The ice cream and pastry masters pursue perfection also through the search for the finest natural ingredients. Vanilla - originally from Mexico and grown mainly in Central Africa (Madagascar, Uganda) - is one of the protagonists of the confectionery tradition in Europe. And the use of 'vanilla pearls'and'vanilla caviar', presented as the raw of the precious berry, selected and extracted from its pods.
However, our market investigation and laboratory analyzes reveal that some products are not true 'vanilla', but a'vanilla flavored aromatic preparation'. That is to say an ingredient composed of several ingredients, sometimes not even declared on the label. Professional users are therefore exposed to the risk of unknowingly providing incorrect information to their consumers and patrons.
Vanilla. Flavoring ingredient, flavor or preparation
Vanilla it is used in the production of ice cream, yogurt and sweets, but also in soft drinks (even in Coca-Cola). Depending on the preparations and requirements of the recipe or food technology, it is used in the following different forms:
a) 'vanilla' ingredient
- as it is, as raw food (pods and berries),
- powder (100% vanilla powder),
b) vanilla flavor
- in liquid or powder, the vanilla flavor can be defined as'natural vanilla flavoring'only when at least 95% derives from vanilla, (1)
c) flavoring preparation
- pastes, concentrates, extracts, on the other hand, qualify as flavoring preparations. (2) Since these are compound ingredients, their content must be specified on the label or in the ingredient register of the products where they are used. (3)
'Vanilla pearls'and'vanilla caviar'. Our market survey
Pastry shops and ice cream parlors handcrafted, pastry chef and starred chefs have begun to appreciate in recent years even the 'vanilla pearls', or 'vanilla caviar'. Words relevant to their prices, given that vanilla - after saffron - is the second most expensive spice in the world.
The market survey performed by GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade) begins with the analysis of Eurovanille's flagship product. French group that features more than 6000 customers in over 80 countries, leader market in Italy.
1) Eurovanille, 'Bourbon vanilla pearls'
The 'Bourbon vanilla pearls - pods origin Madagascar'of Eurovanille show a significant discrepancy between the product offered and the one sold. Of such gravity, unfortunately, that it constitutes a hypothesis of commercial fraud. Indeed:
- the place websites company refers to a matrix 'made entirely of Bourbon vanilla seeds, finely sieved, and then combined with our natural vanilla concentrate, in order to obtain a thick paste’,
- the Italian catalog declares '100% vanilla', specifying that 1 gram of product is equal to 1 pod of the finest variety of vanilla, the Bourbon in fact,
- the ingredients list, on the label, indicates'blend of vanilla seeds obtained from extraction and natural Bourbon vanilla seeds (62,5%), Bourbon vanilla concentrate (37,5%)’,
- laboratory analyzes carried out on our instructions by an accredited laboratory, on the other hand, reveal the presence of molasses (8,8 g / 100g), glucose (4,6 g), fructose (2,8 g), sucrose (1,4 g) and ethanol residues ( 0,0065 g), hopefully food grade.
2) Vanille Lavany de Madagascar, 'caviar - vanilla pearls'
Thecaviar - vanilla pearls, Bourbon of Madagascar ' by Vanille Lavany de Madagascar - another French spice trader - is thus presented on the site websites corporate: 'the caviar - pearl is the result of a blend of our non-depleted Lavany vanilla beans and concentrated Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar - oleoresin'.
The ingredients list remains unknown on both the datasheet and the site websites by Vanille Lavany de Madagascar, both on Amazon. Where the 200 g jar of 'caviar-pearl' is thus illegally sold for the modest sum of €184,50 (€922,5/kg). (4) The product, at a minimum, is designated as 'flavoring preparation based on bourbon vanilla from Madagascar(5)
3) Perfumes of Madagascar, 'vanilla caviar'
Perfumes of Madagascar is an Italian company dedicated to the trade of vanilla, spices and handicraft products arriving from the African island. His 'vanilla caviar'is presented as'a specialty that is obtained from the extraction of the pulp found inside the vanilla bean'.
