21 CFR § 172.510
Natural flavoring substances and natural substances used in conjunction with flavors
June 25, 2020
Natural flavoring substances and natural adjuvants may be safely used in food in accordance with the following conditions.
(a) They are used in the minimum quantity required to produce their intended physical or technical effect and in accordance with all the principles of good manufacturing practice.
(b) In the appropriate forms (plant parts, fluid and solid extracts, concentrates, absolutes, oils, gums, balsams, resins, oleoresins, waxes, and distillates) they consist of one or more of the following, used alone or in combination with flavoring substances and adjuvants generally recognized as safe in food, previously sanctioned for such use, or regulated in any section of this part.
Open Table
| Common name | Scientific name | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Aloe | Aloe perryi Baker, A. barbadensis Mill., A. ferox Mill., and hybrids of this sp. with A. africana Mill. and A. spicata Baker | |
| Althea root and flowers | Althea officinalis L | |
| Amyris (West Indian sandalwood) | Amyris balsamifera L | |
| Angola weed | Roccella fuciformis Ach | In alcoholic beverages only |
| Arnica flowers | Arnica montana L., A. fulgens Pursh, A. sororia Greene, or A. cordifolia Hooker | Do. |
| Artemisia (wormwood) | Artemisia spp | Finished food thujone free1 |
| Artichoke leaves | Cynara scolymus L | In alcoholic beverages only |
| Benzoin resin | Styrax benzoin Dryander, S. paralleloneurus Perkins, S. tonkinensis (Pierre) Craib ex Hartwich, or other spp. of the Section Anthostyrax of the genus Styrax | |
| Blackberry bark | Rubus, Section Eubatus | |
| Boldus (boldo) leaves | Peumus boldus Mol | Do. |
| Boronia flowers | Boronia megastigma Nees | |
| Bryonia root | Bryonia alba L., or B. diocia Jacq | Do. |
| Buchu leaves | Barosma betulina Bartl. et Wendl., B. crenulata (L.) Hook. or B. serratifolia Willd | |
| Buckbean leaves | Menyanthes trifoliata L | Do. |
| Cajeput | Melaleuca leucadendron L. and other Melaleuca spp | |
| Calumba root | Jateorhiza palmata (Lam.) Miers | Do. |
| Camphor tree | Cinnamomum camphora (L.) Nees et Eberm | Safrole free |
| Cascara sagrada | Rhamnus purshiana DC | |
| Cassie flowers | Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willd | |
| Castor oil | Ricinus communis L | |
| Catechu, black | Acacia catechu Willd | |
| Cedar, white (aborvitae), leaves and twigs | Thuja occidentalis L | Finished food thujone free1 |
| Centuary | Centaurium umbellatum Gilib | In alcoholic beverages only |
| Cherry pits | Prunus avium L. or P. cerasus L | Not to exceed 25 p.p.m. prussic acid |
| Cherry-laurel leaves | Prunus laurocerasus L | Do. |
| Chestnut leaves | Castanea dentata (Marsh.) Borkh | |
| Chirata | Swertia chirata Buch.-Ham | In alcoholic beverages only |
| Cinchona, red, bark | Cinchona succirubra Pav. or its hybrids | In beverages only; not more than 83 p.p.m. total cinchona alkaloids in finished beverage |
| Cinchona, yellow, bark | Cinchona ledgeriana Moens, C. calisaya Wedd., or hybrids of these with other spp. of Cinchona. | Do. |
| Copaiba | South American spp. of Copaifera L | |
| Cork, oak | Quercus suber L., or Q. occidentalis F. Gay | In alcoholic beverages only |
| Costmary | Chrysanthemum balsamita L | Do. |
| Costus root | Saussurea lappa Clarke | |
| Cubeb | Piper cubeba L. f | |
| Currant, black, buds and leaves | Ribes nigrum L | |
| Damiana leaves | Turnera diffusa Willd | |
| Davana | Artemisia pallens Wall | |
| Dill, Indian | Anethum sowa Roxb. (Peucedanum graveolens Benth et Hook., Anethum graveolens L.) | |
