It's not uncommon to find the term "natural flavors" on a list of ingredients. It's ambiguous at best, downright scary at worst.

So, just what are natural flavors?

ANSWER: In some cases, federal regulations allow certain kinds of glutamates -- a very common type of additive that's believed by some to be toxic -- to fall under that definition, according to Dr. Russell Blaylock, author of "Health and Nutrition Secrets That Can Save Your Life."

And federal law states that unless a product contains 99 percent pure monosodium glutamate (commonly known as MSG), the manufacturer can call the additive by another name.

So if you're disinclined to ingest glutamates, here are some terms to look out for on the ingredients list:

Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, protein extract, protein isolates, soybean extract, soybean protein isolate, soybean protein concentrate, broth, stock, autolyzed yeast extract, enzymes, and even the inocuous-sounding "spices."

ON THE BOOKS:

Here's the wording from the Code of Federal Regulations, Sec. 101.22, Part 3:

The term "natural flavors" or "natural flavoring" means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.

Peter Hamlin is an interactive designer with asap in New York.

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