system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
What are raw ingredients used in artificial flavors?

FDA defines artificial flavors as;
"any substance, the function of which is to impart flavor, which is not derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof."

Are these all really never used in artificial flavors? I am curious to know what natural ingredients are that make up the 'strawberry', or 'orange' flavoring.
gpt
Some artificial flavors are the same chemicals as those found naturally. For example, octyl acetate provides the main flavor for citrus fruits. This can be found naturally or produced by the reaction of 1-octanol (can be made via the Ziegler alcohol synthesis) and acetic acid (vinegar). This alternative may be cheaper and more industrially feasible than smushing oranges. You don't get the nuances of the many other molecules that contribute to the flavor of oranges, but you get the gist of the flavor for cheap.