Vanillin is a flavor widely used in the food industry. This paper discusses the application of vanillin in the food industry, worldwide limits for the use of vanillin, the characteristics of the production technology and the possible risks brought by vanillin for foods, and it also summarizes the methods for vanillin detection in dairy products, infant formulas and formulas for special medical purposes intended for infants including gas chromatography (GC), liquid chromatography (LC), gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS), liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and spectroscopy with special attention to their advantages and limitations. This review is expected to provide a basis for the detection and further research of vanillin in infant formulas for special medical purpose.

As a nutritional supplement for people with special needs, the food for special medical purposes (FSMP) has occupied an important position in the global market. As the main source of added nutritional components in FSMP, nutritional fortifiers are of great significance to improve its quality. This paper focuses on the comparative analysis of the standards and regulations of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), the EU and China on nutrients and nutritional fortifiers in FSMP with respect to limits, ingredients, sources, and so forth, in order to provide useful information for improving the standards for the use of nutritional fortifiers in FSMP in China.