| Description | Vanillin, also known as vanillaldehyde or lioxin, belongs to the class of organic compounds known as methoxyphenols. Methoxyphenols are compounds containing a methoxy group attached to the benzene ring of a phenol moiety. It is used by the food industry as well as ethylvanillin. Vanillin exists in all living species, ranging from bacteria to humans. Vanillin is a sweet, chocolate, and creamy tasting compound. Vanillin is found, on average, in the highest concentration within a few different foods, such as corns, ryes, and sherries and in a lower concentration in beers, rums, and oats. Vanillin has also been detected, but not quantified, in several different foods, such as gooseberries, other bread, brazil nuts, shea tree, and ohelo berries. This could make vanillin a potential biomarker for the consumption of these foods. Vanillin is a potentially toxic compound. Synthetic vanillin, instead of natural Vanillin extract, is sometimes used as a flavouring agent in foods, beverages, and pharmaceuticals. Vanillin is the primary component of the extract of the Vanillin bean. Because of the scarcity and expense of natural Vanillin extract, there has long been interest in the synthetic preparation of its predominant component. Artificial Vanillin flavoring is a solution of pure vanillin, usually of synthetic origin. Today, artificial vanillin is made from either guaiacol or from lignin, a constituent of wood which is a byproduct of the paper industry. The first commercial synthesis of vanillin began with the more readily available natural compound eugenol. |
|---|
