Vanilla production

Dignum M, Kerler J, Verpoorte R (2001a) Vanilla production technological, chemical and biosynthetic aspects. Food Res Int 17 199-219... 

Waliszewski et al. (2007b) described a simple and rapid HPLC technique for vanillin determination in alcohol vanilla extract, and the method has been applied successfully for the determination of vanillin in some commercial extracts for routine analysis. de Jager et al. (2007) developed a LC-MS method for the determination of vanillin, coumarin and ethyl vanillin in vanilla products using LC-electrospray ionization in the positive ionization mode. The limits of detection for the method ranged from 0.051 to 0.073 pg/ml. 

The standards defined by the Food and Drug Administration of the USA for vanilla products are given below. 

Dignum, M.J.W., Kerler, J. and Verpoorte, R. (2001) Vanilla production technological, chemical, and biosynthetic aspects. Food Review International 1 7, 199-219. 

These detectors are commonly used in HPLC analysis. The absorption of the substances in the eluate by a specific wavelength normally between 190 and 700 nm is proportional to their concentration. This technique is widely used for quality control of flavourings, e.g. for the quantification of the vanillin/p-hydroxybenzaldehyde ratio for natural vanilla products, for the determination of caffeine in extracts and drinks, or for the detection and quantification of restricted ingredients such as quassine, coumarin or p-asarone in natural extracts [11-12[. 

Some people prefer a vanilla product that contains no, or almost no, alcohol. If alcohol is removed, almost pure vanilla is left behind, leaving a product known as natural vanilla flavoring. 

In cosmetics, food and drinks industry, the demand of additives that cause the smell and taste of vanilla is far larger than natural methods of vanilla production can accommodate. This is why synthetically manufactured vanillin is often used as a cheap and readily available alternative. The current worldwide production of synthetic vanillin is roughly 10000 tons per year, with most of the processes starting either from lignin, eugenol or guaiacol." "" ... 

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CaH803. Fine white needles, m.p. 82°C, b.p. 285°C, strong vanilla odour, characteristic taste. It occurs extensively in nature, and is the odoriferous principle of the vanilla pod it can be obtained from the glucoside coniferin. Vanillin is made commercially from the ligno-sulphonic acid obtained as a by-product in the manufacture of wood pulp. It is one of the most important flavouring and perfuming... 

When making vanillin from guaiacol the chemist can smell success because the product will have an intense vanilla odor. One can even flavor cookies with the stuff (true ). This Riemer-Tiemann method is also an excellent way to get salicylal-dehyde from phenol in yields of up to 50%. The chemist does everything the same except uses NaOH instead of KOH. 

Another group of natural flavoring ingredients comprises those obtained by extraction from certain plant products such as vanilla beans, Hcotice root, St. John s bread, orange and lemon peel, coffee, tea, kola nuts, catechu, cherry, elm bark, cocoa nibs, and gentian root. These products are used in the form of alcohohc infusions or tinctures, as concentrations in alcohol, or alcohol—water extractions termed fluid or soHd extracts. Official methods for their preparation and specifications for all products used in pharmaceuticals are described (54,55). There are many flavor extracts for food use for which no official standards exist the properties of these are solely based on suitabiUty for commercial appHcations (56). 

A more complex flavor development occurs in the production of chocolate. The chocolate beans are first fermented to develop fewer complex flavor precursors upon roasting, these give the chocolate aroma. The beans from unfermented cocoa do not develop the chocolate notes (84—88) (see Chocolate and cocoa). The flavor development process with vanilla beans also allows for the formation of flavor precursors. The green vanilla beans, which have Htfle aroma or flavor, are scalded, removed, and allowed to perspire, which lowers the moisture content and retards the enzymatic activity. This process results in the formation of the vanilla aroma and flavor, and the dark-colored beans that after drying are the product of commerce. 

The annual United States import of vanilla beans jumped 34% in 1991, as importers and users replenished inventories (7). Indonesia was the largest suppher, accounting for 47% of the total the lower price for Indonesian beans is responsible for the increase in shipments. Users have been replacing Bourbon beans with Indonesian types, or blending in Indonesian beans, because they may still label their product as natural and meet other EDA specifications. 

Bot nic l nd Animal Extracts. Tinctures and fluid and soHd extracts of items such as vanilla, coffee, cocoa, and Hcorice are produced by treating the raw materials with a solvent. Vanilla is by far the most widely used extract and is often found in chocolate products, baked goods, beverages, and frozen desserts (49,52). 

The food flavor industry is the largest user of vanillin, an indispensable ingredient in chocolate, candy, bakery products, and ice cream. Commercial vanilla extracts are made by macerating one part of vanilla beans with ten parts of 40—50% alcohol. Although vanillin is the primary active ingredient of vanilla beans, the full flavor of vanilla extract is the result of the presence of not only vanillin but also other ingredients, especially Httle-known resinous materials which contribute greatly to the quaUty of the flavor. 

In flavor formulations, vanillin is used widely either as a sweetener or as a flavor enhancer, not only in imitation vanilla flavor, but also in butter, chocolate, and aU. types of fmit flavors, root beer, cream soda, etc. It is widely acceptable at different concentrations 50—1000 ppm is quite normal in these types of finished products. Concentrations up to 20,000 ppm, ie, one part in fifty parts of finished goods, are also used for direct consumption such as toppings and icings. Ice cream and chocolate are among the largest outlets for vanillin in the food and confectionery industries, and their consumption is many times greater than that of the perfume and fragrance industry. 

The perfumers of the early twentieth century were delighted to be able to use a perfectly van ill a-like product in their compounds, but one that was at least a hundred times stronger than vanilla. Thus began what was subsequently called sophisticated perfumery. For many years a perfumery culture and language based on the experience and subjectivity of a few individual experts has developed and thrived (see Perfumes). 

Vanilla is used in many products, usually sweetened foods, and scented products, such as perfumes and candles. 

These are materials that are synthetic but are the same compound as is present in a natural flavouring material. From time to time it emerges that one substance produces a given flavour. Most chemists know that benzaldehyde has a smell of almonds. Some chemists know that hydrogen cyanide smells of bitter almonds. If a natural flavouring can be represented by a single substance and that substance can be synthesised then the flavour is likely to be available as a nature identical flavour. Vanilla flavour is a good example. Vanilla flavour can be all natural and derived from vanilla pods or nature identical or artificial. The nature identical product would be based on vanillin, which is in vanilla pods and has a flavour of vanilla. An artificial vanilla flavour would be ethyl vanillin, which is not present in vanilla pods but has a flavour two and a... 

Natural vanilla beans are expensive and the vanillin content is just 1.5-2 wt.%. Harvests of the beans fluctuate, as do the prices. The world production of vanilla beans in 2005 [10] was 1275 t (of which 700 t alone was by Madagascar/ Malagasy). In 2004 the production was 1975 t. Halfway through 2004 the price... 

Whereas natural vanilla flavor from beans (recognized by the black dots ), is used in premium ice creams, soft drinks are flavored with synthetic vanillin. Natural vanilla contains other flavoring agents as well. Thus, F F is the only segment of the chemical industry where impurities add to the quality—and the price—of a product ... 

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