Description
Product
Dried Tonka Beans
B Grade
Beans that did not make it into A/Top Grade category
may show nicks, irregular size, irregular appearance, have not been cleaned of dust, may contain broken beans
0.5. oz are 8-10 beans
(not viable horticultural seeds)
Botany
Genus: Dipteryx
Species: odorata
Family: Fabaceae
Product Origin
Brazil
Wild harvested
Uses
Tonka beans, also called Cumaru beans, contain the compound Coumarin, which has a sweet aroma reminiscent of Vanilla.
Within the US Tonka beans are used in the manufacture of non-food products for it's sweet Vanilla fragrance, ranging from perfumes and cosmetics, to tobacco flavoring.
Outside of the US they are also used to flavor desserts and drinks, which are subject to government regulated coumarin content standards in many countries, including the EU, due to Tonka's hepatotoxicity.
Habitat
The Tonka tree is native to tropical regions of Central America and Northern South America, and West Africa.
