Spice up your life
Saving the cinnamon industry of Sri Lanka:
It is commonly believed that man began to use spices around 50,000 BC
when someone discovered that some leaves gave their food a good flavor.
By 2300 BC the Assyrians, in one of the earliest known written records,
wrote that the gods drank sesame seed wine before creating the earth.
Spices became a form of currency that sent intrepid adventurers onto
unknown oceans to find new places, people, and trade routes. The Spice
Route to China sucked in Marco Polo and brought the spice trade to
Europe. Christopher Columbus set out to find the way to the source of
spices and found the New World. The Portuguese, the Dutch and the
British sailed to our shores in search of spices - especially cinnamon.
Cinnamon being one of the oldest spices known has a wide range of
applications, which accounts for the high demand for the commodity. It
is used in the food industry as a flavouring agent, in liqueurs,
perfumery and in medicine. Its use as an insect repellent is also well
known.
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The antimicrobial effects of cinnamon have been studied by several
research groups in the country, and it has been shown that it has
antibacterial, anti fungal and antiviral activity. Cinnamon oil has the
ability to control mosquito larvae and is also widely used in
traditional medicine to treat diarrhea, nausea and flatulence.
With its widely accepted medicinal value, in recent times research
has been directed towards establishing the nutraceutical values of
cinnamon on a scientific basis. It has been proved that cinnamon has the
property of reducing cholesterol and sugar levels in blood especially in
the water soluble portion of this spice.
Cinnamon therefore is now being used as an adjunct in beverages,
where cinnamon sticks are dipped in hot tea or coffee.
Since November 2004 however, the cinnamon industry in the country has
taken quite a beating with the rejection of a number of consignments of
cinnamon exported to the European Union.
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The rejection was based on the grounds that the consignments
contained sulphur dioxide. This seems ludicrous as sulphur dioxide is
permitted as a food additive, functioning as either a preservative,
antioxidant, or anti browning agent, in certain food items listed by the
Codex Alimentarius Commission, which is the FAO body entrusted with
setting up international standards for the food industry.
However this list does not include cinnamon although spices such as
ginger and mustard which like cinnamon are used as food additives, are
included and tolerable limits of Sulphur Dioxide defined.
In 1998 a chemical evaluation was undertaken by the Joint Expert
Committee in Food Additives (JECFA) and it was established that sulphur
dioxide in acceptable quantities did not have any adverse effects on
human health and the tolerable limit of the chemical has been defined as
150 mg/kg of body weight.
To study this situation and to recommend measures to counteract this
threat to the export trade of the country, a national committee was set
up by the Department of Commerce consisting of the stakeholders in the
field and other local bodies such as the Industrial Technology
Institute, Sri Lanka Standards Institutions, Export Development Board
and the Spice Council.
Armed with sufficient scientific data to back her request, Sri Lanka
through its National CODEX Committee made formal representation to the
Codex Alimentaris Commission to identify cinnamon as a foodstuff where
Sulphur dioxide could be used and to permit as an interim measure a
maximum level of 150 parts per million until such time a standard is
established by the Codex Alimentaris Commission.
Sri Lanka also wrote to the WTO Committee on Sanitary & Phytosanitary
measures requesting their intervention as well, and apprising them of
the adverse trade implications to Sri Lanka under the present
regulations.
The Industrial Technology Institute, being part of the committee, and
having carried out several studies in the chemistry and technology of
cinnamon and the industry as a whole, launched a further investigation
into the processes employed by the traditional cinnamon industry prior
to export of the product to substantiate the claims of the safety in the
cinnamon products exported.
According to EU regulations, if cinnamon contains more than a
prescribed amount of sulphur dioxide, this should be indicated in the
label, since sulphites are included in the list of food allergens issued
by the European Union.
According to their food labeling directives it is mandatory that any
foodstuff containing over the prescribed amount of the listed allergens
should be so labeled. However, this labeling could seriously affect our
exports, and this is one of the reasons that ITI placed high priority on
the present study.