Thevanilla caviar' produced by Gasy sata companies for Perfumes of Madagascar, however, it refers in the ingredients list to 'not exhausted vanilla seeds'(80%) and'extract'(20%). It is therefore once again a flavoring preparation in disguise. Although, presumably, made with traditional methods. (6)
4) F.lli Rebecchi, 'natural flavor Vanilla Bourbon Madagascar'
F.lli Rebecchi Valtrebbia SpA - in addition to marketing Bourbon Madagascar Vanilla in berries and powder - it has in its catalog a reference that contains both vanilla seeds and its concentrate. However, the product in question is presented correctly, as'natural flavor Vanilla Bourbon Madagascar', without suggesting any combination of' pearls' or 'caviar'. (7) A pearl of honesty in a market dominated by illicit acts and deceptions.
Flavoring preparations vs. seeds and pods
The self-styled 'vanilla pearls' o 'vanilla caviar'by Eurovanille, Vanille Lavany de Madagascar and Profumi del Madagascar - despite the advertising promises - are therefore made with vanilla seeds (often exhausted and odorless, but characteristic in appearance) and concentrates or extracts. These are used to give the flavoring preparation the desired aroma and consistency. (8)
Concentrates and extracts they are made, depending on the case, using sugar or glucose syrup. That is water and fructose, or vegetable glycerin, or hydroalcoholic solution. The vanilla immersed in these solutions thus releases its aromatic components, by osmosis often stimulated by heat treatment, in the concentrate or extract. Both of which, in all evidence, cannot in any way be equated with seeds or pods.
Tips for craftsmen, private and confectionery companies
Appearances are deceiving and the supervisory authorities have not yet dedicated the necessary investigations to defeat fraud in this sector. While waiting for this to happen, the artisan businesses - pastry shops, ice cream parlors, catering establishments - and the confectionery industries that use these products:
- have the full right to demand from their suppliers the technical data sheets of the products derived from vanilla, (8)
- must have the wording 'flavoring preparation', followed in parentheses by its specific ingredients.
The denomination 'vanilla' - and so, 'vanilla dessert,vanilla ice cream', can only be used when the ingredient has been made exclusively, 100%, with the precious berries and / or its pods. In all other cases it will instead be possible to refer only 'to the taste of ' o 'with the aroma of'.
Dario Dongo
Footnotes
(1) Natural flavors, the lawyer Dario Dongo replies. DO (Food and Agriculture Requirements). 16.10.18/XNUMX/XNUMX, https://www.foodagriculturerequirements.com/archivio-notizie/domande-e-risposte/aromi-naturali-risponde-l-avvocato-dario-dongo
(2) Flavoring preparations can in turn be classified as'traditional', under the conditions set out in Annex II to reg. CE 1334/08 relating to flavorings and certain food ingredients with flavoring properties intended for use in and on foods. Consolidated text as of 31.12.20 on https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/IT/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02008R1334-20201203&qid=1619076336370
(3) Dario Dongo. Compound ingredients and QUIDs on the label, widespread deceptions. GIFTS (Great Italian Food Trade). 1.6.19/XNUMX/XNUMX, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/etichette/ingredienti-composti-e-quid-in-etichetta-inganni-diffusi
(4) Dario Dongo. Ecommerce, what responsibilities. GIFTS (Great Italian Food Trade). 24.2.18/XNUMX/XNUMX, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/consum-attori/ecommerce-quali-responsabilità
(5) Vanille Lavany de Madagascar then presents his 'Bourbon vanilla extract'as a product'exclusively with Bourbon Vanilla beans from Madagascar'. Except then report, in the pole position of the ingredients list, invert sugar syrup in first place and caramel in third
(6) Profumi del Madagascar also markets a vanilla extract which declares, in the ingredients list, vanilla beans (40%), cane sugar syrup (30%), vanilla seeds 30%. For an unlikely total of 110%. V. https://profumidelmadagascar.it/shop/spezie/vaniglia/vaniglia-bourbon-estratto/
(7) Rebecchi Valtrebbia SpA The products in the catalog, on http://rebecchi.com/index.php/vaniglia-bacche, http://rebecchi.com/index.php/vaniglia-polvere e http://rebecchi.com/index.php/vaniglia-liquida
(8) EU Reg. 1169/2011, article 8.8
(9) Allergens, B2B information, the lawyer Dario Dongo replies. DO (Food and Agriculture Requirements). 13.11.17/XNUMX/XNUMX, https://www.foodagriculturerequirements.com/archivio-notizie/domande-e-risposte/allergeni-informazione-b2b-risponde-l-avvocato-dario-dongo
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
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