Turmeric

                              Nutritional Profile for

                                      Diagram No.11

Turmeric contains an essential oil (max. 5%), which contains a variety of sesquiterpenes, many of which are specific for the species. Most important for the aroma are turmerone (max. 30%), ar-turmerone (25%) and zingiberene (25%). Conjugated Diarylheptanoids (1,7-diaryl-hepta-1,6-diene-3,5-diones, e.g. curcumin) are responsible for the orange colour and probably also for the pungent taste (3 to 4%).

Main constituents

Turmeric is thought to have come from South and Southeast Asia. It is cultivated commercially as an annual crop, by planting small rhizomes or pieces of rhizome either on flat soil or in furrows between ridges. The growing plants require heavy maturing to get the best yield possible.
Turmeric is ready for harvesting 7 to 10 months after planting, when the lower leaves turn yellow. Harvesting is done by digging the rhizomes up. Leafy tops are then cut off and the roots and adhering earth is removed. Rhizomes are then washed. Some of these are retained for replanting as a future crop. The remainder is processed into turmeric.
To develop the yellow colour and characteristic aroma, cleaned rhizomes are cooked in boiling water for one hour under slightly alkaline conditions. The cooked rhizomes are then dried either artificially or in the sun for 6 to 8 days. Dried rhizomes are polished to smooth their exterior and also to improve the colour. They are then sold in this form or ground into a powder.

Brief info

English: Turmeric
Scientific: Not available
Botanical name: Curcuma longa
CN/HS number: 09103000.