Vanilla: species, varieties and appellations.

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When we talk about vanilla species, we are referring to the botanical species, that is to say, the species of the Vanilla orchid, which may be, for example, V. (for Vanilla) Planifolia, V. Tahitensis, V. Pompona, V. Cribbiana, V. Bahiana, V. Chamissonis, V. Roscheri, V. Sotoarenasii, etc., which may also have subspecies such as V. Tahitensis Haapape or V. Tahitensis Tahiti, V. Pompona Grandiflora or V. Pompona Schiede, and V. Planifolia Andrew or V. Planifolia Variegata.

 

I almost forgot the hybrids, as there are also cross-breeds (intentional or unintentional) between species, such as the Tsy Taitra vanilla, for example, or the Tahitensis vanilla, which is also the result of two species. Some hybridisations, or cross-pollinations, occur naturally over time, and unless we continually explore every tropical and subtropical forest on the planet, it is impossible to catalogue them all, just as it is impossible to know how many species exist, and have already gone extinct, without our knowledge. Vanilla is millions of years old.

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When we talk about varieties, we are referring to specific ripening and refining methods that directly influence the appearance of a vanilla pod and its organoleptic profile, such as a fresh vanilla pod (unblanched, e.g. blue vanilla (+patented), and by definition all unblanched, intact, live vanilla pods naturally ripened and refined); a frosted vanilla pod (sometimes blanched but not always, with the surface or interior covered in vanillin (or coumarin) crystals in the form of grains or needles); and a gourmet vanilla pod (standard term for vanilla pods that are neither fresh nor frosted, which are often blanched or sometimes scarified, and meet specific selection criteria regarding moisture content, aromatic qualities, size, texture and appearance).

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And then there are the appellations, such as Bourbon vanilla, for example, which refers not only to a specific region and islands (Madagascar, Réunion, Mauritius, the Seychelles, and the Comoros, including Mayotte), but also to the processing method, which involves blanching the vanilla pods by immersing them (sometimes several times) in water heated to specific temperatures for a few minutes, to make them sweat before drying. This method is not necessarily the best, and certainly not the most appropriate depending on the species and size of the pods, but it has the advantage of being very quick and allows for the processing of industrial quantities of vanilla in bulk; this is why the method was developed at the time, and remains the most widely used almost everywhere in the world to this day, even though the Bourbon designation is reserved for certain islands.

 

Terroir, as with wine, coffee, and all farm and wine products, refers to the land, the soil, the environment, the climate, and also the growers. Thus, one could say that there are as many terroirs as there are plots of land and growers.

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Finally, following the example of wine and cheese in France and Switzerland, some countries are beginning to introduce protected appellations such as PGI (Protected Geographical Indication), which require compliance with a set of specifications in addition to the criterion of origin, as is the case in Réunion, for example. And it is highly likely that other countries will follow suit in the future with their own PGIs, AOCs or PDOs (Appellations d’Origine Contrôlée / Protégée) in order to protect their territories, their terroirs, their maturing and refining methods, and even their vanilla cultivars, especially if they are endemic.

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QUALITY AND RESPECT OF A RARE FRUIT

From the cultivation of the vanilla vines to its flowers blooming and the vanilla pods well crystallised in their glass tubes, it's a 2 years process - at least - and every year bring its specificity and changes, impacting vanilla pods production and quality. Whether it's unexperienced resellers, or some who willfully selling low quality in bundles and vacuum bags, here is too what you must pay attention to when sourcing and buying vanilla pods:

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Have you ever noticed that Tahitensis Vanilla pods species from Polynesia, or those of the V. Pompona species from Mesoamerica, or even the V. Cribbiana from Guatemala, have never been tied up in bundles since they have been cultivated and marketed ?

However, certain practices on Vanilla Planifolia, such as tying the pods into tight bundles – with raffia, string or elastic bands – are still used, due to lack of appropriate professional practices implementation, driven by industrial and commercial considerations incompatible with a professional, quality-focused approach. This is why, at Sylvanilla®, undoing these bundles is one of the first steps in farmers training and pre-selection of vanilla pods.

Vanilla is a living fruit, rich in water, oils and aromatic compounds, the balance of which depends directly on its structure, moisture content, repeated handling and storage conditions, and integrity rules to prevent mechanical and organoleptic degradation.

The pressure from the bundles ties compresses the vanilla pods, which are crushed, its internal fibres broken, creating micro-cracks that are initially invisible and leading to the loss of the fleshy structure and the aromas. When the pods are compressed, migration and loss of aromatic compounds occur as the oils are squeezed out; the vanillin and hundreds of other volatile molecules migrate outwards, resulting in a gradual loss of aroma due to the concentration of aromas on the surface rather than being retained within the pulp, leading to an unbalanced profile. The exact opposite of controlled ageing.

