licorice, caramel, and clove, making it a  cherished ingredient for desserts and other  

food products across the globe. However, despite  its culinary appeal, its use in food is banned in  

the United States because of the high levels of  a chemical compound known as coumarin present in  

the Tonka bean. Coumarin, a naturally occurring  substance, was first isolated from tonka beans in  

1820. It has a sweet smell, often associated  with newly-mown hay, and has been utilized  

in various food and non-food products. During the  1940s, it was widely used as a synthetic additive  

in items such as tobacco, cosmetics, and certain  foodstuffs. However, subsequent research indicated  

that high levels of coumarin could potentially be  toxic, particularly to the liver. These findings,  

primarily based on animal studies, prompted  a re-evaluation of the compound's safety.