Coumarin

"Coumarin is a chemical compound which is found naturally in some plants, although it can be synthetically produced as well. It has a distinctive odor which has led people to use it as a food additive and ingredient in perfume. Due to concerns about coumarin as a potential liver and [|kidney] toxin, its use as a food additive is heavily restricted, although it is perfectly safe to eat foods which naturally contain coumarin . The chemical name for coumarin is benzopyrone. The distinctive sweet odor reminds many people of freshly cut grass or hay, and it has been used in perfumes since the late 1800s. In a pure form, coumarin has a crystalline structure, and it is said to taste faintly like [|vanilla] . When ingested, coumarin acts as a [|blood thinner], and it also appears to be effective in treating some tumors. Coumarin has fungicidal properties as well. However, other much safer substances can be used for all of these purposes, although coumarin is sometimes used in combination with other [|blood thinners] for medical treatment. One natural source of coumarin is tonka beans, tropical beans which are known by the French as//coumarou//. To release their captive coumarin, the beans are soaked in alcohol and then fermented. Coumarin also occurs in sweet clover, strawberries, cherries, bison grass, woodruff, and [|apricots]. Coumarin has traditionally been used as a vanilla substitute in various foods, especially tobacco, although this usage is restricted in some countries."

Smith, S.E., and Bronwyn Harris. "What Is Coumarin?" //WiseGeek//. Conjecture. Web. 06 May 2012. .  