Natural vanilla flavor is the star of liquid vanilla for your recipes. Every time it appears, it adds roundness to your culinary preparations, enchanting your taste buds. However, this star has been emulated by many, who try to draw inspiration from its fragrances… with varying degrees of naturalness. Such is the case with synthetic flavoring or vanilla flavoring. So what’s the real difference? Norohy tells you the story, so you can consume with a clear conscience.
Vanilla extract vs. natural vanilla flavor

Natural vanilla aroma is the VIP of vanilla. Imagine yourself on a tropical island, scanning the verdant landscape. See those vanilla beans ripening? After ripening, they’ll exhale their sweet fragrance to awaken your sweet tooth. Well, vanilla extract is obtained 100% from these beans!

Between regulations and semantics

In France, regulations precisely define flavoring names. Flavor refers to the whole category of aromatic agents, whether natural or synthetic. “Natural flavoring” may be derived from vanilla or other plants. In contrast, the term “natural vanilla flavor” refers to a flavor that is at least 95% vanilla. Finally, this natural vanilla flavor can also be called something else, such as vanilla extract. Vanilla extract is a more specific denomination used for natural vanilla flavors derived from 100% vanilla and obtained through solvent extraction.

NOROHY vanilla extract

To obtain this sweet liqueur, NOROHY uses quality pods that have just been refined. After several alcohol baths, the oleoresin obtained after evaporation, decantation and filtration is mixed with cane sugar syrup. The latter facilitates dosage, without which you’d need a pipette to avoid overdosing your preparations! A few spent vanilla beans are added for visual effect. Nothing else in the NOROHY recipe: no coloring, no caramel flavoring, no propylene glycol. Just vanilla beans and cane sugar syrup!

It’s vanilla at its best, without the artifice. This aroma is intense, rich and embodies all that vanilla has to offer. If vanilla were a star, natural vanilla flavor or vanilla extract would be the leader.

Synthetic flavouring: the vanilla counterfeiter

Now let’s take a look at the flavors that try to resemble the star… Let’s start with the synthetic flavor. It’s a bit like a cheap copy of the famous work of art. Synthetic flavors are created in the laboratory to recreate the bewitching scent of vanilla. The result? Madagascar vanilla’s main compound, vanillin, is present because it has been synthesized. However, the other aromatic molecules developed naturally in the bean and during refining are absent from the synthetic flavor. Yet it is these molecules that give vanilla its complex aromatic profile.

The advantage is that, despite the laboratory work involved, production is much less costly. Of course, between the flower and the ripe pod, you have to wait 8 to 10 months, and almost 6 months for maturing… Every link in the chain has to be paid for the painstaking work involved… The cost and the taste can’t be the same.

Vanilla aroma: the enigmatic one

Now, let’s talk about vanilla aroma. It lurks among us, playing a game of enigma. Vanilla flavoring is a mysterious blend of flavors and ingredients, some natural, some artificial. Except by referring to the ingredients list, it’s hard to know what it’s all about. However, the absence of the words “natural DE” suggests that its compounds are not natural, let alone derived from vanilla beans.

 

Now you’re more familiar with the vanilla flavour family, which is full of surprises. Natural vanilla flavoring is the liquid version closest to the vanilla bean, obtained directly from it. However, not all vanilla extract recipes are created equal… Be sure to detail the list of ingredients if you want the most natural product possible. Remember, too, that the quality of the beans makes all the difference…

When you’re cooking or baking, don’t forget that vanilla is a magical ingredient. So choose the right flavor for your creation, always keeping in mind the authenticity of natural vanilla flavor.

To find out more about the world of vanilla and its uses in cooking, be sure to check out our other blog posts. And to discover an exceptional range of vanilla products, visit Norohy.com and add a touch of vanilla to your recipes!