| Dittany (fraxinella) roots | Dictamnus albus L | Do. |
| Dittany of Crete | Origanum dictamnus L | |
| Dragon's blood (dracorubin) | Daemonorops spp | |
| Elder tree leaves | Sambucus nigra L | In alcoholic beverages only; not to exceed 25 p.p.m. prussic acid in the flavor |
| Elecampane rhizome and roots | Inula helenium L | In alcoholic beverages only |
| Elemi | Canarium commune L. or C. luzonicum Miq | |
| Erigeron | Erigeron canadensis L | |
| Eucalyptus globulus leaves | Eucalyptus globulus Labill | |
| Fir (“pine”) needles and twigs | Abies sibirica Ledeb., A. alba Mill., A. sachalinesis Masters or A. mayriana Miyabe et Kudo | |
| Fir, balsam, needles and twigs | Abies balsamea (L.) Mill | |
| Galanga, greater | Alpinia galanga Willd | Do. |
| Galbanum | Ferula galbaniflua Boiss. et Buhse and other Ferula spp | |
| Gambir (catechu, pale) | Uncaria gambir Roxb | |
| Genet flowers | Spartium junceum L | |
| Gentian rhizome and roots | Gentiana lutea L | |
| Gentian, stemless | Gentiana acaulis L | Do. |
| Germander, chamaedrys | Teucrium chamaedrys L | Do. |
| Germander, golden | Teucrium polium L | Do. |
| Guaiac | Guaiacum officinale L., G. santum L., Bulnesia sarmienti Lor | |
| Guarana | Paullinia cupana HBK | |
| Haw, black, bark | Viburnum prunifolium L | |
| Hemlock needles and twigs | Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carr. or T. heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg | |
| Hyacinth flowers | Hyacinthus orientalis L | |
| Iceland moss | Cetraria islandica Ach | Do. |
| Imperatoria | Peucedanum ostruthium (L.). Koch (Imperatoria ostruthium L.) | |
| Iva | Achillea moschata Jacq | Do. |
| Labdanum | Cistus spp | |
| Lemon-verbena | Lippia citriodora HBK | Do. |
| Linaloe wood | Bursera delpechiana Poiss. and other Bursera spp | |
| Linden leaves | Tillia spp | Do. |
| Lovage | Levisticum officinale Koch | |
| Lungmoss (lungwort) | Sticta pulmonacea Ach | |
| Maidenhair fern | Adiantum capillus-veneris L | Do. |
| Maple, mountain | Acer spicatum Lam | |
| Mimosa (black wattle) flowers | Acacia decurrens Willd. var. dealbata | |
| Mullein flowers | Verbascum phlomoides L. or V. thapsiforme Schrad | Do. |
| Myrrh | Commiphora molmol Engl., C. abyssinica (Berg) Engl., or other Commiphora spp | |
| Myrtle leaves | Myrtus communis L | Do. |
| Oak, English, wood | Quercus robur L | Do. |
| Oak, white, chips | Quercus alba L | |
| Oak moss | Evernia prunastri (L.) Ach., E. furfuracea (L.) Mann, and other lichens | Finished food thujone free1 |
| Olibanum | Boswellia carteri Birdw. and other Boswellia spp | |
| Opopanax (bisabolmyrrh) | Opopanax chironium Koch (true opopanax) of Commiphora erythraea Engl. var. Llabrescens | |
| Orris root | Iris germanica L. (including its variety florentina Dykes) and I. pallida Lam | |
| Pansy | Viola tricolor L | In alcoholic beverages only |
| Passion flower | Passiflora incarnata L | |
| Patchouly | Pogostemon cablin Benth. and P. heyneanus Benth | |
| Peach leaves | Prunus persica (L.) Batsch | In alcoholic beverages only; not to exceed 25 p.p.m. prussic acid in the flavor |
| Pennyroyal, American | Hedeoma pulegioides (L.) Pers | |
| Pennyroyal, European | Mentha pulegium L | |
| Pine, dwarf, needles and twigs | Pinus mugo Turra var. pumilio (Haenke) Zenari | |
| Pine, Scotch, needles and twigs | Pinus sylvestris L | |
| Pine, white, bark | Pinus strobus L | In alcoholic beverages only |
| Pine, white oil | Pinus palustris Mill., and other Pinus spp | |
| Poplar buds | Populus balsamifera L. (P. tacamahacca Mill.), P. candicans Ait., or P. nigra L | Do. |
| Quassia | Picrasma excelsa (Sw.) Planch, or Quassia amara L | |
