vanillin

[ vuh-nil-in, van-l- ]

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a white, crystalline, water-soluble, alcohol-soluble solid, C 8 H 8 O 3 , obtained by extraction from the vanilla bean or prepared synthetically: used chiefly as a flavoring agent and in perfumery.

vanillin

/ ˈvænɪlɪn; vəˈnɪlɪn /

noun

1. a white crystalline aldehyde found in vanilla and many natural balsams and resins; 3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde. It is a by-product of paper manufacture and is used as a flavouring and in perfumes and pharmaceuticals. Formula: (CH 3 O)(OH)C 6 H 3 CHO

Word History and Origins

Origin of vanillin¹

First recorded in 1865–70; vanill(a) + -in ²

Example Sentences

Other types of precision fermentation are already used in a variety of foods: Artificial flavors like vanillin, the vitamins added to cereal, and the rennet used in most dairy cheese are all precision-fermented.

From Salon

The pleasant and sweet smell of this classic flavor is imparted by the chemical compound 'vanillin' found in the seed pods of vanilla plants belonging to the orchid family.

From Science Daily

But some artificial flavors are easier to make than others: Vanilla flavoring, she says, gets its characteristic flavor from a single compound, vanillin.

From Salon

For example, there are sensory neurons in our noses that bear receptors uniquely tuned to detect ethyl vanillin, the main odorant in vanilla, and other cells with receptors for limonene, lemon's signature odorant.

From Science Daily

And some of its molecules are structurally similar to vanillin, the compound in vanilla orchids that’s responsible for the trademark vanilla taste.

From National Geographic