Real Smoke Flavorings – Are There Health Concerns?
Times have changed since the days that you had to start the BBQ to savor the aroma of smoked foods.
Nowadays, smoke-flavored potato chips, cheese, sauces and crackers fill store shelves, but how do they attain their taste? Most of these food items derive flavor from liquid smoke—a 100-year-old condiment recently scrutinized for its impact on human health.
How Is Liquid Smoke Made?
Manufacturers burn wood in a controlled environment and collect the smoke in a condenser. Once accumulated, it is left to cool until it becomes a liquid. They commonly filter the liquid to remove impurities before bottling. Yet, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) remain, which could have adverse effects on human health.
Benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, and benzo[a]pyrene are PAHs commonly found in liquid smoke and are proven carcinogens. Then again, commercially produced smoke flavor agents must adhere to strict safety regulations to ensure acceptable levels of PAHs.
How Safe Is Liquid Smoke?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in Europe regulate liquid smoke. Both bodies have endorsed the condiment for many years. However, researchers have recently contested its safety. An in vitro study1 from 2021 confirmed the dangers of some liquid smoke ingredients.
- Genotoxicity: some compounds can bind to human DNA and interfere with its replication, which may cause cancer.
- Oxidative stress: a state where free radicals inundate the body. Having too many free radicals in the blood causes oxidation, which can intensify many degenerative diseases.
- Estrogenicity: some elements may have the same effects on the body as estrogen, disrupting the hormonal balance and reproductive health.
The EU Will Ban Smoke Flavorings From 2025
The European Union has allowed smoky flavorings since 2003, when it passed regulations to control its use in food products. In 2014, the EFSA conducted a study to review the safety of liquid smoke and its health implications. Using the results of this study, the EFSA approved specific smoky ingredients in limited quantities, with the option to re-assess their impact after 10 years.
Last year’s reassessment had a very different outcome from the original ruling in 2014. New health regulations call for the measurement of genotoxicity, which was not always of concern. The latest review found that nearly all components of liquid smoke exhibit genotoxic effects. Knowing this, the EFSA plans to ban the flavoring from January 1, 2025.
Healthier Alternatives to Liquid Smoke
In light of Europe’s new regulations, many top snack brands now offer “smoke-free” versions of their products. To do this, they rely on natural flavorings that provide a similar smoky taste without coming into contact with actual wood smoke. Some of these flavorings rely on pyrazines—a group of natural compounds found in pungent foods like coffee and asparagus.
Another popular alternative is smoked paprika. This Spanish spice undergoes smoking during the curing process, which leaves it with a distinctive smoky undertone. It’s also easy to incorporate smoked paprika into processed and packaged foods due to minimal labeling requirements.
Smoky Flavors Without the Health Risks
As global legislation changes, food manufacturers must keep up to date for their brands to remain relevant. In light of the latest EU laws regarding liquid smoke, American producers would do well to start exploring healthier alternatives Stateside. Request a sample from Advanced Biotech today to find your next star flavoring for natural and smoke-free snacks, or contact us for more information.
1 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8837572/