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

Food. Formerly used mainly as dye for sau-
sage casings; oleomargarine, and shortening;
also as ink to mark food products.

Traditional Medicine. Used to treat burns,
old ulcers,^1 and as an astringent in diarrhea
and abscesses.

Others. A.tinctoriaroot was used to stain
woods and marble and to impart a red color to
salves and port wines (GRIEVE); also used for
coloring oils and tars. A tincture of the root is
used in microscopy for the detection of fats and
oils (EVANS). Alkannin is used as a pH indicator.

COMMERCIAL PREPARATION

Not widely available either in crude or in

extract forms; crude was formerly official in

U.S.P.

RegulatoryStatus. Formerly approved bythe

USDA Meat Inspection Division as a food dye

with specific limitations; root and extract

thereof not currently approved by the FDA as

food colorant.

REFERENCES

See the General References forBISSET;DER MARDEROSIAN AND BEUTLER;FURIA;GLASBY2;GRIEVE;
HARBOURNE AND BAXTER;HOCKING;MARTINDALE;MCGUFFIN1&2;MERCK;POUCHER;TERRELL;UPHOF;USD
23 RD;WICHTL;WREN;YOUNGKEN.

1. V. P. Papageorgiou and A. N.
   Assimopoulou, Phytochem. Anal., 14 ,
   251 (2003).


2. E. Roeder,Pharmazie, 50 , 83 (1995).


3. V. P. Papageorgiou and G. A. Digenis,
   Planta Med., 39 , 81 (1980).


4. R. D. Gibbs, Chemotaxonomy of Flo-
   wering Plants, Vol. 2, McGill-Queens
   University Press, Montreal, 1974, p. 700.


5. A. G. Varvoglis,Chem. Chron., 1 , 156
   (1972).
   6. B. Papageorgiou,Chem. Chron., 6 , 365
   (1977).
   7. L. Majlathova,Nahrung, 15 , 505 (1971).
   8. V. P. Papageorgiou,Planta Med., 39 , 193
   (1980).
   9. V. P. Papageorgiou, Ger. Offen. 2,829,744
   (1979).


6. P. Hatinguais and R. Belle, Fr. Demande
   FR 2,477,872 (1981).

ALLSPICE

Source:Pimenta dioica(L.) Merr. (syn.P.
officinalisLindl.;Eugenia PimentaDC.)
(Family Myrtaceae).

Common/vernacular names:Allspice, Jamaica
pepper, pimenta, and pimento.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Pimenta dioica, the source of allspice, is a
neotropical tree 8–20 m high, with opposite,

leathery, oblong leaves 5–15 cm long; fruit

globose, about 6 mm in diameter; native

to the West Indies, Central America, and

Mexico. Part used is the dried, full-grown but

unripe fruit; leaves are also used. Major pro-

ducers include Jamaica and Cuba; also grown

in India.^1

West Indian allspice berries are smaller

than Central American and Mexican berries,

but they have stronger and smoother flavor.

The relatively harsher flavor and aroma of

Central American and Mexican berries

are due to their relatively high content of

Allspice 19