#Where does vanilla extract come from free

#Where does vanilla extract come from free

This fact actually spawned a collective gasp of horror recently as TikTok videos of people Googling where vanilla extract comes from recoil in disgust as they learn about castoreum.īut if you prefer your ice cream sundaes free from the anal secretions of aquatic mammals, the good news is that castoreum is now rarely used as a food additive, although it is sometimes used in perfumes and cosmetics. This syrupy, yellow-brown liquid is apparently pretty close to vanilla in both taste and smell, and was used as both a food additive and a fragrance from 1900 onwards. It seems that beavers mark their territory using a sweet-smelling substance called castoreum, produced via the animal’s anal glands. People have searched for vanilla substitutes in the strangest of places over the years, with possibly the strangest of all being the rear end of a beaver.

To save time and money, many of the products you think contain vanilla have been flavoured using vanilla-like substances, known as ‘vanilla flavour’ or ‘vanilla essence’. Each individual flower has to be pollinated by hand, and over 80% of all vanilla is now cultivated in Madagascar, so unfavourable conditions in one location can lead to a worldwide shortage. Growing and harvesting vanilla can be a lengthy and complicated process.

Taken from the seed pod of the vanilla orchid, the soft, sweet fragrance and flavour of vanilla has made it a popular ingredient in everything from confectionery, ice cream, baked goods and soft drinks, to perfumes and toiletries. Vanilla is one of the world’s most popular spices, with up to 2,300 tons produced every year.