Leung's Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics

PHARMACOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL
ACTIVITIES

Cumin oil (especially cuminaldehyde) has
been reported to exhibit strong larvicidal
activities (seecinnamon,clove, andcorian-
der);^10 it also has antibacterial properties.^11 It
is rapidly absorbed through the shaved intact
abdominal skin of mice.^12

TOXICOLOGY

Undiluted cumin oil has been demonstrated
to have distinct phototoxic effects that were
not due to cuminaldehyde, its principal
component.^13

USES

Medicinal, Pharmaceutical, and Cosmetic.
Oil is used as a fragrance component in
creams, lotions, and perfumes, with a maxi-
mum use level of 0.4% reported in perfumes.^13

Food. Cumin is a major flavor component of
curry and chili powders. It is also used in other
food products, including baked goods, meat

and meat products, condiments and relishes,

processed vegetables, soups, gravies, snack

foods, with the highest maximum use level

of about 0.4% (4308 ppm) reported in soups.

The oil is used as a flavor component in

alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, frozen

dairy desserts, candy, baked goods, gelatins

and desserts, meat and meat products, condi-

ments and relishes, gravies, snack foods, and

others. Highest average maximum use level is

reported to be about 0.025% (247 ppm) in

condiments and relishes.

Dietary Supplements/Health Foods. Com-

monly used in specialty curry products, also

as carminative and tea ingredient.

Traditional Medicine. Used as a stimulant,

antispasmodic, carminative, diuretic, aphrodi-

siac, and emmenagogue, among others.

COMMERCIAL PREPARATIONS

Crude and oil. Oil is official in F.C.C.

Regulatory Status. GRAS (§182.10 and

§182.20).

REFERENCES

See the General References forARCTANDER;BAILEY1;BRUNETON;DUKE4;FEMA;GRIEVE;GUENTHER;GUPTA;
LIST AND HO ̈RHAMMER;MARSH;ROSENGARTEN;TERRELL.

1. H. Karow, Riechst., Aromen, K€orper-
   pflegem., 19 (2), 60 (1969).


2. C. G. Tassan and G. F. Russell,J. Food
   Sci., 40 , 1185 (1975).


3. A. R. S. Kartha and Y. Selvaraj,Chem.
   Ind. (London), 25 , 831 (1970).


4. F. Toghrol and H. Daneshpejouh,J. Trop.
   Pediatr. Environ. Child Health, 20 , 109
   (1974).


5. J. B. Harborne and C. A. Williams,
   Phytochemistry, 11 , 1741 (1972).


6. P. T. Varo and D. E. Heinz,J. Agric. Food
   Chem., 18 , 234 (1970).


7. P. T. Varo and D. E. Heinz,J. Agric. Food
   Chem., 18 , 239 (1970).
   8. E. Georgiev and Van Hong Tam,Nauch.
   Tr., Vissh Inst. Khranit. Vkusova Prom.
   Plovdiv, 20 , 99 (1973).
   9. Y. Saito et al.,Eiyo To Shokuryo, 29 , 505
   (1976).


8. K. Oishi et al.,Nippon Suisan Gakkaishi,
   40 , 1241 (1974).


9. F. M. Ramadan et al.,Chem. Mikrobiol.
   Technol. Lebensm., 2 , 51 (1972).


10. F. Meyer and E. Meyer, Arzneim.-
    Forsch., 9 , 516 (1959).


11. D. L. J. Opdyke,Food Cosmet. Toxicol.,
    12 (Suppl.) 869 (1974).

236 Cumin