TS 3768

TS 3768 is a terminology standard for vanilla, setting out the terms and definitions used for this crop and the commercial names associated with it. From the title and scope, the document is about a common technical language for vanilla designations, including Vanilla fragrans referred to commercially as Bourbon, Mexico, Indonesia or Ceylon, Vanilla tahitensis sold under the commercial name Tahiti vanilla, and vanillas grown from seed.

How vanilla names are distinguished

Terminology standards clarify the concepts used to describe a product rather than prescribing how the product is made. In vanilla, that distinction matters because everyday and commercial usage may refer to different species, growing origins, or trade names with the same word. By aligning botanical names with commercial usage, this kind of standard supports consistent communication in specifications, trade descriptions, catalogues, and technical records. For this document, the covered subject is limited to definitions of vanilla-related terms; it should not be read as establishing processing rules, compositional limits, or test methods.

Why the scope matters technically

• It helps place regional and commercial names for Vanilla fragrans within one shared terminology framework.
• It supports a clear distinction between Vanilla tahitensis and other vanilla types at the naming level.
• It includes terminology for vanilla grown from seeds, showing that the vocabulary is not limited to a single commercial type.
• Consistent terminology reduces ambiguity in food technology documentation, cataloguing and commercial communication.