Although cinnamon has been exported from the country for several
years, no scientific studies have been conducted on the process itself.
The study undertaken by the Herbal Technology Section of the Institute,
had as the major objectives, to standardize the process and to quantify
and minimize the residual sulphur dioxide levels in the cinnamon
prepared for export.
Several steps are involved in the processing of cinnamon. Sulphur
fumigation constitutes one of the most important steps in cinnamon
processing. The use of sulphur is two fold. As a fumigant to control the
infestation of pests and microbes, making use of its antimicrobial
properties, and as a bleaching agent to impart the characteristic golden
yellow colour of Ceylon cinnamon.
A study of the traditional processing of cinnamon, showed that once
the branches of the cinnamon trees are cut and the bark separated, the
quills are air dried indoors. The bales of cinnamon quills are then
stacked on racks and exposed to sulphur, which is burnt in a metal
container placed under the racks. This fumigation process is carried out
in a closed chamber.
Through fumigation sulphur dioxide residues are introduced in the
cinnamon, but studies revealed that even immediately after fumigation,
the residue level was relatively low and within three days this level
drops even further if the quills are dried to an appropriate moisture
level.
Higher moisture levels will increase the retention of Sulphur dioxide
in cinnamon. The importance of introducing Good Manufacturing Practices
(GMP) to the traditional process is therefore evident, if the Sulphur
level is to be reduced.
The researchers are now working on this aspect, and also exploring
alternative methods of fumigation so as to completely eliminate the
presence of sulphur dioxide. The use of ozone and super heated steam are
two such alternatives, but the high cost of these methods could
negatively effect the final selling price of the product.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is facing another battle in relation to the
botanical name of cinnamon, Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume. India has
proposed to the International Standard Organization to change this name
to Cinnamomum verum J. Presel. According to the literature, the former
was documented in 1926 and the latter in 1925. Since then both names are
commonly used in the literature.
The name Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume, identifies its Sri Lankan
origin and its brand name "Ceylon Cinnamon" has been in the market for
centuries as the sole producer. Changing the name will affect the market
advantage, as India is also now producing small quantities of true
cinnamon in Kerala and Madagascar areas.
Compounding this problem, is that Sri Lankan cinnamon industry has
also to face the intense competition in the global cinnamon market from
Cassia (Cinnamomum cassia or Cinnamon aromaticum). Cassia, is produced
in large quantities in Indonesia, Malaysia and China. These countries
are vigorously promoting their produce to the market at a lower price,
posing a threat to the future of Sri Lankan cinnamon. Several value
added products are also being introduced to the market.
Although in some export markets both are known as "canela", there are
many differences among these two varieties and these intrinsic
differences have been identified by culinary experts. Cinnamon has a
fine taste and a sophisticated floral smell while Cassia is robust and
has a strong smell. Cinnamon is sweet and delicate while Cassia is
bitter and coarse.
The superiority of the product is amply demonstrated by the fact that
although in terms of volumes traded the volume of cassia traded is three
times that of cinnamon, converse if true for the selling price of
cinnamon.
In chemical terms, the principle constituent that contributes to the
taste and aroma of cinnamon is cinnamaldehyde.
Although the percentage of cinnamaldehyde is higher in cassia, which
accounts for the strong and robust flavour, the other constituents,
which gives rise to the distinct subtle flavour of cinnamon is not
present in cassia.
Moreover, the high percentage of cinnamaldehyde in cassia imparts
irritant and sensitizing properties. Also Cassia oil contains almost 5%
of the class of compounds called coumarins which are known to have
undesirable health effects on laboratory animals, while the coumarin
content in cinnamon oil amount to only 0.02%.
To counteract the threats posed to the Cinnamon industry, the
intervention of scientists, legislaters, industrialists and trade
officials in the country is necessary. Scientists, in addition to
establishing the safe levels of Sulphur dioxide for international trade,
should also establish alternative and viable methods of treatment for
the industry as a whole, to meet any future challenges which could
threaten the industry.
An ITI release |