Determining Quality Vanilla Beans

How to choose the best quality Vanilla Beans? 

taste, aroma, appearance, flexibility, size characteristics, and the content of Vanillin seeds in it. These conditions are interrelated with each other.

In processed vanilla fruit, there are 170 volatile compounds that are responsible for the aroma and taste of the vanilla fruit itself

Characteristics of good quality dried vanilla fruit are, 

• relatively long
• fleshy
• pliable / supple
• dark brown or blackish
• oily
• strong aroma and free from wounds and blemishes.
• 30 – 35% moisture content

While the characteristics of low-quality vanilla fruit are,

• hard (rigid)
• dry
• thin
• brown-reddish brown in color and lack of aroma
• The moisture content of 15 – 20%

In addition, to maintain the export quality of Indonesian vanilla beans, there is a national standard board that stipulates vanilla quality standards (SNI

01-0010-1990) which are divided into general requirements and special

quality