Skip to main content

United States product record

Vanilla Extract: How Commercial Products Changed Over Time

A dated United States record of vanilla extract products, packages, formulations, prices, claims, and commercial milestones.

3 product families13 confirmed observationsSeptember 14, 1963 to August 30, 2026Updated
Three unlabelled glass bottles of dark amber vanilla extract beside a bundle of cured Bourbon vanilla beans and a tasting dish
Pure vanilla extract in the U.S. requires at least 35% alcohol and 13.35 ounces of vanilla beans per gallon under federal standard 21 CFR 169.175. Image: The Foods That Shaped Us Research Desk. Image terms. Request permission.

Current evidence status

This record follows 3 vanilla extract product families in the U.S. market. It reports only dated, confirmed fields. A blank year means no qualifying observation, not that the product stayed the same.

The historical identity behind the products

Vanilla is the cured seed pod of tropical climbing orchids in the genus Vanilla, originally cultivated by the Totonac and Aztec peoples of Mesoamerica before European colonial trade spread vine cuttings to the Indian Ocean islands. The full Vanilla history article traces the long transformation of the orchid from Aztec royal beverage additive to global flavor staple; this buying guide evaluates current United States retail labels, standard-of-identity compliance, packaging math, and home baking use cases.

Read the full Vanilla Extract history

Confirmed commercial timeline

  1. The FDA promulgated the federal standard of identity for vanilla extract

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration established 21 CFR 169.175, defining pure vanilla extract as containing not less than 13.35 ounces of vanilla beans per gallon in not less than 35 percent ethyl alcohol by volume.

  2. Current U.S. product snapshots compiled

    Catalogue identity, formulation, package-price, and availability fields were recorded separately so later changes can be compared without overwriting this baseline.

Current product snapshot

Current confirmed product, formulation, package, observed price, availability, and observation date
ProductFormula / formatPackage and priceStatus
Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla ExtractObserved August 30, 2026Single-fold pure vanilla extract in 35% alcohol; 8 fl oz bottleWater, cane alcohol (35%), cane sugar, vanilla bean extractives.$37.958 fl oz$4.74 per fl ozavailableSource
McCormick All Natural Pure Vanilla ExtractObserved August 30, 2026Single-fold pure vanilla extract in 35% alcohol; 4 fl oz bottleWater, alcohol (35%), sugar, vanilla bean extractives.$14.494 fl oz$3.62 per fl ozavailableSource
Simply Organic Madagascar Pure Vanilla ExtractObserved August 30, 2026Certified USDA Organic single-fold vanilla extract; 4 fl oz bottleOrganic vanilla bean extractives in water, organic alcohol (35%).$18.994 fl oz$4.75 per fl ozavailableSource

These are point-in-time observations, not permanent offers. Tax, shipping, subscriptions, bundles, promotions, and local stock are not assumed unless the record states them.

Formulation and package changes

This pilot establishes a 2026 baseline. No earlier formulation or package is treated as comparable unless a dated observation is present. Later confirmed changes will append to this record.

Ownership, manufacturing, recalls, and authenticity

No additional qualifying event is currently recorded beyond the dated timeline above. Absence from this dataset is not proof that an event never occurred.

Trend observations

No aggregate trend metric is published for this identity unless its value, geography, period, sample, and source can be stated together. Product counts in this record describe the tracked sample, not the whole U.S. market.

Download the public record

The files contain confirmed derived observations, evidence metadata, source links, and checksums. They do not reproduce restricted source captures.

JSON dataCSV observationsMethodology

Evidence and provenance

  1. [1]All Natural Pure Vanilla Extract — McCormick; 2026. Captured 2026-08-29. metadata only.
  2. [2]Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract — Nielsen-Massey Vanillas; 2026. Captured 2026-08-29. metadata only.
  3. [3]Our Story & Heritage — Nielsen-Massey Vanillas; 2026. Captured 2026-08-29. metadata only.
  4. [4]From pods to puddings: Vanilla and other sweet-tasting orchids — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; undated. Captured 2026-08-29. metadata only.
  5. [5]Vanilla - Vanilla planifolia — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; undated. Captured 2026-08-29. metadata only.
  6. [6]Madagascar Pure Vanilla Extract 4 fl oz — Simply Organic; 2026. Captured 2026-08-29. metadata only.
  7. [7]Sec. 525.750 Vanilla Extract - Adulterated with Coumarin — U.S. Food and Drug Administration; 2020. Captured 2026-08-29. metadata only.
  8. [8]21 CFR § 169.175 Vanilla extract — U.S. Food and Drug Administration / eCFR; 2024. Captured 2026-08-29. metadata only.

Where to explore next

Current buying guide Full food history All Food Evolution records