Questions & Answers
from "On Ice Cream" featured in Dairy Foods magazine
and sourced from "On Ice Cream" technical short courses.

Vanilla Crisis Management:

Question: What is the cause of and what can be done to cope with the current limited availability of vanilla extract? What can be done to maintain the quality and cost of vanilla ice cream?

Answer: Key vanilla bean growing regions include Madagascar, Indonesia, Comoro Islands, and to smaller extent Mexico, Tahiti, and other locations. Normally, supply just matches demand. However, early in 2000, a cyclone ripped through Madagascar, the world's major producer of vanilla beans, destroying almost 1/3 of the total vanilla crop just as vanilla beans were maturing. It takes vanilla takes 3 years to replant, flower, and produce beans, and since it takes almost another year to get ripened beans to market, the effect of this production loss will be felt for years to come. Just as critical as loss of production volume is change of flavor quality. With demand outstripping supply, immature beans may get to market. Use of these immature beans can yield different or less than desirable flavor, aroma, and taste profiles. All this is most critical for dairy foods, which use nearly 70% of all vanilla extract produced. At greatest risk are Category I (Vanilla ice creams) and Category II (Vanilla Flavored ice creams) where vanilla extract constitutes all or high per cent of added flavor. Artificially Flavored Vanilla ice creams (Category III) are not affected. Managing taste/flavor quality is critical to achieve sensory targets. What are your options? First, look at the real need for vanilla extract in all formulas. Can it be totally or partially replaced with some other variant or enhancer of vanilla flavor? Pay careful attention to labeling issues involved and packaging changes that need to be considered. Can the amount and/or type of vanilla extract(s) used be modified? Might you consider a change in flavor category of ice cream? Perhaps modifications to mix composition might assist. These could be focused on reducing the impact of components or characteristics that typically mask or modify the perception of vanilla flavor, such as level/type of sweetener(s), total sweetness, total solids, fat and serum solids. Also, don't forget the impact of color and appearance in the perception (quality and intensity) of any given flavor. Most importantly, work closely with your vanilla extract suppliers. There may be new or, perhaps, "not so new" approaches, products and technologies which may help manage a way through this "vanilla crisis." This is not a short-term situation. Take time and do it right.