Editing Vanilla (section)

===Artificial vanilla===
Most artificial vanilla products contain [[vanillin]], which can be produced synthetically from [[lignin]], a natural polymer found in wood. Most synthetic vanillin is a byproduct from the [[Pulp (paper)|pulp]] used in [[papermaking]], in which the lignin is broken down using [[sulfite]]s or [[sulfate]]s. However, vanillin is only one of 171 identified aromatic components of real vanilla fruits.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cooksvanilla.com/about_vanilla.html |title=About Vanilla – Vanilla imitations |publisher=Cook Flavoring Company |year=2011 |access-date=22 June 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430092229/http://www.cooksvanilla.com/about.html |archive-date=30 April 2009 }}</ref>

The orchid species ''[[Leptotes bicolor]]'' is used as a natural vanilla replacement in Paraguay and southern Brazil.

In 1996 the US [[Food and Drug Administration]] cautioned that some vanilla products sold in Mexico were made from the cheaper [[tonka bean]] which as well as vanillin also contains the toxin [[coumarin]]. They advised consumers to always check the ingredients label and avoid suspiciously cheap products.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm048613.htm |title=IMPORT ALERT IA2807: "DETENTION WITHOUT PHYSICAL EXAMINATION OF COUMARIN IN VANILLA PRODUCTS (EXTRACTS – FLAVORINGS – IMITATIONS)" |access-date=21 December 2007 |date=January 1998 |publisher=U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Regulatory Affairs |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603133600/https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm048613.htm |archive-date=3 June 2009 }}</ref>