Abstract: A process for increasing the yield of natural vanilla flavor. Green vanilla pods are hydrated. The resulting hydrated pods are ground, forming a liquid phase and a solid phase. The resulting ground hydrated product of green vanilla pods is treated with an enzymatic system including at least one enzyme. The enzyme system possesses from about 10 to about 1000 units of beta-glucose activity per gram of green vanilla pods. The ground hydrated green vanilla pods and the enzymatic system are incubated at a temperature of from about 10.degree. C. to about 40.degree. C. for a period of between about 2 hours and about 30 hours sufficient to allow the release of the vanilla flavor. The liquid phase containing the vanilla flavor is separated from the solid phase.