Vanillin is often confused with vanilla: the first is an artificial product, first obtained by evaporating an extract of a natural plant, vanilla, and then synthesized artificially. It is one of the most popular flavors in the world. Compared to vanilla, it has a much lower price.
Vanilla and vanillin
Since ancient times, vanilla has been one of the most popular spices in the world: this plant has interesting fruits - oily and elastic pods of dark brown color. When fresh, they are almost odorless, but if they are treated with steam or hot water, white crystals appear on the pods, giving off a very strong pleasant aroma. These crystals are natural vanillin, the substance that gives the characteristic scent.
In 1858, vanillin was first developed by the scientist Nicolas Gobley: he evaporated vanilla to obtain an extract, and then recrystallized the resulting substance. And in 1874, vanillin was obtained completely artificially: it was synthesized from isoevnegol (which is contained in clove oil), glycoside and coniferin.
But even natural vanillin, obtained from vanilla, differs from the pods of this plant themselves, which contain many more complex substances that complement and enrich the aroma. Vanilla aroma is persistent and bright, while vanillin has a stronger, pungent and monotonous smell. Despite the differences in shades of smell, both substances contribute to the secretion of the hormone serotonin in the human body, which is responsible for pleasure. Vanillin, like vanilla, relieves irritation and anger, soothes, has a beneficial effect on the nervous system.
Artificial vanillin
Today, only artificial substances obtained in laboratories through complex synthesis are sold under the name "vanillin". They have nothing to do with natural vanilla and only smell similar to it. Vanillin is a flavor identical to natural. Thanks to its artificial production, it is much cheaper than vanilla.
This substance is white crystals with a strong odor, which dissolve well in water. Typically, vanillin is mixed with sugar or powdered sugar for sale. It is used for baking bakery products and in confectionery production. Sometimes it is used as a dye or aroma in cosmetology and pharmacology.
Today, vanillin can be made in various ways: from guaiacol, an organic substance with a strong odor found in wood; from lingin, also obtained from wood. The latter has a more intense aroma.
A small proportion of vanillin that goes on sale is of natural origin, but such a flavoring is more expensive, since the methods of its extraction are much more costly and laborious compared to artificial production.