Natural Smoke Flavors

Natural Smoke Flavors carries a safety score of 3/5 and appears in 89 indexed US food products.

Safety score 60.0%

3/5 from FDA SAFFA + CSPI Chemical Cuisine

How common is vs other flagged additives?

Number of indexed products containing each of the most common flagged additives — Natural Smoke Flavors highlighted.

Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.

Caramel Coloring22612Red 4021595Yellow 518987Carrageenan17853Blue 116643Yellow 613560Sucralose10490Natural Smoke Flavors89
Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.
Safety Score
3/5

Safety Assessment

Natural Smoke Flavors has a moderate safety profile (3/5). While approved for use, some studies or consumer advocacy groups have raised questions about certain aspects of this ingredient. Consumers who prefer caution may wish to limit intake.

What the Data Says About

Natural Smoke Flavors currently appears in 89 products across the OpenFoodFacts catalog we index, which gives a concrete measure of its footprint on US grocery shelves. Our internal safety score of 3/5 synthesizes FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) regulatory status with the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) Chemical Cuisine classification. These two frameworks capture different questions: regulators ask whether exposure at typical intake is acceptable, while consumer-advocacy groups examine cumulative dietary load and vulnerable-population risk.

Natural Smoke Flavors serves one or more technical functions in food manufacturing — stabilization, flavor, preservation, or structural role — which explains its presence across multiple product categories in our database. Inspection and outbreak records frequently trace back to control failures around functional additives, whether through batch contamination, undisclosed substitutions, or labeling mismatches that trigger recall classifications by the FDA.

No specific concern flags are attached to Natural Smoke Flavors in our current data snapshot beyond the regulatory and CSPI classifications above. That does not rule out individual sensitivity reactions, and anyone managing allergies, elimination diets, or chronic conditions should verify with a qualified healthcare professional before relying on population-level ratings.

Safety Profile at a Glance

Regulatory and safety classifications for Natural Smoke Flavors
Source Classification Year
FDA SAFFA Not listed 2024
CSPI Chemical Cuisine Not rated 2024
PlainFoodSafe Score 3/5 2026
Product footprint 89 products OpenFoodFacts

FDA SAFFA database, CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings, OpenFoodFacts product index. See methodology.

Products Containing

Showing 50 of 89 products

Applewood bbq sauce, applewood bbq
Chili's, Kettle-Cooked Crafters Llc
95/100
Applewood Smoked Bacon
Smithfield
100/100
Bacon Rub, Bacon Wrapped
J&D's
100/100
Baked beans
Unknown
80/100
Barbecue potato chips
Unknown
100/100
Barbecue potato chips
Unknown
100/100
BBQ Joes Chips
Joe Chips
100/100
Bbq Peanuts
Ava's Snacks
100/100
Bbq sauce
Unknown
95/100
Bbq Sauce & Rubs
3 Taxi Guys
100/100
Bbq seasoned ranch chicken salad
Signature Farms
100/100
Bbq style chopped salad
Unknown
100/100
Beachin bbq smoked out dry rub seasoning
Unknown
100/100
Boneless chicken bites + sweet bbq sauce white meat chicken fritters with a sweet bbq dipping sauce microwavable tray, chicken
Unknown
100/100
Brussel sprouts & gold potatoes
Unknown
85/100
CHICKEN BREAST STRIPS
Kroger
100/100
Chicken kabobs
Unknown
100/100
Chipotle flavored sunflower seeds
Unknown
100/100
Chipotle Sauce
Red Bone Alley Foods Llc
95/100
Chopped kickin' bbq style chopped salad
Ready pac
100/100
Country Bbq Rub Seasoning
Spice king
100/100
Creamy garlic shrimp
Unknown
100/100
Creamy garlic shrimp
Unknown
100/100
Crispy onions, bacon
Stater Bros. Markets Inc.
100/100
Diced Chicken Breast
Kroger
100/100
Dickey's, Bourbon Homemade Bbq, Grilling & Marnade Sauce
Pine Tree Productions
100/100
Essential everyday, potato chips, barbecue
Essential Everyday, Supervalu Inc.
100/100
Fire roasted chicken fajitas
Unknown
95/100
Fire roasted tomato & garlic pasta sauce
Newman's Own
100/100
Fully cooked baby back pork ribs in smoky bbq sauce
Unknown
95/100
Fully Cooked Dark Meat Chicken Fajitas Strips
Koch Foods,USDA
100/100
Fully Cooked Grilled Chicken Breast Strips
Kroger
100/100
Giants sunflower seeds
Unknown
100/100
Good & delish, kettle cooked potato chips, honey bbq
Good & Delish, Walgreens Co.
100/100
Hampton farms, honey smoked peanuts
Hampton Farms
100/100
Hawaiian style 3 cheese blend, pineapple, canadian bacon, red bell peppers, bacon bits & green onions traditional crust pizza, hawaiian style
Unknown
85/100
Hearty baked mashed potatoes
Unknown
40/100
Hickory & brown sugar barbecue sauce, hickory & brown sugar
Unknown
95/100
Hickory & brown sugar bbq sauce, hickory & brown sugar
Unknown
95/100
Hickory Smoked Beef Brisket
Rich Products Corporation
95/100
Hickory smoked hand pulled pork bbq in a honey bourbon bbq sauce
Unknown
95/100
Homestyle baked beans
Unknown
80/100
Honey barbecue wing sauce
Unknown
100/100
Honey Jalapeno Boneless Slices Country Ham, Honey Jalapeno
Hobe's
100/100
Jdickey's, Maryland - Homemade Bbq, Grilling & Marinade Sauce
Pine Tree Productions
100/100
Korean bbq beef stir-fry sauce
Unknown
100/100
Light! shrimp scampi, shrimp in a light blend of olive oil, minced garlic & seasonings
Sea Pak
100/100
Marinara Stuffed Mozzarella Sticks
Farm Rich
100/100
Mesquite Marinade Mix
Weber
95/100
Mrs. renfro's, classic barbecue sauce, medium
Mrs. Renfro's
95/100

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Natural Smoke Flavors safe to eat?

Natural Smoke Flavors has a safety score of 3/5. Always check with a healthcare provider if you have specific dietary concerns.

What products contain Natural Smoke Flavors?

Natural Smoke Flavors is found in 89 products in our database, spanning various food categories and brands.

What does Natural Smoke Flavors do in food?

Natural Smoke Flavors serves various technical functions in food manufacturing and processing.

Where does this ingredient safety data come from?

Safety data comes from the FDA's SAFFA (Substances Added to Food) database, CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest) ratings, and the OpenFoodFacts product database. Product counts reflect items cataloged in OpenFoodFacts.