Out of the 20,000 orchid species on the world, vanilla is the only one that is used as a food additive. Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia). The primary ingredient in vanilla, Vanillin, is responsible for the fruitâ??s flavor and good aroma. Vanilla beans are available in a variety of forms, including powder, paste, extract, and oil. Genuine Sri Lankan vanilla is grown in rainy mountain steeps of mid-country. Even rainfall and moderate temperature gives just the perfect condition to develop vanilla flavor in the pods. Handpicked vanilla pods will take from one to two weeks to develop the aroma, vanillin, ripen steadily. During the processing and drying stages, the bean shrivels and becomes the proper spice the dark brown, shiny vanilla sticks with that unmistakable aroma.