What is vanillin?

Vanillin, molecular formula C8H8O3, molecular weight 152.14, scientific name 3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde), Vanillin, also known as citronellal. It is the aroma component of vanilla bean. The first flavor synthesized by humans was vanillin, which was successfully synthesized in 1874 by Dr. M. Hallmann and Dr. G. Taiman of Germany. It exists in sugar beet, vanilla bean, benzoin gum, Peru balsam, Tolu balsam, and so on. is an important spice. White needle crystal or light yellow crystal powder. Has a strong aroma. The melting point is 80-81℃, and the boiling point is 285℃. The density was 1.056 g/cm. Slightly soluble in cold water, soluble in hot water, soluble in ethanol, ether, chloroform, carbon disulfide, glacial acetic acid, etc. Its aqueous solution is blue-purple when it encounters ferric chloride.

Function and Use:

1. Edible flavoring

Vanillin is an edible flavoring agent, which has the aroma of vanilla bean and a strong milky aroma and is an indispensable and important raw material in the food additive industry. It is widely used in all kinds of flavored foods that need to increase the flavor of milk, such as cakes, cold drinks, chocolate, candy, biscuits, instant noodles, bread and tobacco, flavored alcohol, toothpaste, soap, perfume cosmetics, ice cream, beverages and daily Used in cosmetics to enhance and fix fragrance. It can also be used in soap, toothpaste, perfume, rubber, plastic, and pharmaceuticals. Compliant with FCCIV standards.

Vanillin is mainly used in food additives. In recent years, its application in the field of medicine has been continuously expanded, and it has become the most potential field of vanillin application. At present, China's vanillin consumption: in the food industry accounts for 55%, pharmaceutical intermediates account for 30%, feed seasoning accounts for 10%, and cosmetics account for 5%.

Foreign vanillin has a wide range of applications and is widely used in the production of pharmaceutical intermediates, as well as plant growth promoters, fungicides, lubricating oil defoaming agents, electroplating brighteners, and conductive agents for the production of printed circuit boards. In addition, vanillin can also be used as a feed additive; a brightener in the electroplating industry; an intermediate in the pharmaceutical industry.

2. Used as a fixative, coordinator, and conditioner, widely used in cosmetic essence

It is also a flavor enhancer for beverages and foods. It can be extracted from citronella oil, and industrially, it is obtained by direct oxidation of eugenol or treatment with an aqueous solution of concentrated alkali, isomerization to isoeugenol, and then oxidation.

3. It is used as a fragrance and fixative for cosmetics, as well as a food fragrance and flavoring agent. 

It is also an antiepileptic drug. This product can resist the convulsions caused by pentylenetetrazol, inhibit epileptiform cerebral epilepsy induced by pentylenetetrazol, and can still inhibit the spontaneous activity of animals and prolong the sleep time of cyclohexene barbital sodium. It has sedative and antiepileptic effects. For the treatment of various epilepsy, especially for petit mal seizures. In addition, it can also be used for ADHD, vertigo, and so on. The preparation is a tablet.

4. Vanillin has a wide range of uses. 

It is used as a fragrant raw material, a flavoring agent, or a fixative in the food, daily chemical, and tobacco industries. Among them, beverages, candies, cakes, biscuits, bread, and roasted seeds and nuts are used in the majority. There are no reports that vanillin is harmful to humans. It is an edible flavoring agent that creates a strong milky scent.

5. Vanillin is one of the important edible spices

The largest variety in the spice industry, and the main ingredient of the popular creamy vanilla essence.

Vanillin classification and principle:

1. Vanillin can be generally divided into methyl vanillin and ethyl vanillin. Commonly referred to as vanillin is methyl vanillin (vanillin), chemical name 3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, chemical formula: C8H8O3, CAS No.: 121-33-5, FEMA: 3107. White or slightly yellow needle-like crystal, melting point is 81-83℃, boiling point is 284℃, flash point greater than 147℃, slightly soluble in water, soluble in ethanol and perfume. It has a sweet and powdery bean aroma, a slightly spicy but dry, vanilla aroma, and a rich milky aroma, and the fragrance lasts for a long time.

2. Physicochemical properties Vanillin has a strong and unique vanilla bean aroma and is naturally present in vanilla bean pods, as well as in clove oil, oakmoss oil, Peru balsam, turmeric balsam, and benzoin.

3. White to light yellow crystalline powder or needle-like crystals are precipitated from sulfite coniferous tree pulp red liquor or lignosulfonate under alkaline conditions after high-pressure oxidative hydrolysis. Those precipitated from petroleum ether can also generate tetragonal crystals. Aromatic. Slightly sweet. It is gradually oxidized in the air.

4. Decomposition in case of light. In case of alkali discoloration. The relative molecular mass is 152.15. Relative density 1.056. The melting point varies depending on the crystal form, the tetragonal system is 81-83°C, the needle-like crystal is 77-79°C, the boiling point is 285°C (in carbon dioxide gas), 170°C (2.00×103Pa), 162°C (1.33×103Pa), 146°C (0.533×103Pa). Sublimes without breaking down. Flashpoint 162 ℃. Slightly soluble in cold water, soluble in hot water, easily soluble in ethanol, ether, acetone, benzene, chloroform, carbon disulfide, glacial acetic acid, pyridine, and volatile oils.

5. The aqueous solution reacts with ferric chloride to form a blue-violet solution. Rat oral LD501580mg/kg, rat percutaneous LD501500mg/kg. The industrial production method is that eugenol generates isoeugenol in the presence of potassium hydroxide, and then reacts with acetic anhydride to generate isoeugenol acetate, which is then prepared by oxidation and hydrolysis. It is an important raw material for the preparation of chocolate, ice cream, chewing gum, cakes, and tobacco flavors. It can also be used as a coordinator and fixative for cosmetic fragrances. It is also a raw material for the pharmaceutical industry.

A new fad has emerged in vanillin merchandise in recent years. Using the eugenol extracted from clove oil or clove basil oil as raw material, the vanillin obtained by isomerization and oxidation is called natural-grade vanillin because it can be regarded as the natural equivalent. In the market, its price is about 5 times that of synthetics.