Anaerobic zones lead to undesirable fermentation and in packed vanilla bundles, there is no air circulation; the moisture trapped between the pods creates anaerobic micro-environments and risk of uncontrolled secondary fermentation, leading to the development of acidic, animal and ammoniacal notes. High risk of localised mold increase. The critical points are the contact areas, the damp ends and the centre of the bundle. Even if the exterior appears healthy, the centre may develop mold, initially invisible, eventually contaminating all the pods. Heterogeneity of the batch is jeopardized, the outer pods dry out whilst the inner pods remain damp; the uneven moisture content, inconsistent handling and irregular extraction makes it impossible to achieve high-quality and stable aromatic profile.

Questionable hygiene is a serious concern. 1, 2 and up to 3 ties (often non-food-grade) betray excessive handling and prolonged contact, which encourages the development of a bacterial environment. No serious professional standard recommend this practice. Let’s be honest: this type of fastening serves solely to compact the product to optimize volume for faster transport and to standardise batches without refined sorting. It’s a low-end industrial logic of volume and price, not quality and precision.

MOLD - a white, brownish and black fungus that grows and spreads on vanilla beans as white fluffy, cottony starcher looking like fuzz or dry bleachy foam matter - is the worst enemy of vanilla farmers. It happens on vanilla pods that have too much moisture and too little vanillin content, that aren’t mature enough or improperly cured and prepared, and are the result of bad practices.

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According the specie and refining method, there is an exact ratio of humidity content to vanillin percent that can scientifically guarantee the quality of the pods. Vanillin is the natural expression of the benzenoid crystal that matures inside the vanilla pods, which can create an odd acidic smell if prematurely harvested or not properly cured, or a delicious vanilla fragrant smell when the processes are perfectly handled.

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Mold-proneness and susceptibility usually cannot be stopped, and even if cleaned from a pod, due to its natural molecular composition, even if dried, will always come back. Mold creates mycelial networks that can actually communicate from one pod to another in the same package through thin air. Since the fungus can learn which way to move and expand, pods generally remold at the same places even if they have been washed, unless they are further dried and sunned to crystallize enough vanillin. If any mold exists and it has not enough anti fungal biological mechanism in the pod it will remember the paths the mycelium took, and repeat the mold bloom on the same spots again.

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BAN AIRTIGHT VACUUM STORAGE

When vacuum packed - which is very often used to hide moldy pods - the pods literally suffocate and this create ideal conditions for the mold which finally bloom and destroy the whole batch of pods once opened. In general, sellers knowingly sell moldy pods as they can very well appear in perfect condition inside the vacuum bag. The mold will start to grow after few days or weeks only after opening the vacuum bag, and sellers will blame it on the customer and refuse to replace or refund.

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Despite mold vanilla pods are illegal to export - more over to sell - it recently became a common problem with inexperienced or dishonest exporters and sellers in America, Asia, and Europe. Some of the largest companies have been themselves perpetrators of such malpractices to get rid of their stocks.

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If you find mold on vanilla pods, you are entitled to replacement or refund since it's non compliant goods ; and do not believe that they can be cleaned with alcohol. Moldy vanilla pods do not have enough mature flavor profile and not high enough vanillin content at the first place, and too much moisture and the mold will always regrow within the husk, skin, and plant matter.​

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OVERDRIED VANILLA PODS - breaking when you bend them, lack of oil on the surface and weak aromas are the signs of overdried vanilla pods. Happens when the pods have been too exposed to the sun, as well as on pods which have been too scarified, or when the pods have not been properly cured or stored. Poor vanilla cultivars quality and cultivation malpractices, premature harvests and improper curing and refining methods due to financial pressure, poor packing and shipping conditions, exposure to humidity and heat as well as warehouses poor storage conditions, has resulted in moldy and overdried vanilla scandals after taking on moisture content in the stocks in transit from many buyers and producers since the past years.

TERROIRS AND ORIGINS - in addition, vanilla farmers are also facing thefts inside their plantations, the export market have to deal too with many malicious buyers swapping foreign pods in order to attempt fraudulent returns. Every year there is vanilla seized by customs worldwide and these mold-bombs are driving the prices down to the bottom.

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TRACEABILITY

As a preventative measure, the returned beans are now lot-match checked, farm-pegged, or traditionally tattooed and tracked to ensure the returned pods are actually the same exported. Tracking technology and ISO standards have made it easier for vanilla professionals and, together with basic low-tech tattooing, are helping to eliminate mold, overdried and low quality vanilla pods as well as unscrupulous exporters, buyers and resellers malpractices.

 

HOW TO STORE VANILLA?

In a well closed glass tube, a glass jar or a glass pot or bottle, according the number of pods and their sizes, well protected from the light, from the heat and from the frost. Avoid corks and avoid mixing differents terroirs. You may also scrape the seeds only of the pod, or cut an inch or two of it to use in your recipe, and keep the rest of the pods intact inside the glass tube for later use.​​