What is vanillin and where does it come from?

 

Vanillin Market
Vanillin Market

The principal chemical ingredient in vanilla bean extract is vanillin. Vanillin is now mostly utilised as a flavouring additive in sweet foods like ice cream and chocolate. Did you know that today, 99 percent of vanillin is synthesised rather than derived from vanilla beans? It can be made in a variety of methods, including from guaiacol, a petrochemical raw ingredient, wood, or other biomass sources (organic material coming from plants). Today, lignin (see our earlier article on lignin) accounts for 15% of global vanillin production, mostly by the Norwegian business Borregaard.

According to Coherent Market Insights the Vanillin Market Global Industry Insights, Trends, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 2018-2026

Let's take a closer look at the process of extracting vanillin from biomass sources, which is one of the Liberate project's goals. It all starts with the cellulose extracted from the wood used to make paper. What's left after the cellulose is primarily Kraft lignin, which had little commercial use until recently. Vanillin may now be extracted from this lignin thanks to a complicated oxidation process of the lignin structures. The key benefit touted by its proponents is that it has a substantially reduced carbon footprint than its petrochemical rivals.

Vanillin is produced in the Liberate project by oxidising and breaking down lignin into small molecules using an electrochemical and thermal depolymerization method. The goal is to extract 7% of the vanillin contained in the lignin, compared to a 2% efficiency yield with currently available commercial technologies. This significant advancement will reduce production costs and expand the range of applications for which vanillin is utilised as a raw ingredient.

Finally, do you know why ancient books have such a distinct odour? Because the paper is formed of cellulose, which contains some residual vanillin.

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