Mexican Vanilla

[Luckysll]

I will be on the Carnival Spirit Jan. 25/08, stopping in Acapulco, Zihua/Ixtapa and Manzanillo.

 

I would like to pick up some good Mexican vanilla at one of the ports. When I was in Cozumel, I know there was lots available in the stores, just wondering if the same applies in these ports. Is one port better than another (cheaper, more variety, etc.)?

[gtaylor]

We don't buy vanilla in Mexico (or the Caribbean) any more.

 

See my post in a discussion about vanilla over on the St. Martin board last year.

 

Be sure to follow the link to Vanilla.com.

 

gary

[househunter]

We always buy vanilla in Mexico. Make sure it says 100% vanilla and contains no artifical ingrediants or alcohol. I have been using it for over 10 years and couldn't bake without it:)

[gtaylor]

From the article linked above:

 

Although there are label laws in Mexico they aren't enforced; in some of the other countries there are no restrictions. So, don't count on the label for an accurate account of the ingredients. Needless to say, synthetic vanillas are a big industry as most tourists have no idea they are being duped and it's an easy product to sell.

 

Also visit http://www.cabosource.com/vanilla.php.

 

gary

[Luckysll]

Thanks for the info. Very interesting.

[RSWBADGER]

From the article linked above:

 

Although there are label laws in Mexico they aren't enforced; in some of the other countries there are no restrictions. So, don't count on the label for an accurate account of the ingredients. Needless to say, synthetic vanillas are a big industry as most tourists have no idea they are being duped and it's an easy product to sell.

 

Also visit http://www.cabosource.com/vanilla.php.

 

gary

 

This was featured on the local news station here in Phoenix this past week advising tourists not to buy Vanilla in Mexico due to the toxic chemicals in them.

 

That's because most Mexican vanillas contain the chemical Coumarin, which is a key ingredient in rat poison.

 

http://www.abc15.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=13A8D977-66F5-4B5E-9FD0-41CE803839D5&gsa=true

 

Most of the vanilla you will encounter in Los Cabos is synthetic, no matter what the label says. Bogus vanilla likely includes a high alcohol content (up to 25%), whereas genuine vanilla extract will have no more than 2% alcohol. Fake vanilla may also contain coumarin, an extract of the Tonka tree, which can be toxic to the liver. It has been outlawed in the United States

 

How do you know if it's pure vanilla? There are a few tip-offs:

 

Is it amber colored, dark and murky, or clear? Clear is pure, synthetic vanillin. It's often called "crystal vanilla." Dark and murky is synthetic vanillin, most likely ethyl vanillin derived from coal tar. It may also be dark because it contains red dye that we've banned in the U.S. or it may contain caramel coloring. If it's truly amber-colored it may be natural vanilla.

 

 

What is the alcohol content? Usually the synthetics range from no alcohol to about 2% alcohol (which acts as a stabilizer). There are some vanilla-vanillin blends and some cheap-quality vanillas that have 25% alcohol, but they aren't worth buying either.

 

 

How much did you pay for it? This is the biggest tip-off. If it's in a big bottle and you paid $20.00 or less, it's absolutely not vanilla extract. Pure vanilla extract usually costs more in Mexico because only one company makes quality extract, and only in small quantities.

 

http://www.vanilla.com/html/facts-mexican.html

[Jeepgirl42]

I always buy vanilla in Mexico - just make sure the label says that it does not contain Coumarin. We also try to buy it from a market (Gigante for example) not a tourist shop.

[RSWBADGER]

I always buy vanilla in Mexico - just make sure the label says that it does not contain Coumarin. We also try to buy it from a market (Gigante for example) not a tourist shop.

 

Although there are label laws in Mexico they aren't enforced; in some of the other countries there are no restrictions. So, don't count on the label for an accurate account of the ingredients. Needless to say, synthetic vanillas are a big industry as most tourists have no idea they are being duped and it's an easy product to sell.

 

How much did you pay for it? This is the biggest tip-off. If it's in a big bottle and you paid $20.00 or less, it's absolutely not vanilla extract

 

 

http://www.vanilla.com/html/facts-mexican.html

[macruise]

I am not expert on vanilla and wouldn't know how to tell real from synthetic, but have purchased it in Mexico.

Coumarin is an ingredient of rat poison. From a tour to a vanilla farm, the guide pointed out that coumarin gets into vanilla because rat poison was used to keep the rodents away from the beans. As far as it being purposely added, I am not so sure.

 

I just bought some organic vanilla in Zihuatenejo on a recent cruise. I put it in my daypack and totally forgot that it was there until TSA requested a search of my bag. I had packed my tequila in a checked bag and was not pleased that I had totally forgotten about the vanilla. Of course, it was confiscated.

 

Guess that there must be something dangerous in that vanilla or any other liquid over three ounces.

 

I will continue to take my chances on Mexican vanilla, but will pack it in the right place the next time - if I remember that I bought it.

 

YMMV

macruise