Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) is a herbaceous plant from Apiaceae family, originating from the Eastern Mediterranean. It is mainly grown in India, Syria, Iran and Turkey [1]. Cumin is a characteristic spice of the oriental cuisine and one of the main ingredients of curry powder. The medicinal component of the plant is Cumin oil extracted from the ripe fruit.
cumine generally used as a food additive for increasing the flavour of different food preparations.
The essential oil obtained from cumin seeds is light brownish yellow, with a slightly bitter, spicy and aromatic flavor and a somewhat disagreeable odor originating from cumin aldehyde, the main compound in the oil. The essential oil content is composed largely of monoterpene-based compounds. Monoterpenes are an important group of bioactive compounds used in many different fields such as cosmetics, food, medicine and alternative medicine.
steam distillation
is the most important chemical component of cumin and its main constituents are cuminaldehyde, cymene, and terpenoids, making cumin a potential antioxidant and antimicrobial agent.