No. The FDA banned Coumarin in food products quite a few years ago which wiped out most of our competition in a hurry. As far as we know, there are only three companies allowed to export their vanilla from Mexico as a result. Coumarin is a blood thinner used in rat poisons that causes liver damage. That's one of the reasons you shouldn't buy your cheap vanilla just across the border.
For liability reasons, we tell people 2 years... but we know of one customer who had hers for 7 years!
4%.
If you inspect the inner core of the vanilla bean you will discover small crystals that form on the inner layer of the pod. Those crystals contain much of the scent of the vanilla bean. It's true that a synthetic scent has been introduced into the Mexican market in recent years but that is not found in our Pure Mexican Vanilla.
Color ;-) Actually, the vanilla beans do not shed much color at all. Do you remember your last bowl of vanilla bean ice cream? You'll see a lot of little brown spots in the cream colored ice cream. Those little tiny spots are the actual vanilla beans. We have grown so accustomed to the brown color from imitation vanilla that we have added caramel coloring (made from molasses) to our darker versions of Mexican Vanilla. The darker version is by far our best seller too!
Yes. Mexican Vanilla can freeze, thaw and still be used. Make sure it has thoroughly thawed before use.