Turmeric

Turmeric is a very old colorant produced from the rhizomes of several species of Curcuma longa, a perennial sluub grown in many tropical areas around the world. 

It has been known since the early 1950s that turmeric had strong antioxidant effects with curcumin being the major compound responsible followed by demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin. All three inhibit lipid peroxidation and have a positive anti-oxidant effect for hemolysis and lipid peroxidation in mouse eiythrocytes. Curry pills containing turmeric are being marketed as a prevention for colon cancer. 

Turmeric is well estabhshed in the food supply and if it is proven to have a health effect as well as a colorant and flavor component, its futnre would seem assured. 

Curcumin is the main color found in the root of the turmeric plant Curcuma longa, grown in south Asia. 

Ground turmeric rhizome is one of the main ingredients in curry powder. Its bright yellow color makes it a natural substitute for the much more expensive herb saffron. 

Because turmeric fades with exposure to light, other colors are necessary if a product is to be displayed in a clear container. 

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Turmeric paper (gives a rose-brown coloration with boric acid) wash tbe ground root of turmeric with water and discard tbe washings. Digest with alcohol and filter, using the clear filtrate to impregnate white, unsized paper, which is then dried. 

U.S. Oleoresin Imports. Reports of the USDA Hst only paprika and black pepper oleoresins by name, and label all others, eg, capsicum, celery seed, and turmeric, as "other" (Table 3). The steady increase in the value of oleoresin imports is expected to continue. 

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). 

Certification of Colorants. A further distinction between color additives is made relative to whether there is requirement for FDA certification. In general, only synthetic organic colorants are now subject to certification, whereas natural organic and inorganic colorants, such as turmeric and titanium dioxide, are not. The exemption from certification for a particular colorant holds whether the colorant is obtained from natural sources or is synthetically produced, as in the case of natural and synthetic -carotene. 

Turmeric and Turmeric Oleoresin. Turmeric (Cl Natural Yellow 3, Cl No. 75300, EEC No. E 100) is the dried and ground rhizome or bulbous root of Curcuma longa, a perennial herb of the Zingiberaceae family native to southern Asia and cultivated in China, India, South America, and the East Indies. It is a yellow powder with a characteristic odor and a sharp taste. 

Turmeric oleoresin is the combination of flavor and color principles obtained from turmeric by extracting it with one or a combination of the following solvents acetone, ethyl alcohol, ethylene dichloride, hexane, isopropyl alcohol, methyl alcohol, methylene chloride, and trichloroethylene. 

The principal coloring matter in turmeric and its oleoresin is curcumin [458-37-7] (l,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione, l,7-bis[4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-phenyl] (45), an orange-yeUow, crystalline powder, insoluble in water and ether but soluble in ethanol and glacial acetic acid. It has a reported melting point of 180-183°C. 

In addition to the U.S. certified coal-tar colorants, some noncertified naturally occurring plant and animal colorants, such as alkanet, annatto [1393-63-17, carotene [36-884] C qH, chlorophyll [1406-65-17, cochineal [1260-17-9] saffron [138-55-6] and henna [83-72-7], can be used in cosmetics. In the United States, however, natural food colors, such as beet extract or powder, turmeric, and saffron, are not allowed as cosmetic colorants. 

Parts Caraway 20 Parts Javanese turmeric 30 Parts Dandelion 20 Parts Milk-thistle herb 20 Parts Peppermint leaves... 

Gelb-ingwer, m. turmeric, -kali, n. potassium ferrocyanide. -kraut, n. yellowweed, dyer s rocket (Reseda luteola). 

Gelb-wurz, -wurzel, /. turmeric yellowroot (Xanthorrhiza). 

Indisch, a. (East) Indian. — indischer Balsam, balsam of Peru. — indische Bohne, St.-Ignatius s-bean. — indische Feige, prickly pear. — indischer Flachs, jute. — indisches GrasSl, palmarosa oil. —- indisches Rohr, rattan. — indischer Safran, turmeric. 

Ingwer, m. ginger (gelber) turmeric, ingwerartig, a. like ginger, gingery. 

Kurkuma,/. curcuma, turmeric, -gelb, n. cur-cumin. -papier, n. turmeric paper, -saure, /. curoumic acid, -wurzel, /. turmeric. 

Some colors are nutrients in their own right, and they have antioxidant properties that are beneficial to health. Beta-carotene, annatto, saffron, and turmeric all have these good properties in addition to their color. In fact, the same chemistry that makes them absorb light also helps them to absorb and neutralize dangerous oxygen free radicals in the body. 

Saffron is a spice that is used sometimes for flavor, but mostly for the yellow color it imparts to foods. Because of its expense, saffron is often replaced in recipes by another carotenoid, annatto, or the unrelated dye molecule in turmeric. Like the other carotenoid dyes, saffron is an antioxidant, but its expense makes it unsuitable as a preservative or dietary supplement. 

TSPP. Seetetrasodium pyrophosphate turmeric, 105, 114, 117, 118 Tylenol. See acetaminophen tyrosine, 123... 

The choice of the method of analysis depends on the question to address. Spectrophotometry is sufficient for total curcuminoid content determination in a turmeric extract. Separation techniques coupled to mass spectrometry detection and MALDl-TOF are highly sensitive techniques that are more adapted to the identification of metabolites in biological fluids such as urine or plasma. ... 

He, X.G. et al, Liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometric analysis of curcuminoids and sesquiterpenoids in turmeric Curcuma longa), J. Chromatogr. A, 818, 127, 1998. 

Hiserodt, R. et al.. Characterization of powdered turmeric by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/ Chromatogr. A, 740, 51, 1996.,... 

Taylor, S.J. and McDowell, I.J., Determination of the curcuminoid pigments in turmeric (Curcuma domestica Val) by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography, Chmmatographia, 34, 73, 1992. 

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