Artificial Vanilla Flavouring (Vanillin)

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Artificial vanilla flavouring is primarily composed of vanillin (4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde), a phenolic aldehyde chemically synthesised from guaiacol or lignin that mimics the characteristic flavour of natural vanilla. It is widely used in baked goods, confectionery, dairy products, and beverages as a cost-effective substitute for natural vanilla extract.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Vanillin is included on the FDA's Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) list and is authorised in the EU as a food flavouring without quantitative limitations under Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008. JECFA has evaluated vanillin and found no safety concern at typical dietary exposure levels; an ADI of 'not specified' applies, reflecting its rapid metabolism and urinary excretion primarily as a glucuronide conjugate. A small number of individuals with fragrance sensitivity may experience mild contact-sensitisation reactions; no IARC carcinogenicity classification has been assigned.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Vanillin is currently authorised in the EU as a food flavouring without quantitative limitations under Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 and the Union List of Flavourings (Regulation EU No 872/2012). Safety for human consumption was previously assessed by JECFA and EFSA.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Vanillin permitted at a maximum of 7 mg/kg and ethyl vanillin at 7 mg/kg in cereals and cereal products under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. Natural flavours and artificial flavouring substances also permitted at GMP levels in several other food categories per Appendix A.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Vanillin listed as GRAS (synthetic flavouring agent) under 21 CFR 182.60; ethyl vanillin similarly GRAS under 21 CFR 182.60 and 182.90. Use governed by GMP; no quantitative ceiling set.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Other — Individuals with known fragrance or contact sensitivity (including those who react to balsam of Peru or related phenolic aldehydes) may experience mild allergic reactions to vanillin, as sensitisation studies have been reported in both healthy and allergy-prone populations.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FDA. Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) – Vanillin. accessdata.fda.gov
2other. EU Rules on Flavourings – Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008. food.ec.europa.eu
3FDA. Food Additive Status List – Ethyl Vanillin (21 CFR 182.60, 182.90), 2026. fda.gov
4FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 – Chapter 2: Cereals and Cereal Products, 2023. fssai.gov.in
5EFSA. Safety of 27 flavouring compounds providing a milky-vanilla flavour for use as feed additives in all animal species (FEFANA asbl), 2023. efsa.europa.eu
6PubMed. Vanillin: a review on the therapeutic prospects of a popular flavouring molecule, 2021. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Independently researched6 citations