Vanilla flavoring primarily comes from vanilla beans, which are the pods of the vanilla orchid plant. Natural vanilla extract is made by macerating and percolating these vanilla pods in a solution of ethanol and water, resulting in a complex flavor profile dominated by the compound vanillin along with hundreds of other flavor compounds
. There is a common misconception that vanilla flavoring comes from beaver secretions. Specifically, castoreum, a substance produced in the castor sacs near a beaver's anus, has been historically used in some flavorings and perfumes due to its aromatic properties. However, its use in vanilla flavoring today is extremely rare and minimal. Most vanilla flavoring on the market, especially artificial vanilla, does not contain castoreum. Instead, artificial vanilla flavoring is typically made from synthetic vanillin, which is chemically synthesized from compounds found in clove oil, wood, and bark
. In summary:
- Natural vanilla flavoring comes from vanilla beans of the vanilla orchid plant, extracted mainly as vanilla extract
- Artificial vanilla flavoring is usually synthetic vanillin made from clove oil, wood, or bark, not from beaver secretions
- Castoreum from beavers has a historical use in flavoring but is rare and not a common source of vanilla flavoring today
Thus, vanilla flavoring mostly originates from vanilla beans, with artificial versions made chemically, and the beaver secretion connection is largely a myth or extremely niche.
