Natural and artificial flavors are ingredients commonly used in the food industry to enhance the taste and aroma of products. While natural flavors are derived from plant or animal sources, artificial flavors are synthesized in the laboratory.

Characteristics 

• Taste Enhancement. Both are used to enrich or recreate specific tastes and aromas in food products, contributing to making foods and beverages more appealing.
• Versatility. They can be employed in a wide range of products, including snacks, beverages, baked goods, candies, and prepared dishes.
• Cost. Artificial flavors tend to be cheaper and more stable than natural flavors, making them particularly useful in mass-produced products.
• Consistency. Artificial flavors offer a flavor consistency that can be hard to achieve with natural ingredients, especially when seasonal variations affect the availability and characteristics of natural ingredients.
• Sustainability. Natural flavors are often considered more sustainable and eco-friendly, but they may require more resources for production and extraction.

Nutrition

On the nutritional aspect, natural flavors might come from sources that contain additional nutrients, whereas artificial flavors are typically designed to mimic the taste and aroma of natural ingredients without contributing nutritional value. It's worth noting that the primary purpose of both natural and artificial flavors is to enhance taste rather than to provide nutrition. Yet, the broader context of choosing foods that are minimally processed and closer to their natural state can indeed contribute to a more nutritious diet.

Safety

Regarding safety, artificial flavors are indeed subject to rigorous testing before approval for use in food products. However, the concern about allergens in artificial flavors is understandable, as the specific components of an artificial flavor mixture might not always be fully disclosed due to proprietary reasons. This can make it difficult for individuals with allergies to identify potential allergens.

The european legislation on Flavourings and Flavors Substances is constantly evolving (1998, 2008, 2012) and extremely complex due to the large number of ingredients and processing procedures. 

To the best of my knowledge, no manufacturer discloses the composition of the coacle of substances in the flavorings by entrenching themselves behind "company secret".

Certainly all flavors on the market are produced according to current regulations, but, without demonizing the role of chemistry, the problem is that the absence of transparency about the substances used can expose us to the risk of allergic reactions, intolerances, or adverse effects from chemicals that, if identified, would be subject to conscious exclusion from intake.

A premise: the term "Aroma" or "Flavourings" is generic, so it does not mean that the flavouring or flavourings included are obtained by natural means, but is a mixture of substances or preparations, obtained by synthetic, i.e. chemical, transformations.

Explanation:

Whether the term is "Aroma" or "Flavourings", it is a chemical component that replicates the taste of the ingredient, but may have no ingredient substance.

Flavourings: products not intended to be consumed in their original form, which are added to food in order to impart or modify an aroma and/or flavour. They are manufactured with or contain the following categories of substances: flavouring substances, flavouring preparations, thermal process flavourings, smoke flavourings, flavour precursors or other flavourings or mixtures of flavourings. (1).

By european law, the substances from which "Natural Flavor" is obtained must be 95 percent natural. The remaining 5%?

Different matter is whether they are obtained by chemical or other process. So, in conclusion, perhaps it would be best to avoid flavorings (with any literary extension beside them).

https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2019.5675