Vanillin
Level 3 — ContestedIn Winter's Dictionary2 sources
Vanillin is a flavoring — Synthetic vanilla flavoring from wood pulp waste
What it does
Synthetic vanilla flavoring from wood pulp waste
Where you'll see it
beverages, ice cream, candy, baked goods, gelatin desserts, puddings, syrups, toppings
What the research says
A skin irritant that produces a burning sensation and eczema; may also cause pigmentation
[ultra-processed-people] Used by Barry Smith (Centre for the Study of the Senses) as a paradigm of sensory deception: vanillin added to ice cream makes it taste sweeter without adding sugar. Falls under the broader flavourings-mechanism critique — synthetic smell molecule disconnected from nutritional context, trains brain reward learning without micronutrient payoff.
Regulatory status
- US FDA: GRAS
- Notes: ASP
Sources
- Ultra-Processed People (van Tulleken) — Chapter 12: UPF smells funny: Vanilla, technically a molecule you smell, when added to ice cream will make it seem sweeter, even without adding more sugar
- A Consumer's Dictionary of Food Additives (Winter): a skin irritant that produces a burning sensation and eczema; may also cause pigmentation of the skin