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Here is the summary regarding artificial and natural flavors.  Thanks for
your response but I am still as confused as ever.

Lorna


  Most flavorings are carried in alcohol (think vanilla extract).  The
alcohol may be from wheat, rye, barley.  Sugars also may or may not be
derived from these grains.


this is the discussion that has been going on for the last few days
about the GF status of distilled alcohol. Distilled vinegars and alcohol,
even grain alcohol, are GF if no gluten is added after distilling. There
has never been a question about artificial flavors (confusing ain't it ;),
and now all the scientific evidence tells us that natural flavors are also
OK.


unfortunately, natural flavors can be anything, including things that
contain gluten. so you need to call the manufacturer on any product that you
want to use that contains natural flavors.


I cannot say anything definitive, except these MAY contain gluten. This was
brought home to me by a friend who was doing consulting work for a large
commerciall food processor. As she toured the plant, she was brought into
the area where they were adding ingredients to liquid. As she watched 500
pounds of "pure wheat gluten" being added to this vat, she asked what was
being made. The answer: "NATURAL FLAVORING"!

Regarding artificial and natural flavors...we need to investigate exactly
where these flavors have been derived, i.e., corn, wheat, etc..  We can't
simply say they are or aren't gf.

Two of the most perplexing mysteries of diagnosing food are "artificial
flavoring" and "modified food starch."  I don't eat a lot of products
because the ingredients of these two things are almost never specified.
They can be derived from corn or wheat and most companies, unfortunately, do
not state which one.  We have to call individual companies to assertain
which grain it's derived from.  A lot of times the person on the other end
of the phone, does not know what you're talking about (gluten) and that
makes it so much more confusing.  It's time consuming and frustrating, but
something that must be done.  Make a list of 800 numbers from products
you're interested in and call.

One of the best artificial or natural flavors available is malt.  I'm
particularly careful with chocolate because malt goes so well w/ chocolate.
McDonald's chocolate shakes have malt in them, although they are not called
chocolated malt flavor.  I also saw something like Cracker Jack which had a
note that said the flavor was from barley malt.

The most definitive source is the magazine "Gluten-Free Living", which did a
study of this several issues ago. The conclusion was that the only flavors
worth worrying about are those in meat, which might contain something like
wheat starch. All others are safe.

When I subscribes to Gluten -free Living magazine and obtained back issues
that covered vinegar and natural and artificial flavoring I started to calm
down.  The diet they outline in the last issue is so clear.  After study I
choose to not worry about flavorings unless they are in a meat product