It is possible to distinguish precious vanillin from Vanilla species (planifolia or tahitensis) from much less expensive synthetic and nature-identical vanillin on the basis of the stable isotope ratios of H and C (2H/1H, 13C/12C). Analysis is usually performed using GC-IRMS (Gas Chromatography - Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry) after solvent extraction of vanillin from the sample.