Preparation of vanilla after harvest at maturity

The preparation of vanilla after harvest is a series of crucial steps aimed at ensuring the superior quality of this prized product by Spice Aroma. It all starts with raising awareness about good cultivation practices, as the quality of vanilla depends on it.

The first step, scalding, involves immersing green vanilla beans in water heated to 63°C to cause their death. Next comes sweating, where the beans are placed in wooden boxes covered with wool blankets for 12 hours to retain heat. This phase is essential as it allows the vanilla to take on its brown color and develop its aroma through accelerated fermentation.

The third step is drying the vanilla beans, which is done in the sun and shade. The beans are laid out on racks and must dry for one hour in the sun and then one hour in the shade each day. This process lasts four months.

Then comes curing, which involves placing the vanilla beans in wooden chests lined with paraffin paper for eight months. This step is crucial for the final development of the aroma, and the beans must be regularly checked to remove any that show signs of mold.

Grading is the fifth step, where the beans are measured and classified into different categories such as “un-split,” “split,” “black and red,” based on their length and color. Beans of the same length are grouped into bundles.

Finally, packaging involves placing the vanilla beans in tin or cardboard boxes reinforced with parchment paper. The vanilla beans are sorted into lots of 1, 5, or 10 kilos. Each step of the preparation of vanilla after harvest is essential to ensure a high-quality product, ready to be used in various culinary and commercial applications. This meticulous process, carried out by Spice Aroma, not only ensures the development of flavors and aromas but also the preservation of the vanilla, allowing it to reach the market with optimal characteristics.