What is Vanillin?
Vanillin which is also sometimes called methyl vanillin, or 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde is a primary component of the extract of the vanilla bean. [1]
Natural Vanillin
Natural vanillin is extracted from the seed pods of Vanilla planifolia, a vining orchid native to Mexico, but now grown in tropical areas around the globe. Madagascar is presently the largest producer of natural vanillin. [1]
Synthetic Vanillin
Vanillin is rarely found in it's natural form in food products because the synthetic form of vanillin is cheaper to produce. Used as a flavoring agent in foods, beverages, and pharmaceuticals. Artificial vanilla flavoring is a solution of pure vanillin, usually of synthetic origin. [1]
What is Ethyl Vanillin?
Ethyl Vanillin is an artificial food additive with the same flavor as vanillin but with the distinctive difference of being 2 - 3 times as potent as regular vanillin. [2]
Vanillin was first isolated as a relatively pure substance in 1858 by Nicolas-Theodore Gobley, who obtained it by evaporating a vanilla extract to dryness, and recrystallizing the resulting solids from hot water. [1]
In 1874, the German scientists Ferdinand Tiemann and Wilhelm Haarmann deduced its chemical structure, at the same time finding a synthesis for vanillin from coniferin, a glycoside of isoeugenol found in pine bark. Tiemann and Haarmann founded a company, Haarmann & Reimer (now part of Symrise) and started the first industrial production of Vanillin using their process in Holzminden (Germany). In 1876, Karl Reimer synthesized vanillin from guaiacol. By the late 19th century, semisynthetic vanillin derived from the eugenol found in clove oil was commercially available. [1]
As of 2001, the annual demand for vanillin was 12,000 tons, but only 1,800 tons of natural vanillin were produced. [1]
Source(s) Derived From |
Plant Sources, Chemical (Synthetic) Sources Naturally extracted from the seed pods of Vanilla planifolia or made synthetically from lignin-containing "brown liquor", a byproduct of the sulfite process for making wood pulp. [1] |
Natural or Artificial? |
Both (Can be derived from Natural & Artificial Sources) |
References |
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Aliases (Also Known As) |
Artificial Vanillin Ethyl Vanillin Ethylvanillin Natural Vanillin Color Key - (Click/Tap to View)
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| Action | User | Date/Time |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredient updated | UPC Food Search | August 22, 2018 @ 4:16 PM |
| Ingredient updated | UPC Food Search | April 30, 2018 @ 3:53 PM |
| Ingredient added | UPC Food Search | January 1, 2009 @ 2:14 AM |
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