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Tonka Bean: What it is, its Legal Status, and its Distinctive Flavor

Tonka Bean Desset

Video: What is tonka bean?Why are tonka beans illegal?

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As we all know, the Government like to ban things that do not make sense to be banned, one of the best examples is the tonka bean, a fragrant, wrinkled seed from a flowering tree in South America, known for its intense and complex flavor.

 

However, step outside of the U.S., you will find that tonka beans continue to be used in cuisines freely, particularly in France.

 

So Why does FDA feel the need to treat it like it were the most terrifying and alarming substance ever discovered?

 

Let’s find out with PAA.

 

Hi, I am Shao Chieh Lo, welcome to what people also ask, where I answered some of the most Googled questions with…Google.

 

Today’s keyword is “Tonka bean”

 

So let’s start with our first question

 

What is tonka bean?

 

This question can be answered by Wikipedia’s Dipteryx odorata entry and another article titled “Tonka Beans: A delicious yet illegal spice from South America” published by suvie.com, which is a website for Suvie, a company that has developed an innovative kitchen robot appliance. 

 

According to these sources, Tonka beans are the seeds of Dipteryx odorata, a species of flowering tree in the pea family, Fabaceae, also known as “cumaru”, “kumaru”, or “Brazilian teak”. Native to Northern South America, the tree produces black, wrinkled seeds known as tonka beans. These beans have a smooth, brown interior and a strong, sweet fragrance akin to sweet woodruff, which is due to their high content of coumarin.

 

Tonka beans have been used in various industries due to their unique scent and flavor. In the perfume industry, they are prized for their strong fragrance. In the culinary field, they have been used to add flavor to dishes, with a taste profile that’s a complex mix of vanilla, almond, clove, cinnamon, and amaretto. In French cuisine, they’re often used in desserts and stews. The tonka bean flavor has also been used in certain pipe tobaccos.

 

However, tonka beans contain coumarin, a chemical that can cause health problems such as hemorrhages, liver damage, and heart paralysis if consumed in large amounts. This has led to the control of tonka beans as a food additive by many governments, and in the US, foods containing tonka beans have been considered adulterated since 1954.

 

 Despite this, tonka beans continue to be imported by culinary enthusiasts, and there have been calls for the deregulation of their use in foods.

 

The tonka bean tree can live over 1,000 years under certain conditions, and its wood is also valuable, known as Brazilian teak, often used for flooring due to its natural color variation and durability. As of now, the main producers of tonka beans are Venezuela, Nigeria, and Brazil.

 

What does tonka bean taste like?

 

This question can be answered by an article titled “What does Tonka bean taste like ?” published by sambavanilla.com, which is a company that sells vanilla, rums, and spices online. And another article titled “Meet the Tonka Beans” published by bullardsspirits.co.uk which is a family-owned and operated distillery in Norwich, England. 

 

According to these sources, Tonka bean has a complex and distinctive flavor profile. It is known for its sweet, vanilla-like qualities, often described as similar to marzipan or Battenberg cake. When tasted, the Tonka bean imparts a rich, slightly nutty vanilla flavor, with hints of sweet spice adding depth and complexity.

 

Additionally, the Tonka bean’s flavor is known to contain notes of almonds, cinnamon, and cloves. The Tonka bean is quite potent, with a very intense flavor, so it should be used sparingly.

 

 Despite its intensity, even in small doses, the Tonka bean’s sweet taste and aroma can significantly enhance various dishes. It pairs particularly well with chocolate, vanilla, coconut, and fruit, making it a popular choice in both sweet and savory dishes.

 

Lastly, it’s important to note that the Tonka bean needs to be used responsibly due to its potency because too much of it can be toxic. In the kitchen, it’s typically either infused and used in water to prepare dishes, or it’s grated, much like nutmeg.

 

So, in summary, Tonka bean’s flavor can be described as a rich, sweet, and spicy vanilla-like taste with additional notes of almonds, cinnamon, and cloves.

 

Is Tonka Bean illegal? Why is it illegal?

 

This question can be answered by an article titled “The delicious flavour with a toxic secret” published by BBC, and another article titled “The Tonka Bean: An Ingredient So Good It Has to Be Illegal” published by The Atlantic, as well as an article titled “The Real Reason Tonka Beans Are Illegal In The US” published by mashed.com which is a food-focused website that offers a wide range of content about all things related to food and drink. 

 

According to these three articles, the Tonka bean is known for its intense and complex flavor. It has notes of vanilla, licorice, caramel, and clove, making it a cherished ingredient for desserts and other food products across the globe. 

 

However, despite its culinary appeal, its use in food is banned in the United States because of the high levels of a chemical compound known as coumarin present in the Tonka bean.

 

Coumarin, a naturally occurring substance, was first isolated from tonka beans in 1820. It has a sweet smell, often associated with newly-mown hay, and has been utilized in various food and non-food products. 

 

During the 1940s, it was widely used as a synthetic additive in items such as tobacco, cosmetics, and certain foodstuffs. However, subsequent research indicated that high levels of coumarin could potentially be toxic, particularly to the liver. These findings, primarily based on animal studies, prompted a re-evaluation of the compound’s safety.

In 1954, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declared all foods containing coumarin as “adulterated”, effectively making the sale of tonka beans for culinary use illegal within the country. This ban was prompted by studies indicating coumarin’s toxicity, primarily based on its effects on the livers of animals. While the actual safe limits for coumarin intake in humans are somewhat uncertain due to the lack of human trials, this legislation erred on the side of caution, with a wide safety margin factored in.

 

This law, although based on research and evidence available in the 1950s, has been a subject of controversy. Coumarin occurs naturally not only in Tonka Beans, but also in other commonly consumed plants such as cinnamon, lavender, and licorice, leading to questions about the inconsistency of the regulation. It’s worth noting that the fear associated with coumarin often stems from a common misconception that it is a blood thinner. This is not true, as the blood thinner is actually a trademarked drug called Coumadin®, which is made by altering the chemical structure of coumarin.

 

Despite the ban, tonka beans have found their way into the dishes served by Michelin-starred restaurants, and the U.S. remains the largest importer of these beans globally. Some argue that the ban is outdated, considering the significant amount of beans required to reach toxic levels of coumarin.

 

 For example, it’s estimated that one would need to consume around 30 whole tonka beans for coumarin levels to become dangerously high, and usually, only a small fraction of a tonka bean is used to flavor a dish. Furthermore, coumarin is also found in common household items like cassia cinnamon.

 

The FDA has enforced this law to some degree, tracking down chefs using the Tonka Bean in their dishes. 

 

One example of the FDA has sporadically enforced the ban is the 2006 raid on Alinea, a restaurant in Chicago, following rumors of tonka bean use. However, enforcement has been somewhat inconsistent, with tonka beans still being available for purchase from some suppliers.

 

Outside of the U.S., tonka beans continue to be used in cuisines freely, particularly in France, where “fièvre tonka” or “tonka fever” has been coined to describe the popularity of this ingredient. The ongoing culinary use of tonka beans and their unique flavor profile has led to calls for a reevaluation of the U.S. law and the research upon which it was based.

 

While the tonka bean’s status in the U.S. remains a subject of discussion, it exemplifies the broader public health conversation about food safety, risk assessment, and balancing the desires of the culinary world with the potential health implications of certain ingredients.

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