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'{{short description|Plant used as spice}} {{About|the plant and rhizome used as a spice||}} {{redirect|Haridra|the river in India|Haridra River}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}} {{speciesbox | image = Turmeric inflorescence.jpg | image_caption = [[Inflorescence]] of ''Curcuma longa'' | image2 = Curcuma longa roots.jpg | image2_caption = Turmeric rhizome and powder | image2_alt = Photograph of knobby brown rhizome and orange powder | genus = Curcuma | species = longa | authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]<ref name="Kew">{{cite web|title=''Curcuma longa'' L.|url=http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:796451-1|publisher=Plants of the World Online, Kew Science, Kew Gardens, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, England|access-date=26 March 2018|year=2018}}</ref> | synonyms = ''Curcuma domestica'' <small>Valeton</small> }} '''Turmeric''' (pronounced {{IPAc-en|ˈ|t|ɜːr|m|ər|ɪ|k}}, also {{IPAc-en|ˈ|t|uː|m|ər|ɪ|k|}} or {{IPAc-en|ˈ|tj|uː|m|ər|ɪ|k}}<ref name="merriam-webster.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turmeric| title= Turmeric (pronunciation)|work=Merriam-Webster Dictionary|year=2015}}</ref>) is a [[flowering plant]], ''Curcuma longa'' of the [[ginger]] family, [[Zingiberaceae]], the [[Rhizome|rhizomes]] of which are used in cooking.<ref>{{cite journal| journal= Molecules |year= 2014| volume= 19| issue= 12| pages=20091–112 |doi=10.3390/molecules191220091|title=The chemistry of curcumin: from extraction to therapeutic agent| last= Priyadarsini |first= KI| pmid=25470276| pmc= 6270789|doi-access= free}}</ref> The plant is a [[perennial]], [[rhizomatous]], [[herbaceous plant]] native to the [[Indian subcontinent]] and [[Southeast Asia]], that requires temperatures between {{convert|20|and|30|C}} and a considerable amount of [[Annual rainfall in india|annual rainfall]] to thrive. Plants are gathered each year for their [[rhizome]]s, some for propagation in the following season and some for consumption. The rhizomes are used fresh or boiled in water and dried, after which they are ground into a deep orange-yellow powder commonly used as a [[food coloring#Natural food dyes|coloring]] and flavoring agent in many [[Asian cuisine]]s, especially for [[Curry|curries]], as well as for [[dye]]ing, characteristics imparted by the principal turmeric constituent, [[curcumin]].<ref name="pubchem">{{cite web |title=Curcumin |url=https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/969516 |publisher=PubChem, US National Library of Medicine |access-date=25 November 2020 |date=21 November 2020}}</ref> Turmeric powder has a warm, bitter, [[black pepper]]–like flavor and earthy, [[mustard plant|mustard]]-like [[aroma]].<ref name="drugs">{{cite web |url=https://www.drugs.com/npc/turmeric.html |title=Turmeric |publisher=Drugs.com |year=2009 |access-date=24 August 2017}}</ref><ref name="brennan">{{cite web |last=Brennan |first=J |title=Turmeric |work=The National |date=15 October 2008 |url=http://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/house-home/turmeric}}</ref> [[Curcumin]], a bright yellow chemical produced by the turmeric plant, is approved as a [[food additive]] by the [[World Health Organization]], [[European Parliament]], and United States [[Food and Drug Administration]].<ref name=pubchem/> Although long used in [[Ayurveda|Ayurvedic]] medicine, where it is also known as ''haridra'',<ref name="peter">{{cite book |last1=Peter |first1=K. V. |title=Underutilized and Underexploited Horticultural Crops, Volume 2 |date=2008 |publisher=New India Publishing |isbn=9788189422691 |page=341 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZAvg3xLSdTYC&pg=PA341}}</ref> there is no [[evidence-based medicine|high-quality clinical evidence]] for using turmeric or curcumin to treat any disease.