

glutamate (MSG) in a processed meat or

poultry product?

MSG is classified as a flavor enhancer by Federal

regulation. When it is added to a product, it must be

identified as “monosodium glutamate” on the label.

Are MSG and hydrolyzed protein related?

Yes. MSG is the sodium salt of glutamic acid. Glutamic

acid is an amino acid, one of the building blocks of

protein. It is found in virtually all food and, in

abundance, in food that is high in protein, including

meat, poultry, cheeses, and fish.

Hydrolyzed proteins, used by the food industry to

enhance flavor, are simply proteins that have been

chemically broken apart into amino acids. The

chemical breakdown of proteins may result in the

formation of free glutamate that joins with free

sodium to form MSG. In this case, the presence of

MSG does not need to be disclosed on labeling.

Labeling is required when MSG is added as a direct

ingredient.

Can hydrolyzed animal or vegetable protein

be identified as “natural flavoring” on the

label?

No. FSIS regulation requires that animal or vegetable

proteins must be specifically identified in the

ingredient statement on the labels. The source of the

protein must also be disclosed. On the label, you will

read “hydrolyzed wheat protein” or “hydrolyzed milk

protein,” not just hydrolyzed protein.
Food Safety Questions?

Natural Flavorings on Meat and Poultry Labels

The USDA is an equal opportunity

 provider and employer.

Revised March 2011

FSIS encourages the reprint and distribution of this publication for food safety

education purposes. However, USDA symbols or logos may not be used

separately to imply endorsement of a commercial product or service.

Call the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline

Send E-mail questions to MPHotline.fsis@usda.gov.

What Federal regulation defines what can be

listed as a natural flavoring on the meat and

poultry label?

On March 1, 1990, FSIS published the final rule,

Ingredients That May Be Designated as Natural

Flavors, Natural Flavorings, Flavors, or Flavorings

When Used in Meat or Poultry Products. The rule did

the following:

· Defined the ingredients, i.e., spices, spice

extractives, and essential oils, that may be

declared as “natural flavors” or “flavors” on

meat and poultry labels.

· Required more specific listing of certain

ingredients. Substances such as dried beef

stock, autolyzed yeast, and hydrolyzed

proteins must be listed on the label by their

common or usual names because their

purpose is not just for flavor. They are flavor

enhancers, emulsifiers, stabilizers, and

binders.

· Required that the specific source of

hydrolyzed protein be indicated on the label,

for example, “hydrolyzed soy protein” or

“hydrolyzed whey protein.”

Ask Karen!

FSIS’ automated response

system can provide food safety

information

24/7 and a

live chat

during

Hotline

hours.

If you have a question

about meat, poultry,

or egg products, call

the USDA Meat and

Poultry Hotline

toll free at

1-888-MPHotline

(1-888-674-6854)

The hotline is open

year-round

 Monday through Friday from 10

a.m. to 4 p.m. ET (English

or Spanish).

Recorded food safety

messages are available

24 hours a day. Check

out the

FSIS Web site at

www.fsis.usda.gov. AskKaren.gov

PregunteleaKaren.gov