Igama lekhemikhali le-vanillin yi-4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde, eyaziwa nangokuthi i-methyl protocatechualdehyde noma i-vanillin. Kuyiphunga elibalulekile eline-spectrum ebanzi elisezingeni eliphezulu futhi ingelinye lamakha akhiqizwe amakhulu kunawo wonke emhlabeni kusukela ngo-2019. Inephunga likabhontshisi omnandi kanye nephunga lempushana futhi ingasetshenziswa njenge-fixative, umxhumanisi, kanye ne-ejenti yokunambitha. Isetshenziswa kakhulu ezimbonini ezifana nokudla, iziphuzo, izimonyo, amakhemikhali ansuku zonke, kanye nemithi. Ingxenye yokusetshenziswa ezimbonini ezisezansi nomfula icishe ibe ngama-50% ezithasiselweni zokudla, ama-20% okumaphakathi emithi, ama-20% okungezwa okuphakelayo, futhi acishe abe ngu-10% ngezinye izinjongo.

I-Vanillin okwamanje ingenye ye-ejenti yokunambitha ukudla esetshenziswa kakhulu emhlabeni, eyaziwa ngokuthi "inkosi yezinongo zokudla". Isetshenziswa kakhulu njengesinongo embonini yokudla futhi isetshenziswa kumakhekhe, u-ayisikhilimu, iziphuzo ezibandayo, ushokoledi, izinto ezibhakwayo kanye neziphuzo ezidakayo. Umthamo wawo emaqenjini namabhisikidi ngu-0.01% kuya ku-0.04%, kumaswidi ungu-0.02% kuya ku-0.08%, kanti umthamo ophezulu kakhulu ezimpahleni ezibhakiwe ngu-220mg · kg-1. Isikali esiphezulu kushokoledi singama-970mg · kg-1. Ingasetshenziswa futhi njengesengezo sokulondoloza ukudla ekudleni okuhlukahlukene kanye nezinongo; Embonini yezimonyo, ingasetshenziswa njenge-agent yokunambitheka kumakha kanye nokhilimu wobuso; Embonini yansuku zonke yamakhemikhali, ingasetshenziswa ukuguqula iphunga lemikhiqizo yamakhemikhali yansuku zonke; Embonini yamakhemikhali, njengama-defoamers, ama-vulcanizing agents, nama-precursors amakhemikhali; Ingase futhi isetshenziselwe ukuhlaziya nokutholwa, njengokuhlola izinhlanganisela zama-amino nama-asidi athile; Embonini yezemithi, njenge-ejenti yokuvimbela iphunga. Ngenxa yezakhiwo zayo zokulwa namagciwane, i-vanillin ingasetshenziswa njengendawo ephakathi kwemithi embonini yezemithi, kuhlanganise nokwelapha izifo zesikhumba. I-Vanillin inezindawo ezithile ze-antioxidant kanye nemiphumela yokuvimbela umdlavuza, futhi ingabamba iqhaza ekudlulisweni kwesignali phakathi kwamaseli ebhaktheriya. Ngokuzayo, lezi zindawo ezingasetshenziswa zizothuthukisa ukukhula okusheshayo kwesidingo se-vanillin emakethe. Kusukela ngo-2019, ukusetshenziswa kwaminyaka yonke kwe-vanillin emakethe yomhlaba wonke kungamathani angama-20000.