CHAMOMILE FLOWER (ANTHEMIS NOBILIS L.)

CAS: 977007-26-3 FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT

Chamomile Flower (Anthemis nobilis L.) is a botanical derived flavoring agent recognized in US regulatory inventories under spices and seasonings. It is listed in the FDA substances added to food inventory and categorized as a spice or natural seasoning for intended use in food formulations.

What It Is

Chamomile Flower (Anthemis nobilis L.) is the dried flower material of the Roman or English chamomile plant used for its characteristic herbal flavor. It is recognized in food regulatory listings as a natural seasoning and flavoring ingredient. The botanical is included in the FDA’s Substances Added to Food inventory under spices and other natural seasonings and flavorings for use as a flavoring agent or adjuvant pursuant to its listing in 21 CFR 182.10, which includes spices and natural seasonings generally recognized as safe for their intended use. Roman chamomile has a long history of use as a botanical in culinary and herbal contexts, with the dried flowers imparting a gentle, slightly sweet and apple-like flavor that complements a range of savory and sweet food applications. Chamomile Flower (Anthemis nobilis L.) may be labeled in products with names reflecting its English or Roman chamomile identity, with synonyms that include multiple botanical and common name variants. In regulatory terms, the function of this ingredient is to contribute flavor rather than nutrition; as such, it is classified technically as a flavoring agent or adjuvant. The term "adjuvant" in this context denotes that its presence enhances or supports the principal flavor profile or sensory characteristic of a food product. Within the landscape of herbs and botanicals used for flavor, chamomile flower is among a group of plant-derived flavor agents that also have traditional herbal uses, though its use in foods is confined to flavoring at amounts consistent with good manufacturing practice. While chamomile flower is prominent in traditional beverages and culinary uses outside of regulatory classifications, the regulatory inventory listing underscores its applicability in modern formulated food products where natural flavor contributions are desired. Its identification by CAS 977007-26-3 helps ensure consistency of reference across regulatory lists and inventory systems.

How It Is Made

Chamomile Flower used as a flavoring agent is derived from the blossoms of the Anthemis nobilis L. plant, commonly known as Roman or English chamomile. The raw botanical material is harvested when flowers are in full bloom, after which it may undergo drying processes to reduce moisture and stabilize the material for culinary or extractive use. In many commercial contexts, the dried flowers are further processed to produce extracts or natural flavor concentrates that can be incorporated into food formulations. The dried flowers may be subjected to steam distillation or solvent extraction techniques to generate concentrated flavor fractions, though the specific method can vary depending on the intended product form. For example, steam distillation of the dried botanical produces volatile components that comprise the essential flavor profile, while solvent-based extraction yields broader arrays of soluble aromatic constituents. The resulting extracts are often evaluated for quality and purity to ensure they meet specifications suitable for use in food products. Because Roman chamomile is a botanical, the composition of the material is inherently variable based on factors such as growing conditions, harvest timing, and post-harvest handling. Nonetheless, standardized extraction and drying processes help produce flavor ingredients with consistent sensory characteristics. These production methods do not typically involve synthetic chemical modification; the focus is on capturing and preserving the natural flavor compounds from the plant. The material intended for food use must meet food-grade specifications in terms of purity and absence of contaminants, though detailed identity and purity specifications for this particular botanical are not routinely published in accessible regulatory compendia such as the FAO/WHO JECFA database.

Why It Is Used In Food

Chamomile Flower is used in food primarily for its sensory contribution and to enhance flavor profiles in a variety of culinary applications. As a botanical flavoring agent, its herbal, slightly floral and mild apple-like aromatic notes can complement both savory and sweet formulations. The presence of chamomile flower or its extracts in formulations offers food manufacturers a way to introduce natural flavor complexity, providing a characteristic botanical nuance that aligns with consumer interest in plant-derived ingredients. In practical terms, the use of chamomile flower can support product differentiation by adding subtle herbal layers to beverages, baked goods, confectionery, and seasoning blends. In beverages such as herbal teas or blended drinks, chamomile’s flavor character can be a defining element of the overall profile. In bakery items or confections, chamomile may be used to add gentle floral tones without overpowering other dominant flavors. The selection of chamomile flower as a flavoring agent reflects broader trends in the food industry toward using botanicals and spice-derived flavor components for natural and nuanced flavor figures. Because it is recognized under the spices and natural seasonings category in the FDA inventory, chamomile flower is generally regarded as safe for its intended use in foods when employed in accordance with accepted practices. Manufacturers incorporate such botanical flavorings at levels that achieve the desired sensory outcome while maintaining balance in product formulations. The technical function of a flavoring agent like chamomile flower is not to impart nutritional value but to contribute appealing organoleptic characteristics that influence consumer perception and acceptability.

