Fine bakery ware, with the exception of traditional and/or seasonal bakery ware containing a reference to cinnamon in the labelling: 15 mg/kg.Breakfast cereals including muesli: 20 mg/kg.Traditional and/or seasonal bakery ware containing a reference to cinnamon in the labelling: 50 mg/kg.Sticking to the following maximum threshold levels should, in the European view, typically avoid any dangers to human health: Instead of banning coumarin altogether, the relevant food stuff legislation of the European Union (substantiated by scientific considerations) has established certain maximum levels for its use in food stuffs. In Europe, however, the risk assessment is different. So, the Tonka bean remains banned in the US. And contrary to some popular belief, coumarin is not a blood-thinning anti-coagulant (i e should not be confused with Coumad in, a trade mark for warfarin, of rat-poison fame) So-called Ceylon cinnamon, on the other hand, contains very low levels of coumarin). However, coumarin is not uniquely found in Tonka beans – in fact, it can be found in quite a number of other rather ordinary household ingredients, such as in Cassia Cinnamon (probably the most commonly found type of ‘household-cinnamon’. This is also the reason why coumarin has been banned in foodstuffs in the USA since 1954. And coumarin is moderatly toxic to the liver and the kidneys (and even more so for certain animals). Tonka beans contain relatively high concentrations of an organic chemical substance called coumarin, which also accounts for much of the beans’ particular flavour(s). Too dangerous to eat? or Just how dangerous is the Tonka bean? Or walk around with a few beans in your pocket, which apparently is supposed to bring good luck -) The Tonka bean has also non-culinary uses – apart from being a positive factor in local folk medicine (credited with helping against depression and a number of similarly ailments), some even claim that it has magical qualities: if you are superstitious, you could try some of the methods whereby the bean supposedly can make your wishes come true. The scent has been used to flavour perfumes, tobacco, soaps … and desserts! No wonder that it has been used both as a replacement for the more expensive vanilla, but also as a fashionable spice in its own right. The Tonka bean aroma is a strange and alluring blend, roughly reminiscent of something akin to a warm, sweet combination of marzipan-like almond with notes of vanilla, cinnamon and cloves. Top world producers today are Venezuela and Nigeria. The tree is not only a source of hardwood (‘Brazilian teak’), but is also sought after because of its seed – the highly aromatic Tonka bean. Native to the rainforests of South-America, the Cumaru tree ( Dipteryx odorata ) can grow up to 30 metres in height. “Tonka” is the name of the tree in the Amerindian language Carib and in the native Brazilian language Tupi. Detail of a Cumaru tree, with the pods that contain the ‘beans’ clearly visible.
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