phenolic-sugar storage compounds The enzymes that can liberate the aromatic phenolics from storage are concentrated closer to the outer walls The first step in curing is to kill the pod so that it doesn’t use up its sugars and amino acids, and to damage the pod’s cells and allow the phenolic storage compounds to migrate to the liberating enzymes Both of these goals are accomplished by briefly exposing the pods to high temperatures, either in the sun or in hot water or steam The cell damage that this causes also allows the browning enzymes (polyphenoloxidases, p 269) to cluster some phenolic compounds together into colored aggregates, so the pod color changes from green to brown Then follow several days during which the pods are alternately exposed to the sun until they’re almost too hot to handle, then wrapped in cloth to “sweat” with the residual heat During this stage, the main flavor components of vanilla — vanillin and related phenolic molecules — are freed from their bondage to sugar molecules The heat and sunlight also evaporate some of the pod moisture, discourage microbial growth on the humid surface, and generate pigments and complex aromas via browning reactions between sugars and amino acids (p.778) It takes 3 to 5 pounds of fresh pods to produce 1 pound of cured beans Pods of the vanilla orchid The fresh pod contains thousands of tiny seeds embedded in a sticky resin of sugars, amino acids, and a storage form of the main vanilla aroma compound, vanillin The process of drying and curing the pod frees the vanillin and creates additional aroma molecules ... Pods of the vanilla orchid The fresh pod contains thousands of tiny seeds embedded in a sticky resin of sugars, amino acids, and a storage form of the main vanilla aroma compound, vanillin The process of drying and. .. discourage microbial growth on the humid surface, and generate pigments and complex aromas via browning reactions between sugars and amino acids (p.778) It takes 3 to 5 pounds of fresh pods to produce 1 pound of cured beans.. .of vanilla — vanillin and related phenolic molecules — are freed from their bondage to sugar molecules The heat and sunlight also evaporate some of the pod moisture, discourage microbial growth on the humid