<ref name="nelson">{{cite journal |last1=Nelson |first1=KM |last2=Dahlin |first2=JL |last3=Bisson |first3=J |last4=Graham |first4=J |last5=Pauli |first5=GF |last6=Walters |first6=MA |display-authors=3 |year=2017 |title=The Essential Medicinal Chemistry of Curcumin: Miniperspective |journal=Journal of Medicinal Chemistry |volume=60 |issue=5 |pmc=5346970 |pages=1620–1637 |doi=10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6b00975 |pmid=28074653 |quote=None of these studies [has] yet led to the approval of curcumin, curcuminoids, or turmeric as a therapeutic for any disease}}</ref><ref name="nccih">{{cite web|title=Turmeric|url=https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/turmeric|publisher=National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, US National Institutes of Health|access-date=25 November 2020|date=May 2020}}</ref> [[File:Curcuma longa - Köhler–s Medizinal-Pflanzen-199.jpg|thumb|Botanical view of ''Curcuma longa'']] ==Origin and distribution== The greatest diversity of ''[[Curcuma]]'' species by number alone is in [[India]], at around 40 to 45 species. [[Thailand]] has a comparable 30 to 40 species. Other countries in tropical Asia also have numerous wild species of ''Curcuma''. Recent studies have also shown that the taxonomy of ''Curcuma longa'' is problematic, with only the specimens from South India being identifiable as ''C. longa''. The phylogeny, relationships, intraspecific and interspecific variation, and even identity of other species and cultivars in other parts of the world still need to be established and validated. Various species currently utilized and sold as "turmeric" in other parts of Asia have been shown to belong to several physically similar taxa, with overlapping local names.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Leong-Škornickova |first1=Jana |last2=Šida |first2=Otakar |last3=Wijesundara |first3=Sirtl |last4=Marhold |first4=Karol |title=On the identity of turmeric: the typification of ''Curcuma longa'' L. (Zingiberaceae) |journal=Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society |date=May 2008 |volume=157 |issue=1 |pages=37–46 |doi=10.1111/j.1095-8339.2008.00788.x|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="Nair2013">{{cite book |last1=Nair |first1=K.P. Prabhakaran |title=The Agronomy and Economy of Turmeric and Ginger: The Invaluable Medicinal Spice Crops |date=2013 |publisher=Newnes |isbn=9780123948243 |pages=7–10 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8EMVI8Fy8VMC}}</ref> ==History== Turmeric has been used in Asia for centuries and is a major part of [[Ayurveda]], [[Siddha medicine]], [[traditional Chinese medicine]], [[Unani]],<ref name=Chattopadhyay>{{cite journal |vauthors=Chattopadhyay I,Kaushik B, Uday B, Ranajit KB |title=Turmeric and curcumin: Biological actions and medicinal applications |journal=Current Science |year=2004 |volume=87 |issue=1 |pages=44–53 |url=http://repository.ias.ac.in/5196/1/306.pdf |access-date=16 March 2013 |issn=0011-3891 }}</ref> and the animistic rituals of [[Austronesian peoples]].<ref name="KikusawaReid"/><ref name="McClatchey1993"/> It was first used as a [[dye]], and then later for its supposed properties in [[traditional medicine|folk medicine]].<ref name=nelson/><ref name=nccih/> From India, it spread to Southeast Asia along with Hinduism and Buddhism, as the yellow dye is used to color the robes of monks and priests. Turmeric has also been found in [[Tahiti]], [[Hawaii]] and [[Easter Island]] before European contact.<ref name="pickersgill">{{cite book |editor1-last=Prance |editor1-first=Ghillean |editor2-last=Nesbitt |editor2-first=Mark |last1=Pickersgill |first1=Barbara |author-link=Barbara Pickersgill |date=2005 |title=The Cultural History of Plants |publisher=Routledge |page=170 |isbn=0415927463}}</ref> There is linguistic and circumstantial evidence of the spread and use of turmeric by the [[Austronesian peoples]] into Oceania and Madagascar. The populations in [[Polynesia]] and [[Micronesia]], in particular, never came into contact with India, but use turmeric widely for both food and dye. Thus independent domestication events are also likely.