Plenty of people are getting ready to do their holiday baking and one of your key ingredients could
be toxic.
　We're talking about Mexican vanilla.
　Lots of Arizonans cross the border to pick some up to use when they bake.
　Some claim the clear liquid form of the ingredient adds better flavoring and color to their baked goods,
but you could also be added a toxic chemical to your food.
　That's because most Mexican vanillas contain the chemical Coumarin, which is a key ingredient in rat
poison.
　If ingested by humans, it can cause liver and kidney failure. Coumarin was banned in United States
back in 1978.
　According to the Arizona Health Department, consuming large amounts of Coumarin does indeed
cause liver and kidney failure, but it's hard to tell how much is considered a large amount.
　Bakers in the area say when it comes to picking your vanilla, color, price and labeling matter.
　The best advice from officials is to use pure vanilla extract.