Vanillin a vaping villain?
- Thread starter LynGBH
- Start date
- th_trl_thread_readers 0
- Status
Vanillin is the foundation of the complex flavor we know as vanilla. Vanilla itself is rather expensive, so extracting "natural" vanillin from vanilla is expensive and doesn't make a lot of sense.
So, most vanillin is synthesized. The materials used to synthesize vanillin vary widely. One Japanese researcher even created vanillin from manure! As to what might be wrong with vanillin, my best guess is that some people have an aversion to man-made products. But, if made right, vanillin is vanillin regardless of its origin.
So, most vanillin is synthesized. The materials used to synthesize vanillin vary widely. One Japanese researcher even created vanillin from manure! As to what might be wrong with vanillin, my best guess is that some people have an aversion to man-made products. But, if made right, vanillin is vanillin regardless of its origin.
Thanks for the reply!
I'd love to use a full flavored natural vanilla, but I haven't been able to find anything strong enough to work for e-liquid. If someone could point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it muchly!
I'd love to use a full flavored natural vanilla, but I haven't been able to find anything strong enough to work for e-liquid. If someone could point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it muchly!
perhaps soaking vanilla beans in some PG/VG would do the trick?
hmmm might have to give this a try, I have 3 madagascar beans in our cupboard that I was meaning to use for a vanilla stout that I have in the works.
update: just threw a 50/50 mix of pg/vg and a vanilla bean together, smells delicious, but needs to steep a week or so before I try it.
hmmm might have to give this a try, I have 3 madagascar beans in our cupboard that I was meaning to use for a vanilla stout that I have in the works.
update: just threw a 50/50 mix of pg/vg and a vanilla bean together, smells delicious, but needs to steep a week or so before I try it.
Last edited:
I'm skeptical about soaking vanilla beans in PG, but I'd love to know the results as well.
I'm too lazy to look right now (and if I get motivated I'll come back and edit later), but I seem to recall reading a thread where someone has done the vanilla bean soak, but I seem to recall that they had to let it soak in a time period measured in months rather than weeks to get successful flavor.
That's pretty much exactly what I was thinking. Vanilla extract is made by soaking vanilla beans in a high concentration of alcohol for a period of days or weeks, and sometimes longer. I've seen discussions where people tried to use regular old vanilla extract as a flavor additive, and couldn't taste it at all. Soaking directly in the pg might work better, but it also might not work as well since it may react very differently with the vanilla.
Maybe rather than soaking it in PG and adding that as a flavoring, you could try soaking it in unflavored PG nic juice of the concentration you want. (or maybe a little higher)
VERY very true.
However, there's a critical difference, at least in terms of cooking. "Real" vanilla extract contains way more in terms of flavoring than just vanillin. There are all sorts of different compounds that come with it in trace amounts, which can add a subtle complexity. If I'm making something where really good vanilla flavor is important, I'll use the real stuff. If I just need a bit of vanilla to dump in a batch of cookies to take to work, I'll use the super-cheap store brand imitation vanilla.
That's exactly what I am doing. I had to break the beans into smaller pieces to fit in the bottle, and a lot of the seeds are floating around in the PG, so I'll strain them out with a coffee filter before testing.
It doesn't matter whether the source is natural or made in a chemistry lab. It's the same chemical.
I believe the real reason is listed clearly on the MSDS for Vanillin:
"WARNING! MAY BE HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED, INHALED OR ABSORBED THROUGH SKIN. MAY CAUSE IRRITATION TO SKIN, EYES, AND RESPIRATORY TRACT.
Inhalation:
May cause irritation to the respiratory tract. Symptoms may include coughing and shortness of breath. "
I believe the real reason is listed clearly on the MSDS for Vanillin:
"WARNING! MAY BE HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED, INHALED OR ABSORBED THROUGH SKIN. MAY CAUSE IRRITATION TO SKIN, EYES, AND RESPIRATORY TRACT.
Inhalation:
May cause irritation to the respiratory tract. Symptoms may include coughing and shortness of breath. "
An MSDS is for the pure form of whatever material it is. Look up the MSDS for nicotine and compare. Relatively small amounts of vanillin aren't going to be a problem, and it has been a large ingredient in liquids for many years (including DeKang).
Vanillin is the main constituent of the flavoring molecules in vanilla beans, so whether you use artificial vanillin or real vanilla extract, or home made vanilla extract, you'll still be getting vanillin.
Vanillin is the main constituent of the flavoring molecules in vanilla beans, so whether you use artificial vanillin or real vanilla extract, or home made vanilla extract, you'll still be getting vanillin.
Good point about the MSDS being for the pure form. It's amazing how many thing we consume daily, many of which are required for health, can be VERY toxic in their pure forms. Even something as simple as dietary iron can kill you if you have too much of it. Another good place to look if you want to be terrified is a PDR (Physician's Desk Reference)
heh - which is why I began my reply with "Vanillin is the foundation of the complex flavor we know as vanilla." Vanillin is a weak, tepid, milk-toast shadow of good vanilla!
Don't forget the lethality of toxic quantities of dihydrogen monoxide, either
Nice one. I knew a girl in high school who tried convincing people to put up posters around the school calling for a ban on dihydrogen oxide. Actually got a few people to fall for it.
Although ethyl vanallin is generally safe for us to vape, NEVER buy that cheap dollar store artifcial vanilla! The problem is that most countries don't have a "truth in ingredients" labeling policy as we have. Most of that cheap fake vanilla is ok but I see recalls of it because the manufacturer used an ingredient called Coumarin. It's simply rat poison but tastes like vanilla. Mexican (and most of south & central american) products populate the dollar stores here in San Francisco bay area and most are ok. But Coumarin has actually killed people (namely kids). We even banned most mexican candies because of the HIGH lead content (every clinic here has a big poster showing the most dangerous candies).
Vanallin made from either guaiacol or from lignin. Yes, that is waste from paper mills. Buy real vanilla products to support growers.
So it's best to avoid fake vanilla altogether. The couple dollars you save just isn't worth your family's health.
Vanallin made from either guaiacol or from lignin. Yes, that is waste from paper mills. Buy real vanilla products to support growers.
So it's best to avoid fake vanilla altogether. The couple dollars you save just isn't worth your family's health.
I would imagine that steeping well crushed vanilla bean in pure grain alcohol would work very well to extract the essence. Sounds like an interesting experiment.
Don't forget the lethality of toxic quantities of dihydrogen monoxide, either
They should ban that RIGHT NOW !
If fact, people were signing a petition to do just that. lol
- Status
Similar threads
