Cinnamon and cassia

Cinnamon possesses a delicate, spicy aroma, which is attributed to its volatile oil. Volatile components are present in all parts of cinnamon and cassia. They can be classified broadly into monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and phenylpropenes (Senanayake, 1997). The oil from the stem bark contains 75% cinnamaldehdyde and 5% cinnamyl acetate, which contribute to the flavour (Angmor et al., 1972 Wijesekera, 1978 Krishnamoorthy et al., 1996). 

The dried inner bark of cinnamon and cassia contains volatile oil, fixed oil, tannin, resin,... 

Cinnamon possesses a delicate, spicy aroma, which is attributed to its volatile oil. Volatile components are present in all parts of cinnamon and cassia. They can be classified broadly into monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and phenylpropenes. 

The bark oil from Nigeria contained a high level of benzyl benzoate (Lockwood, 1979). Headspace composition of cinnamon and cassia quills of different origins showed that the cinnamaldehyde and benzalde-hyde contents were in the range 2.3-86.2 and 0.5-40.5%, respectively (Vernin et al., 1994). 

Phytochemistry of cinnamon and cassia deals mainly with the volatile components. Besides essential oil constituents, several diterpenes have been isolated from the genus. These include cinncassiols A, B, (% and... 

Table 7.9. Non-volatile constituents from Cinnamon and cassia. ...

Vernin, G., Vernin, C., Metzger, J., Pujol, L. and Parkanyi, C. (1 994) CC/MS analysis of cinnamon and cassia essential oils a comparative study. In Charalambous, G. (ed.) Spices, Herbs and Edible Fungi. Elsevier Science, B.V., Amsterdam, pp. 41 1 —425. 

Cinnamic aldehyde is found in cinnamon and cassia barks— Cinnamomum spp. (Lauraceae). Benzaldehyde is the main constituent of bitter almond essential oil. 

Cardamom, edited by P.N.Ravindran and K.J.Madusoodanan Chamomile, edited by R.Franke and H.Schilcher Cinnamon and Cassia, edited by P.N.Ravindran and S.Ravindran Colchicum, edited by V.Simanek... 

Ravindran, P., Babu, K., and Shylaja, M. 2004. Cinnamon and Cassia Ibe Genus Ciimamonum. 

Ravindran, P. N., K. Ninnal-Babu and M. Shylaja. 2003. Cinnamon and Cassia The Genus Cinnamomum. CRC, Boca Raton, Florida. Remington s Pharmaceutical Sciences, 15th ed. 1975. Mack, Easton, PA. 

---