![]() But, given that imitation vanilla is very likely to be a product of the petroleum industry, it is best for the Earth to steer clear of this option if possible. ![]() This means they’re both safe for vegans to consume. Neither artificial extract nor extract made with real vanilla beans contains animal products. Most of the rest of vanillin flavoring is derived from lignin, or wood pulp, which is naturally high in guaiacol. This product of the petroleum industry accounts for 85% of vanillin used in food. If it’s an artificial vanilla extract (typically marketed as “vanilla flavoring,” “vanilla essence,” or “imitation vanilla extract”), then it likely contains synthetic vanillin made from the petrochemical precursor, guaiacol. There are plenty of great examples of pure vanilla products, such as Taylor & Colledge vanilla extract (they also have a great vanilla paste), Badia Pure Vanilla, and McCormick’s All Natural Pure Vanilla Extract. If it’s labeled as pure vanilla extract, it abides by the FDA’s rules for vanilla bean concentration. Whichever type of vanilla you chose, you can be sure your extract, whether it’s synthetic or pure, does not contain any beaver anal secretions. Pure Vanilla Extract vs Artificial Vanilla Extract Adding some vanilla flavor to your favorite dessert was as easy as hitting up your local pelt hunter or beaver trapper for some castor sacs.īut even back then-and certainly today-castoreum was not used to create vanilla extract. Their preference for wood pulp means they eat a ton of guaiacol, a chemical precursor to vanillin.ĭuring the frontier days, castoreum was fairly easy to come by, and certainly much easier to find in North America than tropical vanilla orchids. The vanilla-y flavor of the goo is a product of the beaver’s diet. Castoreum is a thick brown goo that is harvested from the anal glands on the bums of beavers. Which is pretty strange, considering it comes from the scent glands under a beaver’s tail. ![]() But it does have a strong scent and flavor reminiscent of vanilla. What Is Castoreum?Ĭastoreum is not made from vanilla beans or even remotely related to it. Though, some manufacturers will add corn syrup or other sweeteners to the final product. Water, alcohol, and vanilla beans are the main ingredients in real vanilla extract. To meet FDA regulations, pure vanilla extract must contain at least 35% alcohol and 13.35 ounces of vanilla beans per gallon or 100 grams per liter. Once the mixture has cured, the solids are filtered out and the liquid that remains is bottled and sold. Commercial manufacturers are able to manipulate the environment to reduce this time period considerably. It can take up to 12 months for vanilla extract to cure (though our recipe below only takes 1 month). The alcohol mixture helps pull this flavoring from the dried beans along with that signature brown coloring and other compounds that lend themselves to the final flavor of the product. Aging the beans, which involves keeping them in a hot, humid environment for several days, increases the concentration of vanillin. This is what gives vanilla its signature smell and flavor. The vanilla beans in these pods contain a molecule called vanillin. In this case, that solid product is made up of aged vanilla bean pods. Like other extracts, vanilla extract is made by soaking a solid product in a mixture of alcohol and water. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about vanilla extract, its less glamorous cousin castoreum, and give you our simple homemade vanilla extract recipe (100% vegan and 100% castoreum-free!). This simple flavoring product usually contains only a few ingredients and none of them are derived from animal products.īut why, then, are so many people concerned that vanilla isn’t safe for vegans to eat? Well, the answer lies with a strange substance known as castoreum-a decidedly unvegan and nearly not-safe-for-work flavoring extract. So, is vanilla extract vegan? Yes, vanilla extract, whether made from real vanilla or artificial ingredients, is vegan. If you’re following a vegan diet, then you probably should know whether this common ingredient is plant-based or not. ![]() Vanilla extract is a staple in so many baked goods and sweet treats.
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