Turmeric ( Book Chapter) - Handbook of Herbs and Spices

Abstract

Turmeric of commerce is the dried rhizome of the plant Curcuma domestica Val. syn. C. longa L. Turmeric is used in curry powder, chicken bouillon, sauces, gravies, dry seasonings, backing mixes, processed cheese pickles, relishes, breading soups, beverages, and confections (Peter, 1999) in addition to its use in medicine, religious functions and as biopesticide. The genus Curcuma originated in the Indo-Malayan region (Purseglove, 1968). Considerable species diversity of Curcuma occurs in this region. However, about 40 species of the genus including C. longa are indigenous to India indicating the Indian origin (Velayudhan et al., 1999). The antiquity of turmeric dates back to the Assyrians of 600 BC. Ethnobotanical evidence indicates that the use of turmeric has been in India since very ancient days. It is believed that the crop spread out from India to distant Asian countries under the influence of the Hindu religion. According to Marco Polo (1280) the spread of turmeric to China took place in AD 700 (Ridley, 1912). Burkill (1966) believed that the crop spread to West Africa in the thirteenth and to East Africa in the seventeenth centuries, respectively. It was introduced to Jamaica in 1783 (Velayudhan et al., 1999). Though turmeric is now grown in India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Japan, China, Korea, Sri Lanka, Nepal, South Pacific Islands, East and West Africa, Malagasi, Caribbean islands, and Central America, India is the major producer and exporter of turmeric at present.