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How to Buy Vanilla Extract
Daphna Havkin Frenkel, 2011
Supermarket, gourmet stores, specialty stores and many other outlets carry vanilla extract. There are also many web
sites selling vanilla extracts. Some of the brands are very familiar since they had been around since our grandmother
or before. New vanilla extracts appears on the shelves almost weekly. Here are few important tips to help you chose
the real vanilla extract. In the USA vanilla extract has a standard of identity as described by the FDA. There are only
2 spices of vanilla that allowed to use in food:
A product can be called vanilla extract only if it contains a minimum of 1 fold extract. A fold has to contain 13.35OZ of
properly cured vanilla beans, not more then 25% moisture, in 1 gallon of water and at least 35% alcohol. Vanilla
extract in addition can contain sugar, corn syrup, glycerin and propylene glycol. This is a simple version.
Daphna Havkin Frenkel, 2011
Supermarket, gourmet stores, specialty stores and many other outlets carry vanilla extract. There are also many web
sites selling vanilla extracts. Some of the brands are very familiar since they had been around since our grandmother
or before. New vanilla extracts appears on the shelves almost weekly. Here are few important tips to help you chose
the real vanilla extract. In the USA vanilla extract has a standard of identity as described by the FDA. There are only
2 spices of vanilla that allowed to use in food:
- Vanilla planifolia ( growing in Madagascar, Mexico, India, Indonesia ,Uganda and other)
- Vanilla tahitensis, (growing in Tahiti and Papua New Guinea , mainly)
A product can be called vanilla extract only if it contains a minimum of 1 fold extract. A fold has to contain 13.35OZ of
properly cured vanilla beans, not more then 25% moisture, in 1 gallon of water and at least 35% alcohol. Vanilla
extract in addition can contain sugar, corn syrup, glycerin and propylene glycol. This is a simple version.
- Look for familiarity. If the brand is known and you used it is the past, it is safe to use it again. Using a familiar
brand not necessary provide you with the best Vanilla extract.
- The ingredient list. The ingredients have to be listed from highest to the lowest amount. The ingredients for a
basic vanilla extract should appear in the following order: water, alcohol, vanilla beans extractives. If other
permitted ingredient are added they should follow the same consistent order.
- Vanillin. Vanillin, a major flavor ingredient in vanilla extract, is not require to be labeled. If it is mentioned on the
label, for example, ‘double the intensity of vanillin’, one should be suspicious of adulteration. Many vanilla
extracts on the retail market today have vanillin, ethyl vanillin or other ingredients added. Many products
labeled ‘vanilla extract’ contain little or no vanilla extract. It should be carry a label stating Artificial vanilla.
- Read the label. If you can not read the script on the label or the list of ingredient or the attached story, do not
buy.
- Certification Symbols. Symbols like Organic, Kashrut (Jewish law) are very important to look for. Organization
that issue these certification are usually giving it to industrial set ups. A bottle with no certification more likely
had been bottle at home with out any supervision. For example, a vanilla extract bearing a Kosher certification
contain Kosher beans, Kosher ingredients and extracted and bottled under Kosher supervision in a Kosher
approved facility. The same principle applies to Organic certification. .
- Blending Vanilla Extract. The law allows us to blend beans or extracts and we do not require to specify the
origin, however when the origin on the bottle say 100% Madagascar bourbon, one should expect 100%
Madagascar bourbon
- Single Origin. Some bottles bear the statement ‘Tahitian vanilla’. One expects that the extract is made from
vanilla beans grown only in the island of Tahiti.
- Tahitian Extract. Beans from Tahiti command much higher price than beans from other origins. One expects,
then, that price of Tahitian vanilla extract will be higher. If you come across a bottle with a price comparable to
vanilla extract from other origins be skeptical.
- PNG Beans. The vanilla beans grown in PNG and Tahiti are the same species; Vanilla tahitensis. However,
while the Tahitian beans are costly those from PNG are affordable. Be careful not to pay for extract made with
beans from PNG (although very nice extract) for the price of beans from Tahiti.
- Specs. Specs is another name to vanilla seed. The seed do not contains any flavors component, although
many people associate the seed with flavors. On the other hand seed gives a nice look to ice creams. The
seed in vanilla extract will precipitate to the bottom of the bottle since they heavy. Specs will not add any
additional flavors. In the vanilla beans the seed are in the middle of the bean and surrounded by special cells
that produces vanillin and other flavors. From this finding many chefs believe the inside of the beans and the
seed are contains flavors. Extract that contains seed is seed that had been washed and nothing cover it. One
need to be carful and if looking for specs it is better to buy beans or ground beans.
- Vanilla extract should be stored dark glass bottle. Vanilla extract contained 35% alcohol and if stored in plastic
for long period of time will change its taste and lose quality. Vanilla extract contained many different phenols
which are sensitive to light, tint, dark bottle is the prefer way to store vanilla extract