<ref name="KikusawaReid">{{cite book|first1=Ritsuko|last1=Kikusawa|first2=Lawrence A.|last2=Reid|editor1-first=Jeff |editor1-last=Siegel|editor2-first=John|editor2-last=Lynch|editor3-first=Diana |editor3-last=Eades|title =Language Description, History and Development: Linguistic indulgence in memory of Terry Crowley|chapter =Proto who utilized turmeric, and how?|publisher = John Benjamins Publishing Company |year =2007|pages=339–352|isbn =9789027292940|chapter-url =https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10125/33035/A67.2007.pdf}}</ref><ref name="McClatchey1993">{{cite journal |last1=McClatchey |first1=W. |title=Traditional use of ''Curcuma longa'' (Zingiberaceae) in Rotuma |journal=Economic Botany |year=1993 |volume=47 |issue=3 |pages=291–296 |doi=10.1007/bf02862297|s2cid=20513984 }}</ref> Turmeric was found in [[Farmana]], dating to between 2600 and 2200 BCE, and in a merchant's tomb in [[Megiddo, Israel]] dating from the second millennium BCE.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Scott|first1=Ashley|last2=Power|first2=Robert C.|last3=Altmann-Wendling|first3=Victoria|last4=Artzy|first4=Michal|last5=Martin|first5=Mario A. S.|last6=Eisenmann|first6=Stefanie|last7=Hagan|first7=Richard|last8=Salazar-García|first8=Domingo C.|last9=Salmon|first9=Yossi|last10=Yegorov|first10=Dmitry|last11=Milevski|first11=Ianir|date=2020-12-17|title=Exotic foods reveal contact between South Asia and the Near East during the second millennium BCE|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences|volume=118|issue=2|pages=e2014956117|language=en|doi=10.1073/pnas.2014956117|pmid=33419922|pmc=7812755|issn=0027-8424|hdl=10550/76877|hdl-access=free}}</ref> It was noted as a dye plant in the [[Assyria|Assyrians]] Cuneiform medical texts from [[Ashurbanipal]]’s library at Nineveh from 7th century BCE.<ref name="pickersgill"/> In [[Medieval Europe]], turmeric was called "Indian [[saffron]]." <ref name="pickersgill"/> ==Etymology== The name possibly derives from [[Middle English]] or Early Modern English as ''{{lang|enm|turmeryte}}'' or ''{{lang|enm|tarmaret}}''. It may be of [[Latin]] origin, ''{{lang|la|terra merita}}'' ("meritorious earth").<ref>{{cite web |work=Unabridged Random House Dictionary|publisher=Dictionary.com |year= 2013|url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/turmeric |title= Turmeric| access-date=11 October 2012}}</ref> ==Botanical description== {{More citations needed section|date=June 2021}} ===Appearance=== [[File:Turmeric_farm.jpg|thumb|left|Turmeric farm on [[Deccan Plateau]]]] Turmeric is a [[Perennial plant|perennial]] [[herbaceous plant]] that reaches up to {{convert|1|m|ftin|abbr=on}} tall. Highly branched, yellow to orange, cylindrical, aromatic rhizomes are found. The leaves are [[Phyllotaxis#Pattern structure|alternate]] and arranged in two rows. They are divided into leaf sheath, [[Petiole (botany)|petiole]], and leaf blade.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/t/turmer30.html |title= Turmeric | first= M |last= Grieve| website= botanical.com| access-date= 14 April 2017}}</ref> From the leaf sheaths, a false stem is formed. The petiole is {{convert|50|to(-)|115|cm|in|abbr=on}} long. The simple leaf blades are usually {{convert|76 |to(-)|115|cm|in|abbr=on}} long and rarely up to {{convert|230|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}. They have a width of {{convert|38|to|45|cm|in|frac=2|abbr=on}} and are oblong to elliptical, narrowing at the tip. ===Inflorescence, flower, and fruit=== [[File:Turmeric Flower Maharashtra India.jpg|thumb|Turmeric flower]] [[File:Native Turmeric Cooktown.jpg|thumb|Wild turmeric, Australia]] At the top of the inflorescence, stem bracts are present on which no flowers occur; these are white to green and sometimes tinged reddish-purple, and the upper ends are tapered.