Ethyl vanillin is a synthetic compound that is 3½ times stronger in flavor than real vanilla, although the flavor is not quite the same.Ethyl Vanillin is used as a substitute for vanilla in foods and perfumes, because Ethyl Vanillin is less expensive and keeps better in storage and transport. Ethyl Vanillin is closely related to the slightly smaller molecule methyl vanillin. http://www.foodchem.com