Market Drivers, Trends and Forecasts of Global Vanilla market Market Drivers, Trends and Forecasts | Page 3

These tasteless and odorless green pods are hand-picked when they are still not ripe and then the fermentation process begins . The beans are first plunged into hot water and then the ' drying ' and ' sweating ' process starts . The beans are dried in the sun during the day and then wrapped in the blankets at night so they can sweat . This process can last anywhere from 2 to 6 months until the beans become a very dark brown color and develop a white crystalline substance ( or frost ) on the outside of the bean , called vanillin . The vanillin is what gives the beans their wonderful flavor and aroma and these beans are prized . At this point the beans are aged to bring out their full flavor , and this can take up to two years . Once dried and cured the vanilla pods need to be kept airtight to retain their wonderful flavor .