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=610&taxon_id=200028370 |title= Curcuma longa Linn| website= efloras.org| publisher= Flora of China, South China Botanical Garden| access-date= 30 November 2013}}</ref> The [[Hermaphrodite (botany)|hermaphrodite]] flowers are [[zygomorphic]] and threefold. The three [[sepal]]s are {{convert|0.8|to|1.2|cm|in|frac=8|abbr=on}} long, fused, and white, and have fluffy hairs; the three [[Sepal|calyx]] teeth are unequal. The three bright-yellow [[petal]]s are fused into a [[Corolla (flower)|corolla]] tube up to {{convert|3|cm|in|frac=4|abbr=on}} long. The three corolla lobes have a length of {{convert|1.0|to(-)|1.5|cm|in|frac=8|abbr=on|sigfig=2}} and are triangular with soft-spiny upper ends. While the average corolla lobe is larger than the two lateral, only the median [[stamen]] of the inner circle is fertile. The dust bag is spurred at its base. All other stamens are converted to [[staminode]]s. The outer staminodes are shorter than the [[Labellum (botany)|labellum]]. The labellum is yellowish, with a yellow ribbon in its center and it is [[obovate]], with a length from {{convert|1.2|to|2.0|cm|in|frac=8|abbr=on|sigfig=2}}. Three [[carpels]] are under a constant, trilobed ovary adherent, which is sparsely hairy. The fruit capsule opens with three compartments.<ref name= Siewek>{{cite book|last= Siewek|first= F |title=Exotische Gewürze Herkunft Verwendung Inhaltsstoffe |publisher= Springer-Verlag| year=2013|page= 72|isbn=978-3-0348-5239-5|language=de| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G3KcBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA72}}</ref><ref name="kaufen">{{cite web |url= http://kurkuma-kaufen.com/ |title= Kurkuma kaufen in Ihrem |language= de |access-date= 20 November 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161120151116/http://kurkuma-kaufen.com/ |archive-date= 20 November 2016 |url-status= live}}</ref><ref name=HKRS>{{cite book| editor-first1= Rudolf | editor-last1= Hänsel| editor-first2= Konstantin | editor-last2= Keller| editor-first3= Horst | editor-last3= Rimpler| editor-first4= Gerhard | editor-last4= Schneider| title=Drogen A-D| publisher=Springer-Verlag| year=2013|page= 1085| isbn= 978-3-642-58087-1 |language= de| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=q5WoBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA1085}}</ref> In [[East Asia]], the flowering time is usually in August. Terminally on the false stem is an [[inflorescence]] stem, {{convert|12|to|20|cm|in|frac=2|abbr=on}} long, containing many flowers. The [[bract]]s are light green and ovate to oblong with a blunt upper end with a length of {{convert|3|to|5|cm|in|frac=2|abbr=on}}. ==Phytochemistry== [[File:curcuminKeto.svg|right|frame|Curcumin [[Ketone|keto]] form]] [[File:curcumin.svg|right|frame|Curcumin [[enol]] form]] Turmeric powder is about 60&ndash;70% [[carbohydrates]], 6&ndash;13% water, 6&ndash;8% [[protein]], 5&ndash;10% [[fat]], 3&ndash;7% [[dietary minerals]], 3&ndash;7% [[essential oil]]s, 2&ndash;7% [[dietary fiber]], and 1&ndash;6% [[curcuminoid]]s.<ref name=nelson/> [[Phytochemistry|Phytochemical]] components of turmeric include [[diarylheptanoid]]s, a class including numerous curcuminoids, such as [[curcumin]], [[demethoxycurcumin]], and [[bisdemethoxycurcumin]].<ref name=nelson/><ref name=pubchem/> Curcumin constitutes up to 3.14% of assayed commercial samples of turmeric powder (the average was 1.51%); curry powder contains much less (an average of 0.29%).<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Tayyem RF, Heath DD, Al-Delaimy WK, Rock CL |title= Curcumin content of turmeric and curry powders |journal= Nutr Cancer |volume= 55|issue=2 | pages= 126–131 |year= 2006 |pmid=17044766 |doi= 10.1207/s15327914nc5502_2|s2cid= 12581076 }}</ref> Some 34 essential oils are present in turmeric, among which [[turmerone]], [[germacrone]], [[atlantone]], and [[zingiberene]] are major constituents.