Spice Oleoresins Turmeric

India is the global leader in value-added products of turmeric and exports. Value-added products from turmeric include cur-cuminoids, dehydrated turmeric powder, oils and oleoresin. Turmeric, like other spices, is available whole, as ground and as oleoresin. The institutional sector in the West buys ground turmeric and oleoresins, while in the industrial sector, whole dry turmeric is preferred. 

Information regarding U.S. production of oleoresins is not available. It is estimated that there is a decline in domestic production of oleoresins of those spices imported in large volume, such as black pepper, capsicums of all types, and turmeric, since these oleoresins are more frequendy produced in the growing areas. However, the manufacture of specialty oleoresins produced from selected imports will continue, and oleoresin production from domestically grown spices is expected to increase (7,8). 

George, K.M., On the extraction of oleoresin from turmeric comparative performance of ethanol, acetone and ethylene dichloride, Indian Spices, 18, 7, 1981. 

The turmeric plant. Curcuma longa, is cultivated in maty tropical countries, with the primary conunercial production taking place in India. It has been used as a spice for thousands of years and is one of the principal ingredients in curry. The main colouring pigment is curcumin. The turmeric roots are harvested around February, ground to a powder and subsequently extracted with solvent. The resulting turmeric oleoresin has a curcumin content of 37 to 55% and the same relative proportion of flavour compounds and colour as in the spice. 

Turmeric is mainly used for colouring dairy and bakery products (e.g. ice cream, confectionery and dry mixtures). Oleoresins containing aromatic substances of turmeric are used as a spice. Many species of the genus Curcuma (turmeric) and the related genus Zingiber (ginger) are locally used as a spice and in traditional medicines. 

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