Adi Example Calculation

Because Chamomile Flower as a botanical flavoring does not have a specific numeric ADI established in authoritative regulators such as JECFA or EFSA, an illustrative calculation using an ADI value is not applicable. ADI calculations typically require a defined numeric threshold derived from toxicological evidence, and in the case of chamomile flower flavoring, this numeric benchmark is not specified in public regulatory sources. The safety of this ingredient is instead framed through its inclusion in GRAS inventories for intended use at flavor levels, rather than through a quantified daily intake limit. Consequently, practitioners and formulators focus on using the ingredient within accepted flavor usage levels that achieve the desired sensory effect without unnecessary excess.

Safety And Health Research

Regulatory and safety assessments for Chamomile Flower as a food flavoring generally center on its longstanding use as a botanical and the absence of signals indicating hazard at levels used for flavoring. Listings in inventories such as the FDA’s Substances Added to Food under spices and other natural seasonings and flavorings are grounded in general recognition of safety for its intended use, rather than detailed toxicological studies specific to the single botanical. The Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) conducts GRAS assessments for natural flavor complexes, which include botanical-derived flavoring agents that have been evaluated using established procedures and safety thresholds. These assessments consider the composition of the complex mixture of constituents in botanically sourced flavorings and compare exposure estimates against toxicological benchmarks. Specific toxicological data for chamomile flower as a flavoring are limited in publicly accessible regulatory databases, and detailed hazard endpoints such as genotoxicity, reproductive toxicity or chronic toxicity are not individually documented in readily available FAO/WHO JECFA summaries. Instead, safety evaluation is inferred from historical use and expert assessment processes that categorize spices and botanicals with extensive usage histories as acceptable for flavor use. The general approach taken in regulatory inventories is that naturally derived botanical flavorings, when used at levels consistent with good manufacturing practice, do not pose identifiable health risks under conditions of intended use. It is important to note that botanical materials like chamomile flower contain complex mixtures of compounds, and individual sensitivities or allergic reactions can occur in susceptible populations; however, such responses are not typically framed as population-wide toxicological hazards warranting numeric regulatory limits. Research literature on chamomile often focuses on traditional medicinal or botanical applications outside the scope of flavor use rather than formal safety assessments for food additive status.

Regulatory Status Worldwide

In the United States, Chamomile Flower (Anthemis nobilis L.) is listed in the FDA’s Substances Added to Food inventory under the category of spices and other natural seasonings and flavorings, which corresponds to the regulatory provision at 21 CFR 182.10. This section of the Code of Federal Regulations enumerates spices and natural seasonings that are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for their intended use in food products when used in accordance with good manufacturing practice, reflecting longstanding expert consensus on safety for flavoring purposes. Egg CFR 182.10 includes English or Roman chamomile among spices recognized as safe for their flavor contribution. At the international level, the ingredient may be included in flavoring specifications maintained by expert bodies such as the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), which maintains a searchable database of flavoring agent specifications. However, specific numeric values such as an INS number or ADI for chamomile flower flavor have not been identified in those databases, and detailed JECFA evaluation results for this botanical are not readily available in public records. The absence of a dedicated INS number or specific ADI entry may reflect that chamomile flower is encompassed within general botanical flavoring categories rather than being a discrete chemical entity subject to standalone ADI determination. Within the European Union, comparable regulatory treatment of botanical flavoring ingredients exists under flavoring regulations administered by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and Codex Alimentarius frameworks, though explicit E-number designation for chamomile flower flavor is not typically assigned. The focus for regulators is usually on evaluating the safety of flavoring preparations and ensuring that botanical extracts used in food meet established purity and safety criteria.

Taste And Functional Properties

Chamomile Flower, when used as a flavoring ingredient, contributes a mild, herbaceous and slightly floral sensory note that is often described as gently sweet with subtle apple-like nuances. These sensory characteristics arise from volatile aromatic compounds that are present in the dried flowers or extracted fractions. When incorporated into food or beverage systems, the flavor profile can enhance complexity and impart a natural botanical quality that resonates with consumer expectations for plant-derived flavors. In terms of functional behavior, chamomile flower flavoring ingredients exhibit properties typical of botanical extracts and spice-derived natural products. The aromatic compounds are generally volatile, meaning they contribute to aroma perception during consumption rather than directly influencing texture or structure of the food matrix. Because the role of this ingredient is sensory, its primary function is to modulate or enrich flavor profiles rather than to act as a functional additive in processes such as emulsification, stabilization, or preservation. Chamomile’s flavor components are compatible with a range of food matrices, though their effectiveness can vary with processing conditions such as heat or prolonged storage. Thermal processes may alter some of the more delicate aromatic compounds, which is why formulation strategies often include consideration of how and when flavorings are introduced in the production sequence. In beverage applications like herbal teas, the infusion process readily extracts the aromatic compounds into the liquid phase. In baked goods, the retention of specific volatile components may be influenced by baking temperatures. Overall, the functional properties of chamomile flower flavoring are centered on its contribution to taste and aroma rather than technological performance in food processing. Its mild flavor profile allows it to blend with other ingredients without overwhelming other sensory dimensions.