| Quebracho bark | Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco Schlecht, or (Quebrachia lorentzii (Griseb)) | Schinopsis lorentzii (Griseb.) Engl. |
| Quillaia (soapbark) | Quillaja saponaria Mol | |
| Red saunders (red sandalwood) | Pterocarpus san alinus L | In alcoholic beverages only |
| Rhatany root | Krameria triandra Ruiz et Pav. or K. argentea Mart | |
| Rhubarb, garden root | Rheum rhaponticum L | Do. |
| Rhubarb root | Rheum officinale Baill., R. palmatum L., or other spp. (excepting R. rhaponticum L.) or hybrids of Rheum grown in China | |
| Roselle | Hibiscus sabdariffa L | Do. |
| Rosin (colophony) | Pinus palustris Mill., and other Pinus spp | Do. |
| St. Johnswort leaves, flowers, and caulis | Hypericum perforatum L | Hypericin-free alcohol distillate form only; in alcoholic beverages only |
| Sandalwood, white (yellow, or East Indian) | Santalum album L | |
| Sandarac | Tetraclinis articulata (Vahl.), Mast | In alcoholic beverages only |
| Sarsaparilla | Smilax aristolochiaefolia Mill., (Mexican sarsaparilla), S. regelii Killip et Morton (Honduras sarsaparilla), S. febrifuga Kunth (Ecuadorean sarsaparilla), or undetermined Smilax spp. (Ecuadorean or Central American sarsaparilla) | |
| Sassafras leaves | Sassafras albidum (Nutt.) Nees | Safrole free |
| Senna, Alexandria | Cassia acutifolia Delile | |
| Serpentaria (Virginia snakeroot) | Aristolochia serpentaria L | In alcoholic beverages only |
| Simaruba bark | Simaruba amara Aubl | Do. |
| Snakeroot, Canadian (wild ginger) | Asarum canadense L | |
| Spruce needles and twigs | Picea glauca (Moench) Voss or P. mariana (Mill.) BSP | |
| Storax (styrax) | Liquidambar orientalis Mill. or L. styraciflua L | |
| Tagetes (marigold) | Tagetes patula L., T. erecta L., or T. minuta L. (T. glandulifera Schrank) | As oil only |
| Tansy | Tanacetum vulgare L | In alcoholic beverages only; finished alcoholic beverage thujone free1 |
| Thistle, blessed (holy thistle) | Onicus benedictus L | In alcoholic beverages only |
| Thymus capitatus (Spanish “origanum”) | Thymus capitatus Hoffmg. et Link | |
| Tolu | Myroxylon balsamum (L.) Harms | |
| Turpentine | Pinus palustris Mill. and other Pinus spp. which yield terpene oils exclusively | |
| Valerian rhizome and roots | Valeriana officinalis L | |
| Veronica | Veronica officinalis L | Do. |
| Vervain, European | Verbena officinalis L | Do. |
| Vetiver | Vetiveria zizanioides Stapf | Do. |
| Violet, Swiss | Viola calcarata L | |
| Walnut husks (hulls), leaves, and green nuts | Juglans nigra L. or J. regia L | |
| Woodruff, sweet | Asperula odorata L | In alcoholic beverages only |
| Yarrow | Achillea millefolium L | In beverages only; finished beverage thujone free1 |
| Yerba santa | Eriodictyon californicum (Hook, et Arn.) Torr | |
| Yucca, Joshua-tree | Yucca brevifolia Engelm | |
| Yucca, Mohave | Yucca schidigera Roezl ex Ortgies (Y. mohavensis Sarg.) |
1As determined by using the method (or, in other than alcoholic beverages, a suitable adaptation thereof) in section 9.129 of the “Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists,” 13th Ed. (1980), which is incorporated by reference. Copies may be obtained from the AOAC INTERNATIONAL, 481 North Frederick Ave., suite 500, Gaithersburg, MD 20877, or may be examined at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal__register/code__of__federal__regulations/ibr__locations.html.
[42 FR 14491, Mar. 15, 1977, as amended at 43 FR 14644, Apr. 7, 1978; 49 FR 10104, Mar. 19, 1984; 54 FR 24897, June 12, 1989; 69 FR 24511, May 4, 2004; 72 FR 10357, Mar. 8, 2007]
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