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NISCAIR ONLINE PERIODICALS REPOSITORY (NOPR) >
NISCAIR PUBLICATIONS >
Research Journals >
Indian Journal of Natural Products and Resources (IJNPR)
[Formerly Natural Product Radiance (NPR)] >
NPR Vol.4 [2005] >
NPR Vol.4(6) [November-December 2005] >
| Title: | Spices |
| Issue Date: | Dec-2005 |
| Publisher: | CSIR |
| Abstract: | Processing and preservation of spices
are important for assuming the quality of the end-product. Microwave processing
and cooking of foods is a recent development, which is gaining momentum in
household as well as large-scale food applications. Processing of spices using
microwaves is a newer dimension. This alternative methodology is preferred, due
to the convenience and ease of handling. In Indian tradition, most of the spices
are subjected to roasting before addition to food preparations. Cuminum cyminum Linn. is one
widely used spice. Crushed cumin seeds are used as a condiment in a variety of
dishes. Cumin seeds contain volatile oil (2-5%) that imparts the characteristic
aroma to the seeds. In the present study which is conducted at Plantation
Products, Spices and Flavour Technology Department, Central Food Technological
Research Institute, Mysore, India, cumin seeds are subjected to heating by
microwaves, using various power levels and conventional roasting at different
temperatures. The conditions were standardized in both methods.
Conventionally roasted and microwave heated samples were compared; the
optimum condition in the former method was found to be 125°C for 10 minutes and
in the latter method, the best condition was found to be 730 W for 10 minutes.
Under these conditions, the yields of the volatile oils were similar in both
cases. Physicochemical properties, such as refractive index, for both sample
oils, showed no significant difference from the fresh sample. The volatile oils distilled from these samples were
analysed by GC and GC–MS. The results indicated that the microwave-heated
samples showed better retention of characteristic flavour compounds, such as
aldehydes, than did the conventionally roasted samples. Earlier GC
reports showed the presence of only cuminaldehyde as the major aldehyde present
in Indian cumin oil. But the present studies resulted in identification of two
more aldehydes (p-mentha-1, 3-dien-7-al, p-mentha-1,4-dien-7-al)
in Indian cumin oil. Thus, the microwave treatment, inspite of losing terpene
hydrocarbons, retained aldehydes in the volatile oil, making microwaves the best
choice as an alternative-heating medium for processing [Behera
Sushmita, Nagarajan S and Rao L Jagan Mohan, Microwave heating and conventional
roasting of cumin seeds (Cuminum cyminum L.) and effect on chemical
composition of volatiles, Food Chem,
2004, 87 (1), 25-29]. |
| Page(s): | 513-514 |
| ISSN: | 0975-1092 (Online); 0972-592X (Print) |
| Source: | NPR Vol.4(6) [November-December 2005]
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