Take a look at the ingredient label on many seasoning blends and you'll often find a simple word: "Spices."
At first glance, that may seem straightforward. After all, seasonings contain spices, right?
But as consumers become more interested in understanding what's in their food, many are asking a reasonable question: Which spices?
At The French Longhorn, we believe you deserve a clear answer. That's why we choose to list the individual herbs and spices in our blends whenever possible rather than hiding them behind generic ingredient descriptions.
Because when it comes to seasoning your food, transparency matters.
What Does "Spices" Mean on a Food Label?
The term "spices" is commonly used throughout the food industry and is permitted on ingredient labels.
Rather than listing every spice individually, manufacturers may group multiple spices under the single term "spices."
For consumers, however, this can make it difficult to know exactly what is inside a seasoning blend.
You may know the product contains spices, but not whether it includes:
- Paprika
- Black pepper
- Cumin
- Coriander
- Mustard
- Cayenne
- Oregano
- Thyme
It may also contain a combination of several different ingredients.
While this labeling practice is common, we believe customers should have access to more information whenever possible.
If you're curious about what may be included in a seasoning blend beyond the flavors you recognize, read What Is Really Inside Your Spice Blend?
Why Ingredient Transparency Matters
Many families are paying closer attention to food labels and the ingredients used in the products they bring into their kitchens.
People want to know:
- What they're feeding their families
- Which ingredients create the flavor
- Whether a product contains additives
- Whether a seasoning aligns with their personal preferences
When ingredients are clearly listed, consumers can make informed decisions with confidence.
Transparency helps build trust.
And trust is something we believe every food company should earn.
Learn more about our philosophy in Why We Believe in Ingredient Transparency.
Our Philosophy: No Guesswork
At The French Longhorn, we don't believe customers should have to guess what's in the jar.
If a blend contains paprika, we want you to know it's paprika.
If it contains garlic, onion, thyme, oregano, cumin, or parsley, we want those ingredients clearly identified.
We take pride in developing recipes with carefully selected ingredients, and we're just as proud to tell you exactly what they are.
After all, if we're confident enough to put an ingredient in the blend, we should be confident enough to name it on the label.
That's one reason ingredient labels matter. See How to Read a Seasoning Ingredient Label: A Consumer's Guide.
Why We Don't Rely on Vague Ingredient Descriptions
Generic ingredient descriptions can make labels shorter, but they don't necessarily help consumers understand what they're buying.
We prefer a different approach.
Rather than relying on broad terms whenever possible, we believe ingredient labels should be straightforward and easy to read.
Our goal is simple:
When you pick up one of our products, you should know exactly what you're putting on your food.
No decoding required.
No surprises.
Just clear information.
What About Anti-Caking Agents and Other Additives?
Ingredient transparency is not limited to identifying herbs and spices. Some seasoning blends may also contain ingredients added for texture, flowability, shelf performance, or manufacturing convenience.
For example, silicon dioxide is commonly used to help powdered products remain free-flowing. It belongs to a broader category of ingredients known as