Vanilla Categories

Standards have been set by the FDA to classify the various consumer vanilla products.  This enables consumers to easily determine exactly what type of vanilla product they are purchasing.

Category 1
Pure Vanilla only.  Product must contain extractives directly from the vanilla bean.

Category 2
Vanilla-Vanillin.  Products that contain pure vanilla extractives and vanillin.  Vanillin is a product derived from certain coniferous trees.  Of the many ingredients found in the vanilla bean, it is vanillin that gives pure vanilla its flavor.

Category 3
Imitation Vanilla.  The flavoring ingredients in these products are Vanilla and/or Ethyl Vanillin, an artificial product 2 to 3 times stronger than Vanillin.  Many other flavoring and aromatic ingredients may be used in this category to produce different flavor tones and concentrations.

These categories can be observed in the spice and ice cream sections of your grocer's shelf:

Category 1	Category 2	Category 3
Pure Vanilla Extract	Artificial Vanilla Extract	Imitation Vanilla
Pure Vanilla Flavor	Artificial Vanilla Flavor	Imitation Vanilla Extract
Vanilla Ice Cream	Vanilla Flavored Ice Cream	Imitation Vanilla Flavored Ice Cream

The alcohol content of the product also determines its labeling.  FDA regulations require that Pure Vanilla Extract contain a minimum of 35% alcohol.  Products below this percentage are classified as flavors: for example, Pure Vanilla Flavor is a product that contains only pure vanilla extractives but does not meet the minimum alcohol content for an extract.  An Imitation Vanilla Extract would contain a minimum alcohol content and flavorings derived from artificial ingredients.

 

Continue on to
Vanilla Standards and Processing