The recent gas chromatography isotope ratio mass spectrometry allows d
elta(13)C measurements on very small amounts of compounds without prio
r purification. So it is possible to carry and delta(13)C analysis of
vanillin extracted from flavored foods. Here a method is described for
the extraction of vanilla flavor from flavoured ice creams. The propo
sed process is repeatable and no isotopic fractionation occurs. The co
mparison between delta(13)C of vanillin extracted from ice cream and d
elta(13)C of vanillin of the used flavor shows no significant differen
ce.