Herbs & Botanicals

Tonka Bean (Dipteryx odorata): Coumarin, Fragrance, U.S. Food Law, Traditional Use & Safety
Tonka bean is the intensely fragrant seed of the South American tree Dipteryx odorata and one of the original natural sources of coumarin. This guide reviews its botany, fragrance and traditional uses, explains human coumarin hepatotoxicity, and states the U.S. food restriction accurately: foods containing added coumarin from tonka beans or tonka extract are deemed adulterated. Read more...