Vanillin, the chemical compound responsible for the taste and smell of vanilla, is one of the most popular flavours in the world. When sourced from vanilla beans, it is rare, expensive and has been subject to major price swings, meaning that synthetic vanillin is responsible for most vanilla-flavoured foods available worldwide. However, as food manufacturers look for alternatives to synthetic flavourings, Solvay has seen demand increase for its natural vanillin, derived from a compound in rice bran oil called ferulic acid.

“In 2000, we launched our first natural vanillin range, and we started to supply natural vanillin in its pure form to the market,” said Mike Tan, production manager for Solvay’s natural ingredients range. Solvay sells most of its vanillin to flavour and fragrance firms, and also works directly with food manufacturers.

Meeting global quality standards

While the synthetic version remains the company’s best-selling product, increased requests for natural vanillin led it to increase capacity at its facility in Lyon, France by 60 tonnes earlier this year. The flavouring is fully traceable from raw material to finished product, and is intended to answer global demand for a truly clean label ingredient.

“Last year we expanded our range by introducing our higher purity grade,” Tan said, explaining that the 99.5% pure natural vanillin was aimed at markets with very strict purity requirements, such as China, while also meeting European and international regulation for natural vanillin.

“It would allow all our customers to formulate their flavours and safely export all their flavours to other markets,” he said.

Switching out synthetic flavours has become a top priority for ingredients suppliers, food and drink manufacturers, and end consumers worldwide. According to Nielsen’s Global Health and Wellness Report, more than four in ten consumers (41%) see the absence of synthetic flavours as very important when deciding which foods to buy. Many of the biggest names in the industry have taken note – including Nestlé, General Mills and Kellogg – and have pledged to remove synthetic flavours from their products.

However, it is Solvay’s expertise in both synthetic and natural vanillin which sets it apart, the company says.

Natural know-how from synthetics

“Going from synthetic to natural, this is wher customers see our strength to the market,” said Tan. “If you look at the global market and especially those who are in the natural vanillin space like us, Solvay is the only one with the long supply chain that goes from synthetic into natural as well. That gives us the reach to address consumer needs. We are there to work first hand with our customers, and we understand what’s required to get there compared to the competition.”

As well as the drive toward naturally flavoured products, other trends have come together to boost the market for natural vanillin. Protein ingredients, including whey and plant-derived proteins from pea, have also seen a surge in popularity, but often have flavour notes that need masking.

Tan says natural vanillin is complementary to many of these products, offsetting undesirable flavours in high protein beverages, whey protein powder supplements and for products that use combinations of plant-based proteins.