Vanilla essence, also known as artificial vanilla extract, is typically made using water, ethanol, propylene glycol, emulsifiers, and chemically produced flavors and colors. However, in home kitchens, the mixture must sit for up to 12 months before it’s ready to use ( 5).Īfter the extraction is complete, the bean pods are filtered out and the extract is ready to use What is vanilla essence? This can be a time-consuming process.įood manufacturers can manipulate environmental conditions to speed the extraction process. The alcohol draws out the vanillin and other compounds, which infuse into the liquid. Once cured, the pods are added to a mixture of water and ethyl alcohol. Pure vanilla extract is made from mature vanilla bean pods that have been aged for 3–4 months, allowing them to develop characteristic vanilla flavors, including increased levels of vanillin ( 5). In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that the final product must contain at least 35% alcohol and 13.35 ounces (380 grams) of vanilla beans per gallon (3.8 liters) ( 3, 4).Īs long as it meets these standards, vanilla extract may also contain small amounts of sweeteners, including sugar, corn syrup, or dextrose ( 3). Standards for pure vanilla extract vary by country. The extract gets its signature vanilla flavor from a molecule called vanillin found in vanilla beans ( 1, 2). Vanilla extract is made by soaking vanilla beans in a mixture of water and ethyl alcohol ( 1). In that case, there's a good possibility that you are ingesting the aforementioned beaver butt juice.Vanilla extract is less processed and more expensive than vanilla essence, and many people say it has a stronger, purer vanilla flavor. That's not to say that you might not find something on the market that has castoreum or "natural flavoring" listed on its ingredient list. However, the majority of vanilla flavoring in food and drinks is now synthetic. That's because according to INews, harvesting castoreum is somewhat difficult to obtain in sizable quantities. It is still used in some candles and perfume products. As it turns out, we have all probably ingested castoreum in our lifetime, but not as much as you might fear. So, I wanted to look further into this whole beaver butt juice thing to see how much we are actually eating. Are We REALLY Eating Beaver Anal Secretion? Instead, it might be labeled as "natural flavoring". Apparently, manufacturers don't have to actually list castoreum on their ingredient list. Seriously, how did that even become a thought?! While I don't have an answer to that question, I can tell you that castoreum has a musky, vanilla scent, which is why food scientists like to incorporate it in recipes, according to National Geographic. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall when someone had the bright idea to try out beaver butt juice in food. Why Is There Beaver Butt Secretion In Vanilla Flavoring? So to put this in laments terms, there's essentially beaver butt juice in vanilla flavoring. Food and Drug Administration lists castoreum as a “generally regarded as safe” additive, and manufacturers have been using it extensively in perfumes and foods for at least 80 years. National Geographic says:īeaver butts secrete a goo called castoreum, which the animals use to mark their territory. If you're still reading this, you are truly curious, but I must warn you that if you love vanilla flavored things, reading any further might make you think twice about eating anything with vanilla flavoring in there.Īccording to National Geographic, vanilla flavoring found in your holiday and everyday treats could come from the anal excretions of beavers. However, what the results showed was nothing short of shocking and disgusting. The first result comes from National Geographic, a reputable source. It was a screenshot of someone Googling "where does vanilla flavoring come from". ![]() Yesterday, my cousin shared a post on Facebook that caught my attention.
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