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van·il·lin | \ ˈva-nə-lən 
\
\Definition of vanillin
: a crystalline phenolic aldehyde C8H8O3 that is extracted from vanilla beans or prepared synthetically and is used especially in flavoring and in perfumery
Examples of vanillin in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web One of the substances with the lowest odor detection threshold is vanillin, the main component of vanilla extract.
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Randall Munroe, New York Times, "What’s the World’s Worst Smell?," 17 Feb. 2020 Both are based on vanillin, a flavor compound that is also naturally present in wood, and that makes up about 2.5 percent of true vanilla’s flavor.
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Lior Lev Sercarz, Saveur, "How Vanilla Became the World’s Favorite Flavor," 3 Oct. 2016 In these air conditions, the researchers multiplied the vanillin content of an approximately 79 milliliter puff of vapor by over 12,000, Andrews said.
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Abigail Brone, courant.com, "Yale study finds unknown dangers in Juul vapor," 30 July 2019 One recent study from Yale University found that vanillin — an extract of the vanilla bean — transforms into chemicals called acetals when aerosolized.
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NBC News, "What is in a vape? Everything you need to know," 3 Sep. 2019 Soaked into three small jugs recovered at a site in Megiddo was a sweet surprise: two of the main chemicals in vanilla—4-hydroxybenzaldehyde and vanillin, a compound that forms tiny white crystals on the pod’s surface as the bean ferments.
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Franz Lidz, Smithsonian, "The Delicious, Ancient History of Chocolate and Vanilla," 11 July 2019 Tong’s investigation arrives on the heels of a Yale study, which highlights some of the unknown dangers of vanillin, a popular e-liquid flavoring.
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Michael Hamad, courant.com, "Capitol Watch Podcast: A look inside the Yale study and Fairfield mom’s complaint that led Connecticut to investigate Juul Labs," 6 Aug. 2019 The enzymes that transform the glucovanillin in the plant into vanillin – the molecule that gives vanilla its distinctive aroma – emerge only through curing.
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The Economist, "The murky world of Madagascar’s roaring vanilla trade," 5 July 2019 Finkelstein thinks the vanillin probably arrived in the Middle East through extensive Bronze Age trade routes.
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Franz Lidz, Smithsonian, "The Delicious, Ancient History of Chocolate and Vanilla," 11 July 2019
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vanillin.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for vanillin
vanillin
nounvan·il·lin | \ ˈvan-ᵊl-ən \
\Medical Definition of vanillin
: a crystalline phenolic aldehyde C8H8O3 that is prepared synthetically or is obtained as the chief fragrant component of vanilla extracted from vanilla beans and that is used especially in flavoring and in perfumery
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Time Traveler for vanillin
The first known use of vanillin was circa 1868
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