Many consumers reject flavor enhancers such as glutamate, which is why products such as instant broths often carry the label "without flavor enhancer additives". However, manufacturers sometimes use yeast extract containing glutamate as a substitute. Although this does not legally count as an additive, consumers still feel deceived.

The good news is that a market check has shown that inexpensive own brands in particular (e.g. Ja! from Rewe or Gartenkrone from Aldi) do not actually contain any flavor-enhancing substances if they are declared as such. Further information: www.lebensmittelklarheit.de

What does "without sugar" and "without additives" mean?

However, the trend is less positive when it comes to sugar. "No sugar" or "no added sugar" only means that there is no household sugar, i.e. sucrose. If you take a closer look at the list of ingredients, you will often discover glucose-fructose syrup or sweet whey powder, which are nothing more than other types of sugar. Foods labeled "without preservatives" do not actually contain any additives that are legally considered as such. Nevertheless, substances with a preservative effect, such as citric acid, may be processed.

"Without artificial flavors" vs. "without added flavors"

Thickening agents such as carrageenan (obtained from red algae) are often added to aqueous products to inhibit bacterial growth. The quality promise "without artificial flavors" is an absolute blender. Only around 15 such additives are permitted in Germany, so they hardly play a role. Synthetically produced flavorings that occur in nature, such as vanillin, are not included. Only if a product says "no added flavorings" can you be sure that there are none in it. You can find a lexicon of additives on the homepage of the German Additives Museum, www.zusatzstoffmuseum.de.