Vanilla Pod

Botanical name: Vanilla planifolia

Vanilla planifolia is a species of vanilla orchid. It is one of the primary sources for vanilla flavouring, due to its high vanillin content. The pods can be used either whole or split to disperse the aromatic seeds. The fruits are 15-23 cm long pods (often incorrectly called beans). Curing ferments and dries the pods while minimizing the loss of essential oils. Vanilla extract is obtained from this portion of the plant. The major chemical components from the pods are vanillin, vanillic acid, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid.

Benefits and uses:

Vanilla pods are used for producing extracts, flavors, oleoresins and powders and have a wide range of use in dairy products such as ice creams, shakes, for flavoring , liquors, beverages and confectionaries, savory applications.

Pod also use for medicinal purposes, health and personal care products and as an odor maskant in tires, paints and industrial chemicals.

Pod uses flavoring in food by cooking vanilla pods in the liquid preparation. The cosmetics industry uses vanilla Pod to make perfume.