<ref>{{cite journal|pmc=4142718|year=2014|last1=Hong|first1=SL|title=Essential Oil Content of the Rhizome of ''Curcuma purpurascens'' Bl. (Temu Tis) and Its Antiproliferative Effect on Selected Human Carcinoma Cell Lines|journal=The Scientific World Journal|volume=2014|pages=1–7|last2=Lee|first2=G. S|last3=Syed Abdul Rahman|first3=SN|last4=Ahmed Hamdi|first4=OA|last5=Awang|first5=K|last6=Aznam Nugroho|first6=N|last7=Abd Malek|first7=SN|doi=10.1155/2014/397430|pmid=25177723|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|pmid=24311554|year=2014|last1=Hu|first1=Y|title=GC-MS combined with chemometric techniques for the quality control and original discrimination of ''Curcumae longae'' rhizome: Analysis of essential oils|journal=Journal of Separation Science|volume=37|issue=4|pages=404–11|last2=Kong|first2=W|last3=Yang|first3=X|last4=Xie|first4=L|last5=Wen|first5=J|last6=Yang|first6=M|doi=10.1002/jssc.201301102}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|pmid=14558784|year=2003|last1=Braga|first1=ME|title=Comparison of yield, composition, and antioxidant activity of turmeric (''Curcuma longa'' L.) extracts obtained using various techniques|journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry|volume=51|issue=22|pages=6604–11|last2=Leal|first2=PF|last3=Carvalho|first3=JE|last4=Meireles|first4=MA |doi=10.1021/jf0345550}}</ref> ==Uses== ===Culinary=== {{more citations needed|section|date=June 2017}} [[File:TurmericMyanmar2.jpg|thumb|Cleaning turmeric [[rhizome]]s with boiling water in [[Myanmar]].]] [[File:TurmericMyanmar3.jpg|thumb|left|Drying turmeric [[rhizome]]s in [[Myanmar]].]] [[File:Turmeric-powder.jpg|thumb|left|Turmeric powder]] [[File:ओल्या हळदीची भाजी.jpg|thumb|Cooked vegetables with turmeric as one its key ingredients, referred to as ''Sabzi'', a dish from India]] [[File:Ganghwang-bap.jpg|thumb|''Ganghwang-[[bap (food)|bap]]'' (turmeric rice)]] [[File:Steamed Goan rice and jaggery cakes.jpg|left|thumb|''[[Patoleo]]'' – sweet [[rice cake]]s steamed in turmeric leaves consisting of a filling of coconut and coconut palm sugar prepared in [[Goan Catholic]] style]] Turmeric is one of the key ingredients in many Asian dishes, imparting a mustard-like, earthy aroma and pungent, slightly bitter flavor to foods.<ref name=drugs/><ref name=brennan/> It is used mostly in savory dishes, but also is used in some sweet dishes, such as the cake ''[[sfouf]]''. In India, turmeric leaf is used to prepare special sweet dishes, ''[[patoleo]]'', by layering rice flour and [[coconut]]-[[jaggery]] mixture on the leaf, then closing and steaming it in a special utensil (''chondrõ'').<ref name="tradition">{{Citation |url = http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getFiles.asp?Style=OliveXLib:LowLevelEntityToPrint_TOI&Type=text/html&Locale=english-skin-custom&Path=TOIGO/2008/08/16&ID=Ar00401 |title = A tradition wrapped in leaves |last = Pereira Kamat |first = M |location = [[Goa]], [[India]] |date = 16 August 2008 |newspaper = [[The Times of India]] |access-date = 16 August 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181009173035/http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getFiles.asp?Style=OliveXLib%3ALowLevelEntityToPrint_TOI&Type=text%2Fhtml&Locale=english-skin-custom&Path=TOIGO%2F2008%2F08%2F16&ID=Ar00401 |archive-date = 9 October 2018 |url-status = dead }}</ref> Most turmeric is used in the form of [[rhizome]] powder to impart a golden yellow color.<ref name=drugs/><ref name=brennan/> It is used in many products such as canned beverages, baked products, dairy products, ice cream, yogurt, yellow cakes, orange juice, biscuits, popcorn color, cereals, sauces, and gelatin. It is a principal ingredient in curry powders.<ref name=drugs/><ref name=E100/> Although typically used in its dried, powdered form, turmeric also is used fresh, like ginger.