American-French woman stuns the internet after revealing 'super popular' European cooking ingredient that is ILLEGAL in the US: 'THAT'S what they decide to ban?'
- Claire Dinhut is known as @condimentclaire on TikTok and Instagram
- She shared a video highlighting the ingredient as part of an apricot jam recipe
- According to Claire, the ingredient 'smells and tastes of vanilla'
A popular food influencer has left the internet stunned after revealing a popular European cooking ingredient is actually illegal in the US.
Claire Dinhut, who's known as @condimentclaire on TikTok and Instagram, shared a brief video highlighting the ingredient as part of an apricot jam recipe.
The American-French social media star described that the ingredient 'smells and tastes of vanilla, but like a very almond hay vanilla, kind of like [the plant] woodruff.'
The spice, which is quite popular in France, is in fact the seed of the South American cumaru tree.
But despite being used regularly in recipes around the world, Claire explained that she cannot get hold of the ingredient in her native US, because it has been banned.
Claire Dinhut, who's known as @condimentclaire on TikTok and Instagram, shared a brief video highlighting the ingredient as part of an apricot jam recipe
![She described that it 'smells and tastes of vanilla, but like a very almond hay vanilla, kind of like [the plant] woodruff'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/06/20/14/86284335-13544119-She_described_that_it_smells_and_tastes_of_vanilla_but_like_a_ve-a-2_1718889004981.jpg)
She described that it 'smells and tastes of vanilla, but like a very almond hay vanilla, kind of like [the plant] woodruff'
It's known as the tonka bean, and it's been illegal in the US since the 1954 due to its dense level of the chemical coumarin, which can be toxic to humans in high enough doses.
'But it's super popular here in France,' said Claire, adding that one would have to consume close to 30 tonka beans to reach a toxic amount.
However, as she demonstrated in making the jam, she was grating a mere single tonka bean into her mixing bowl, combining it with roughly a kilo of chopped apricots.
Cassia cinnamon, which is commonly found in spice cabinets across the US, has a far higher concentration of coumarin, as reported by the BBC.
Defending the tonka bean - which looks to have the approximate consistency and color of an almond - Claire continued: 'I just think it flavors things so nicely.
'And some people think of it as imitation vanilla, because vanilla beans can be super expensive. But tonka beans aren't cheap either.
'So I don't know if I would call them imitation vanilla, but they're really fun. They're very commonly used in Latin America apparently, which I didn't realize because that is where they're grown.'
Elsewhere on her feed, Claire showcased the completed jar of apricot-tonka bean jam, which she soon after polished off herself, pairing it with various soft cheeses and a glass of red wine.
Revealing the ingredient to be the tonka bean, Claire demonstrated how she only grated a single one into an apricot jam recipe for flavoring - while it would take close to 30 to be toxic
Claire is half French and half Greek-American, and grew up between Los Angeles and the French countryside
Hundreds took to the comments to react to the revelation about the legalities of the tonka bean - with many pointing out that the US permits seemingly much more dangerous additives
Last year on her TikTok, Claire delved into her personal history - one that has directly informed her interest and tastes in cuisine.
She's half French, and half Greek-American, and grew up between Los Angeles and the French countryside. With this upbringing, she's developed a taste for seasonal produce and loves experimenting with fresh ingredients she's able to source.
On Claire's tonka bean video, hundreds took to the comments to discuss the revelation about the seed and its legalities.
'Me, a perfume lover only associating tonka bean with perfume and not realizing people eat them too,' admitted one.
'Meanwhile Brazil nuts are just openly available and apparently you're only supposed to eat like 2 a day,' a second pointed out.
'Really....that's what the US bans.. ?!' a third chimed in incredulously, given the FDA's notoriously lax policies toward ingredients and food additives with well-documented negative health consequences.
'The US… where carcinogens in bleached flour and preservatives out the whazoo are fine, but this thing you have to eat 30 of is banned… ,' echoed a fourth.
