Natural versus artificial flavourings

Flavour is an essential factor in the eating experience, but there is a hot debate in the food industry about where flavour should come from. Faced with a choice between natural and synthetic flavours, the latter often coming with a bad reputation, what is the best choice? Are synthetic flavourings harmful, even when they have the same chemical composition as a natural flavour? Jim Banks speaks to Matthew Carpenter, chair of the UK Flavour Association, and food researcher Ahmed Olatunde of the Department of Medical Biochemistry at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University in Nigeria, to find out more.