TIL Beaver anal musk glands, or castors, produce castoreum which is used for vanilla flavoring in candy and perfume.

Not used anymore

Used to be used. It's cheaper and easier to use other sources for artificial flavoring now.

I wonder who invented this, and how? Someone for some reason smelt a beaver's ass and thought, mmm vanilla.

I wish I didn't know this :(

Also natural raspberry flavor

This is actually the origin of the phrase "eat that sweet beaver"

Mmm anal musk