| Mexico is the original birthplace of gourmet vanilla, and | | | | officially banned the use of coumarin in any foods or |
| it remains the source of some of the finest gourmet | | | | food additives sold in the country. Many other nations |
| vanilla produced anywhere in the world. But Mexican | | | | have done the same. Further research on coumarin |
| vanilla has gotten an undeserved bad rap for the | | | | has shown it to also be a carcinogen. |
| practices of some imitation vanilla manufacturers. | | | | How to be sure you're buying real, natural Mexican |
| The vanilla planifolia orchid is indigenous to Mexico, | | | | vanilla |
| which was the principal source of vanilla worldwide for | | | | Though it is illegal to import imitation vanilla with |
| many centuries. Only a small amount of real vanilla is | | | | coumarin into the US and other countries, it still |
| produced in Mexico now, but it continues to be prized | | | | manages to make its way to consumers. Often |
| by connoisseurs for its smoothness, creamy richness, | | | | tourists visiting Mexico are tempted by low prices and |
| and bright, spicy flavor and aroma. | | | | an overwhelming aroma (which is actually typical of |
| Mexico lost its dominance of the vanilla market in the | | | | coumarin-laced imitation vanilla) and are convinced that |
| early 1900s, after the Mexican revolution wreaked | | | | they're getting a steal on the "real thing". |
| havoc on the vanilla producing operations on the Gulf | | | | Here are some tips for making sure you don't get |
| Coast. Unable to produce enough to compete with | | | | duped: |
| new growing operations in Madagascar and Indonesia, | | | | 1. Pay attention to price. Real, natural Mexican vanilla is |
| some Mexican producers began substituting natural | | | | relatively rare and is definitely not cheap. In fact, it's |
| vanilla with cheap manufactured imitation vanilla, to | | | | expensive - and there are no "special bargain sales". If |
| which a potentially toxic compound called coumarin | | | | you're offered a low price for a large bottle, you can |
| was added. | | | | be certain its an imitation. |
| Not only did coumarin disguise the artificial taste, it | | | | 2. Pay attention to color. Real Mexican vanilla is |
| greatly intensified the aroma and flavor of the imitation | | | | translucent and amber colored. Most synthetics are |
| vanilla and made it seem more like the real thing. This | | | | dark and murky or perfectly clear. |
| made it possible for Mexican producers to continue to | | | | 3. Pay attention to alcohol content. Real gourmet vanilla |
| capitalize on the nation's association with top-quality | | | | is extracted by using alcohol, and according to FDA |
| natural vanilla long after long after they had actually | | | | standards real vanilla extract must have an alcohol |
| become manufacturers of a synthetic imitation product. | | | | content of at least 35%. Synthetics typically contain |
| However, the toxic properties of coumarin became a | | | | either no alcohol at all, or have an extremely low |
| cause of concern when it was proven to cause liver | | | | alcohol content, no higher than 2% - 3%. |
| damage in lab animals, and in the 1950s the US | | | | |