Vanilla is the fruit spice
of the orchid Vanilla fragrans. Vaniila is highly adapted to tropical conditions. It is trailed over trees or other supports using fleshy, herbaceous perennial vine. The long, whitish, aerial roots are produced singly opposite each leaf. The roots at the base ramify in the humus or mulch layer. The lower petal of the flower is modified as a trumpet-shaped labellum or lip. The tip of the lip is
obscurely three-lobed. The gynostemium is long, hairy on the inner surface, bearing at its tip the single stamen. The concave sticky stigma is separated from the stamen by a thin, flap-like rostellum which makes self pollination is impossible. Hence artificial pollination is a must for fruit set. The pendulous, narrowly cylindrical and obscurely three-angled fruit (capsule) is known as bean. It contains ripe myriads of very minute globose seeds. Fully mature beans are harvested when they split longitudinally. The fragrance and flavour of vanilla is due to numerous compounds produced during the curing process. Among these, vanillin is the most abundant one. Vanilla is world's most popular natural flavouring agent for sweetened foods, commercial food products like ice cream, liquors, perfumes etc. Vanilla extracts or essence, extracted with alcohol, contains the aroma and flavour principles and sweetening/thickening agents which are widely used as a flavourant commercially. The mixture of vanilla extracts and sugar is popular as vanilla sugar . Vanilla tincture is utilised for
pharmaceutical uses.