by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

Flavor company T. Hasegawa USA manufactures PlantReact, vegan natural flavors made without animal-derived genetic material from a virtual DNA library, according to Mark Webster, VP of Sales & Marketing. Intended to impart meat or dairy taste profiles to foods or beverages, PlantReact flavors are used in a wide variety of vegan products.

     PlantReact flavors originate from plant-derived compounds that undergo various chemical processes such as Maillard reactions, enzymolysis, or fermentation. It is important to note that precision fermentation (PF), in which animal DNA may be used to produce proteins and fats that could function as flavors, is not used.

Several companies marketing PF macronutrients as “animal-free” also label them as vegan on food packages. The VRG has reported on a few of these companies in recent years.

Readers should also be aware that natural flavors on a food or beverage label could refer to meat or dairy ingredients according to the legal definition established by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Vegan Foods Made with PlantReact

The VRG requested a list of vegan products made with PlantReact. Webster told us “Unfortunately, we do not disclose this information as part of our company policy. Wish I could though!”

In their promotional materials, T. Hasegawa USA lists generic vegan food product categories that PlantReact natural flavors could be in. Webster confirmed that only the term natural flavors would appear on package labels. These vegan foods include:

• Frozen vegan burger patties
• Pizza toppings
• Vegan beef crumbles
• Vegan burritos
• Vegan ready meals/entrées
• Vegan soups
• Vegan chili
• Vegan steak
• Vegan chicken filets
• Vegan chicken tenders
• Vegan sausage
• Plant-based milks
• Plant-based creamers
• Ramen meals
• Vegan cheese analogs
• Vegan cheese
• Vegan cream cheese
• Vegan creamy soups
• Vegan sauces

 The VRG Recommendations on Natural Flavors

In the past few decades, we have noticed an increasing number of food and beverage companies that specify the source(s) of the natural flavors on their product labels. They are not legally required to do so.

We must caution you, however, that with the rise of precision fermentation, so-called “animal-free” or “vegan” natural flavors could have been developed from animal genes. The only way to be sure is to ask the company and trust that you are receiving accurate information.

While we applaud T. Hasegawa USA for creating authentically vegan natural flavors, there is no way to tell from a label if their PlantReact is actually in a product. When in doubt, always inquire about the source(s) of the natural flavors in food and beverage products.

For more ingredient information, see: https://www.vrg.org/ingredients/index.php

The contents of this posting, our website and our other publications, including Vegan Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.