Hi Justine, I suspect what you and Jessica are seeing is perfectly safe “white fatty matter”as described in this article about vanilla beans:  “. . . at-home extract makers may may notice white fatty-matter appearing on their beans after submersing them in alcohol. It can have the initial appearance of mold, but when you look closely you will see that it is actually the fatty vanillin oils being extracted. They will break down over time. This is typically the sign of a vanillin-rich bean that is sure to be a sweet extract.”

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