Acceptable Daily Intake Explained

The concept of acceptable daily intake (ADI) refers to an estimate of the amount of a substance that can be ingested daily over a lifetime without appreciable health risk, based on toxicological data and safety factors. For many botanically derived flavoring agents such as Chamomile Flower, specific numeric ADI values are not established in authoritative databases like JECFA’s searchable specifications because the ingredient is evaluated in the context of traditional use and recognized as safe for flavoring at levels consistent with good manufacturing practice. As a result, rather than a numeric ADI, regulatory systems rely on inclusion in GRAS or equivalent listings to indicate that habitual exposure as a flavoring agent is considered without concern under intended conditions of use. When numeric ADI values are established for flavoring agents, they typically derive from formal toxicological studies that identify a no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) and apply uncertainty factors to account for variability across populations and data limitations. These safety margins provide regulators with confidence that exposure remains within safe bounds. In the absence of such specific evaluations for chamomile flower in food, the overarching regulatory inference of safety means that its use at flavor-relevant levels does not pose a known risk requiring numeric intake thresholds. This approach underscores the distinction between botanical flavorings recognized as safe due to extensive history of consumption and synthetic or isolated chemical additives that undergo rigorous numeric ADI derivation. For botanicals like chamomile, adherence to good manufacturing practices and established flavor usage recommendations supports consumer safety.

Comparison With Similar Additives

Chamomile Flower shares its category of use with other botanical flavoring agents such as cinnamon bark, vanilla bean extract, and mint leaf derivatives, all of which are included in regulatory spice and natural seasoning listings for flavor contribution. Similar to chamomile, these botanicals are recognized for their characteristic sensory attributes and are used to impart herbal, sweet, or aromatic notes in foods and beverages. All are typically considered GRAS in the US context when used in accordance with good manufacturing practice and listed in sections such as 21 CFR 182.10 for spices and natural seasonings. Compared with essential oils or concentrated botanical extracts like peppermint oil or citrus oils, chamomile’s flavor profile is more subtle and less dominated by a single dominant compound. For example, peppermint oil has a high menthol content that drives a strong cooling sensation, while citrus oils contain abundant limonene that provides a fresh citrus note. Chamomile’s botanical flavor constituents are more nuanced and appear in lower relative concentrations, which suits applications where a gentle herbal nuance is desired. Another point of comparison is with vanilla extract, which has a rich, sweet aromatic profile widely used in sweet goods. Vanilla extract’s flavor intensity and consumer familiarity make it a staple in many sweet formulations, whereas chamomile flower is more niche and often used in products emphasizing botanical complexity or herbal beverage applications. The regulatory treatment of these botanicals is similar in that all are typically recognized as safe for flavoring purposes, but differences in sensory strength and typical usage levels distinguish their functional roles in food formulations.

Common Food Applications Narrative

Chamomile Flower is found in a wide array of food and beverage applications where subtle botanical or herbal flavoring is desired. In beverage formulations, chamomile is commonly used in herbal tea blends or as a complementary botanical in blended infusions with other herbal components. Its gentle and approachable flavor profile suits calming and mild tea offerings that appeal to consumers seeking nuanced, plant-based tastes. Beyond traditional teas, chamomile flavors may be incorporated into lightly flavored sparkling drinks or artisan mixers where a floral-herbal note enhances the overall sensory experience. In bakery and confectionery applications, chamomile Flower can be used in products such as shortbread, cookies, or infused syrups where its aromatic components contribute to a distinctive taste character. The botanical notes of chamomile may complement citrus, honey, or spice profiles, enabling developers to craft products with layered flavor depth. This use aligns with broader culinary trends that incorporate herbs and botanical extracts to elevate familiar products with subtle complexity and a natural ingredient appeal. Savory applications may also harness chamomile’s gentle herbal notes; in seasoning blends or artisan condiments, its presence can add a soft botanical accent that enhances other herbal and spice elements. These applications reflect the ingredient’s versatility as a flavor contributor rather than a dominant taste driver. Across these categories, chamomile Flower is chosen for products positioned toward consumers who appreciate natural flavors derived from plants, especially in segments emphasizing botanical or wellness-associated tastes. Food manufacturers incorporating chamomile Flower align with market trends favoring botanical and herbal ingredients. Its inclusion in diversified product lines illustrates how traditional herbs can be adapted into contemporary culinary contexts while maintaining sensory relevance and consumer appeal.

Safety & Regulations

FDA

  • Approved: True
  • Regulation: 21 CFR 182.10

EFSA

  • Notes: Specific EFSA numeric approvals not identified in public food additive database

JECFA

  • Notes: JECFA numeric evaluation data for this botanical flavor not found

Sources

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