Norwegian Borregaard already offers several different forms of vanillin, an organic compound used in many food and beverage formulations as a substitute for vanilla bean extract. Its premium Eurovanillin Supreme is derived from spruce tree lignins, whereas Regular is from guaiacol and Aromatic is ethyl vanillin.
The new ingredients are called Eurovanillin Expert, and use Supreme as their base. To this is added a carrier and a flavour ‘signature’.
Thomas Marwedel, business director of Borregaard Ingredients, told FoodNavigator.com that this signature is not a top note, but it better supports the taste in the intended application.
Supplied as a powder, the new ingredients are intended to be used in clients’ formulations in exactly the same way, and in the same dosages, as they would otherwise use Vanillin Supreme.
The Eurovanillin Expert range was developed by Borregaard and a partner, the identity of which Marwedel declined to disclose at this time.
He said that the flavours added are not considered natural in origin, but in any case the lignin-derived vanillin, despite coming from a natural source, cannot be called natural under labelling regulations.
The pricing is said to be “competitive compared to vanillin from guaiacol”.
The Eurovanillin Expert range is being introduced at the Food Ingredients Europe trade show in Frankfurt next month.
Sustainability
Borregaard has also been emphasising the sustainability of its vanillin operations this year.
Following an independently verified study of its operations, it said in March that EuroVanillin Supreme product had been found to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by about 90 per cent compared to products derived from guaiacol.
Marwedel said the findings suggested lignin could potentially provide a sustainable substitute to more natural products.
The company estimates that natural vanillin were to meet all the world’s vanillin needs, vanilla plants would need to be planted an area roughly equivalent in sixe to Belgium.
Marwedel said that lower CO2 emissions were one means that ingredients groups could take in a bid to ensure longevity in the supply chain for certain products.
“This is also important with respect to the discussion around ‘natural’ raw materials,” he stated. “Since nature will not be able to supply the markets with for example enough vanilla, we need alternatives that might even be better in terms of sustainability.”