Handbook of Vanilla Science and Technology

According to the US Food and Drug Administration regulations, Vanilla extract is the solution in aqueous ethyl alcohol of the sapid and odorous principles extractible from vanilla beans. Ethyl alcohol content of such an extract is not less than 35% by volume, and the extractible matter of one or more units of vanilla constituent. A unit of vanilla constituent is 13.35 oz of beans containing not more than 25% moisture per gallon of finished extract. This amounts to the extractible matter of not less than 10.0125 oz (FDA Standard) of beans on the moisture-free basis. FDA will not object to the production of vanilla extract through the use of 10 oz of vanilla beans on a dry weight basis, per gallon of vanilla extract. This means that the weight of beans to manufacture each gallon of vanilla extract can vary, depending on the moisture content of the beans. Vanilla extract may contain one or more of the following ingredients:

• Glycerin.

• Propylene glycol (usually no more than 2%).

• Sugar (including invert sugar).

• Dextrose.

• Corn syrup (or corn syrup solids).

Vanilla extracts are available in 1- to 10-fold strengths. Almost all household extracts are single-fold strength. Two-fold and higher strength extracts are preferred by the industrial users such as ice cream, chocolate, candy, bakery, beverage, and other food manufacturers.

9.3.1.2 Vanilla flavoring

This is similar to vanilla extract but contains less than 35% ethyl alcohol by volume.

9.3.1.3 Vanilla-Vanillin extract and flavoring

These are synthetic vanillin fortified extracts and flavorings. One ounce of vanillin per fold of extract per gallon can be legally added. For example, 1 gallon of vanilla-vanillin 2-fold extract is made by adding 1 oz of vanillin to 1 gallon of 1-fold vanilla extract. It is assumed that 1 oz of pure vanillin has a flavoring strength of 1 gallon of 1-fold vanilla extract.

9.3.1.4 Concentrated vanilla extract and flavoring

It is usually notpractical to prepare extracts of more than two-fold strengthby the straightforward extraction although, with proper equipment, it is possible to obtain higher strength extracts. Vanilla extracts or flavorings of three-fold or higher strengths are prepared by removing part of the solvent by vacuum distillation. The recovered alcohol is then added back to bring the alcohol level to a minimum of 35% by volume in conformation with the CFR. Because of the standard of identity, these products cannot be made by adding vanilla oleoresin to vanilla extract. The latterproduct needs tobe declared as “concentrated vanilla extract x fold made from oleoresin.” The quality of concentrated vanillaextract is superiorto vanillaconcentrate made fromoleoresin. Concentrated extracts are available in 3- to 10-fold strengths.

9.3.1.5 Vanilla oleoresin

This solvent-free viscous concentrate is composed of 50% aqueous ethanol soluble vanilla solids. Vanilla oleoresins are standardized to 4, 6, and 8 oz strengths with glycerin or propylene glycol. Four ounces by volume of a 4 oz strength vanilla oleoresin when dissolved in sufficient quantity of 35% aqueous ethanol will yield 1 gallon of a 1-fold extract. Similarly, 6 oz strength oleoresin requires 6 oz and 8 oz strength oleoresin requires 8 oz to produce 1 gallon of 1-fold extracts, respectively. It follows then that 4 oz oleoresin is designated 32-fold strength. In the process of manufacturing oleoresin, there is loss of some volatile aromatics during distillation of the solvent. A small amount of polymerization of various vanilla constituents also occurs during concentration. Because of this, oleoresins do not have the full flavor of percolated vanilla extracts. They are often used for producing compounded and vanilla-vanillin type products.

9.3.1.6 Vanilla absolute

This, the most concentrated form of vanilla, is available as a hydrocarbon solvent (such as hexane) extracted product or as a supercritical liquid CO2 extracted product. The two products are quite different in their aroma character, color, and solubility in various carrier solvents. Absolutes are useful in products where intense vanilla aroma is desirable.

9.3.1.7 Vanilla powder and vanilla-vanillin powder

Vanilla powder is available as a spray dried or plated product. Starch, gum, or a mixture of starch and gum are used as carriers for spray dried products. Sugar or maltodextrins are used for plated vanilla powders. The powders are available in one- to five-fold strength, although higher strength powders can be prepared.

Vanilla-vanillin powder is a synthetic vanillin fortified product. This is prepared by adding 1 oz of synthetic vanillin per unit of vanilla constituent, for example, a 2-fold vanilla-vanillin powder can be obtained by adding 1 oz of vanillin to vanilla powder containing one unit of vanilla.