Television broadcast on vanilla and the use of stable isotopes to determine its origin and frauds / 6.06.2019

TV show “UGRIZNIMO ZNANOST” (let’s bite into science) presented “vanilla the queen of the spices”, its natural and artificial aroma and methods to distinguish between them with the help of the isotopic techniques. Prof. Dr. Nives Ogrinc and Lidija Strojnik presented the isotopic part which is performed at our department. The show was broadcasted on 9th of May 2019 at the national Slovenian TV station: RTV SLO1

Fragrant brown vanilla pods are an indispensable part of every kitchen. Every year more than 1000 new products with vanilla flavor are created. World production of vanilla can no longer meet its demand, so the price of natural vanilla grew so high that it exceeded the proverbially expensive saffron. Nevertheless, shelves are full of vanilla. From where does all this vanilla come, if cultivating trees and getting this noble flavor is demanding and expensive? Do we even know the natural aroma of vanilla? If it is not natural in the store, what is it produced from?

Link to the RTV Slovenija archive.