Smoke flavouring
What the research shows
PrototypeConcerning
in animal and lab studies only
1 of 2 health findings on this page · See the findings
A liquid made from smoke used to flavour food.
It gives food a smoky flavour without cooking with wood smoke.
Written from English Wikipedia1
What research says
Animal and lab studies only
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Open question
smoking effect on pollutants2
In rainbow trout, smoke flavouring did not change levels of certain chemicals that were already there from pollution.
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Concern
DNA damage in cells3
In lab studies, smoke flavouring damaged DNA in cells, and the way it was extracted changed how much damage occurred.
How it’s made and used
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Food poisoning bacteria4
In lab studies, smoke flavouring slowed the growth of Listeria bacteria on cold-smoked salmon.
The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least two findings in people. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.
References
- 1Liquid smoke. Wikipedia. Accessed September 26, 2026.
- 2Visciano P, Perugini M, Conte F, Amorena M. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) processed by traditional flue gas smoking and by liquid smoke flavourings. Food Chem Toxicol. 2008;46(5):1409-13. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2008.01.001
- 3Selin E, Mandava G, Vilcu AL, Oskarsson A, Lundqvist J. An in vitro-based hazard assessment of liquid smoke food flavourings. Arch Toxicol. 2022;96(2):601-611. doi:10.1007/s00204-021-03190-1
- 4Montazeri N, Himelbloom BH, Oliveira AC, Leigh MB, Crapo CA. Refined liquid smoke: a potential antilisterial additive to cold-smoked sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka). J Food Prot. 2013;76(5):812-9. doi:10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-12-368