Vanilla Extract Vs. Imitation

Vanilla extract has become an indispensable ingredient for baking and desserts. You may have noticed, however, that pure vanilla extract is quite a bit more expensive than imitation vanilla extract.

Vanilla beans from a vanilla pod

Origin

Pure vanilla is notoriously expensive because the vanillin comes from the only orchid out of 20,000 varieties that produces anything edible. It grows in a tropical environment and is difficult to cultivate, although it has recently been produced successfully in and near Madagascar. Imitation vanilla is produced synthetically from the glycoside in conifers, clove oil or even coal extract.

Making Pure Vanilla Extract vs. Imitation

Pure vanilla extract is made by steeping vanilla beans in alcohol and water for about three months. Imitation vanilla extract is a solution of alcohol and the synthetic vanilla-like flavoring.

FDA Regulations

The FDA regulates what must go into a solution of vanilla extract to be called "pure." Pure vanilla extract (also called "one-fold" extract) must have 13.35 ounces of vanilla beans per gallon of liquid, and 35 percent alcohol. Solutions labeled "vanilla flavoring" are combinations of pure vanilla extract and imitation extract. Vanilla-like flavors made with any other ingredients must be labeled as an imitation.

Mexican Vanilla

Pure Mexican vanilla is considered by many to be the finest, most flavorful vanilla in the world. However, the FDA warns that you should check the labels of Mexican vanilla extract. Some of the Mexican vanilla extracts are made with coumarin from the tonka plant, which has proven to be toxic. It's an imitation form of vanilla.

Taste

Many cooks and magazines run taste tests to determine whether one can tell the difference between pure vanilla extract and imitation. The results are mixed, but people report consistently that imitation vanilla tastes more bitter than the pure.

References

• Vanilla, Joy of Baking.com
• FDA site on Mexican vanilla extract

Resources

• Vanilla Bazaar