<ref name=E100/> It has numerous uses in East Asian recipes, such as a [[pickling|pickle]] that contains large chunks of fresh soft turmeric. Turmeric is used widely as a spice in South Asian and Middle Eastern cooking. Various [[Iranian cuisine|Iranian]] ''[[khoresh]]'' recipes begin with onions [[Caramelization|caramelized]] in oil and turmeric. The [[Moroccan cuisine|Moroccan]] spice mix [[ras el hanout]] typically includes turmeric. In South Africa, turmeric is used to give boiled white rice a golden color, known as ''geelrys'' (yellow rice) traditionally served with [[bobotie]]. In [[Vietnamese cuisine]], turmeric powder is used to color and enhance the flavors of certain dishes, such as ''[[bánh xèo]], bánh khọt'', and ''[[mì Quảng]]''. The staple [[Cambodian cuisine|Cambodian]] curry paste, ''[[kroeung]]'', used in many dishes, including [[fish amok]], typically contains fresh turmeric. In [[Indonesia]], turmeric leaves are used for [[Minangkabau people|Minang]] or [[Padang cuisine|Padang]] curry base of [[Sumatra]], such as ''[[rendang]]'', ''[[sate padang]]'', and many other varieties. In the [[Philippines]], turmeric is used in the preparation and cooking of [[Kuning]] and [[Satay]]. In [[Thailand]], fresh turmeric rhizomes are used widely in many dishes, in particular in the southern [[Thai cuisine]], such as yellow curry and turmeric soup. Turmeric is used in a hot drink called "turmeric [[latte]]" or "golden milk" that is made with milk, frequently [[coconut milk]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/may/11/turmeric-latte-golden-milk-cult-following-alternative-coffee|title=Turmeric latte: the 'golden milk' with a cult following|last=Imtiaz|first=Sabia|date=11 May 2016|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=7 January 2018}}</ref> The turmeric milk drink known as ''haldi doodh'' (''haldi'' means turmeric in [[Hindi]]) is a traditional indian recipe. Sold in the US and UK, the drink known as "golden milk" uses nondairy milk and sweetener, and sometimes black pepper after the traditional recipe (which may also use ''ghee'').<ref name=":0" /> ===Dye=== The golden yellow color of turmeric is due to curcumin.<ref name=pubchem/> It also contains an orange-colored [[essential oil|volatile oil]].<ref name=E100/> Turmeric makes a poor fabric [[dye]], as it is not [[Colour fastness|light fast]], but is commonly used in Indian clothing, such as'' [[sari]]s'' and [[Kasaya (clothing)|Buddhist monks' robes]].<ref name=brennan/> It is used to protect food products from sunlight, coded as [[E number|E100]] when used as a [[food additive]].<ref name=pubchem/><ref name=E100>{{cite web| url= http://www.ukfoodguide.net/e100.htm |title= E100: Curcumin| website= UKfoodguide.net| access-date= 14 April 2017}}</ref> The [[oleoresin]] is used for oil-containing products.<ref name=pubchem/> In combination with [[annatto]] (E160b), turmeric has been used to color numerous food products.<ref name=pubchem/><ref name=E100/> Turmeric is used to give a yellow color to some prepared [[Mustard (condiment)|mustards]], canned chicken [[broth]]s, and other foods{{mdash}}often as a much cheaper replacement for [[saffron]].<ref name=E100/><ref>{{cite book| author= NIIR Board of Consultants & Engineers|title=Complete book on spices & condiments : (with cultivation, Processing & uses)|date=2006|publisher=Asia Pacific Business Press| location= Delhi| isbn= 9788178330389 |pages=188–191| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=039ZCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA6}}</ref> ===Indicator=== [[File:TurmericAcidBase.jpg|thumb|Turmeric dispersed in water is yellow under acid and brown under alkaline conditions]] Turmeric paper, also called curcuma paper or in German literature, ''Curcumapapier'', is paper steeped in a [[tincture]] of turmeric and allowed to dry. It is used in [[chemical analysis]] as an [[pH indicator|indicator]] for [[acidity]] and [[alkalinity]].<ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Ravindran|editor1-first=P. N.|title=The genus Curcuma|date=2007|publisher=Taylor & Francis|location=Boca Raton, FL|page=244|isbn=9781420006322}}</ref> The paper is yellow in acidic and [[neutral solution]]s and turns brown to reddish-brown in alkaline solutions, with transition between pH of 7.4 and 9.2.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4jjhnbu8ytEC&q=turmeric+paper+ph&pg=PA208| page =208| last1= Berger |first1= S| last2= Sicker| first2= D|publisher=Wiley & Sons| title= Classics in Spectroscopy |date=2009|isbn=978-3-527-32516-0}}</ref> ===Traditional uses=== [[File:Naturalis Biodiversity Center - L.0939330 - Bernecker, A. - Curcuma domestica Valeton - Artwork.jpeg|thumb|''Curcuma domestica'' Valeton, a drawing by A. Bernecker around 1860]] [[File:Khandoba temple Pune.jpg|thumb|[[Khandoba]]'s newer temple in [[Jejuri]], where devotees shower turmeric powder (''bhandara'') on each other]] In 2019, the [[European Medicines Agency]] concluded that turmeric herbal teas, or other forms taken by mouth, on the basis of their long-standing traditional use, could be used to relieve mild digestive problems, such as feelings of fullness and [[flatulence]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=14 February 2019|title= ''Curcuma longa'' L., rhizoma|url=https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/herbal/curcumae-longae-rhizoma|access-date=19 November 2020|publisher=European Medicines Agency}}</ref> Turmeric grows wild in the forests of South and Southeast Asia, where it is collected for use in classical Indian medicine (Siddha or Ayurveda).<ref name=nelson/> In Eastern India, the plant is used as one of the nine components of ''nabapatrika'' along with young [[plantain (cooking)|plantain]] or banana plant, [[taro]] leaves, [[barley]] (''jayanti''), [[Aegle marmelos|wood apple]] (''bilva''), [[pomegranate]] (''darimba''), ''[[Saraca indica]]'', ''manaka'' (''[[Arum]]''), or ''manakochu'', and rice paddy. The Haldi ceremony called ''[[gaye holud]]'' in Bengal (literally "yellow on the body") is a ceremony observed during wedding celebrations of people of Indian culture all throughout the Indian subcontinent.<ref>{{cite news | title =A Bangladeshi Wedding Journal – Gaye Holud: Pre-Wedding Ceremony |newspaper =The Daily Star | url=http://www.thedailystar.net/a-bangladeshi-wedding-journal-49457 | date= 11 November 2014 | access-date= 22 February 2017}}</ref> In [[Tamil Nadu]] and [[Andhra Pradesh]], as a part of the Tamil–Telugu marriage ritual, dried turmeric tuber tied with string is used to create a [[Thali necklace]]. In western and coastal India, during weddings of the [[Marathi people|Marathi]] and [[Konkani people]], [[Kannada people|Kannada]] [[Brahmins]], turmeric tubers are tied with strings by the couple to their wrists during a ceremony, ''Kankana Bandhana''.<ref name=maha>{{cite book|last1= Singh K|first1=S |last2= Bhanu| first2= BV |title=People of India: Maharashtra, Volume 1| year= 2004| publisher= Popular Prakashan |isbn= 9788179911006 | page= 487}}</ref> [[Friedrich Ratzel]] reported in ''The History of Mankind'' during 1896, that in Micronesia, turmeric powder was applied for embellishment of body, clothing, utensils, and ceremonial uses.<ref>{{cite book|last= Ratzel| first= Friedrich|title=The History of Mankind|publisher=MacMillan| place= London| year=1896|url=https://archive.org/details/historymankind03ratzgoog}}</ref> ==Adulteration== As turmeric and other spices are commonly sold by weight, the potential exists for powders of toxic, cheaper agents with a similar color to be added, such as [[lead(II,IV) oxide]] ("red lead"). These additives give turmeric an orange-red color instead of its native gold-yellow, and such conditions led the US [[Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA) to issue import alerts from 2013 to 2019 on turmeric originating in [[India]] and [[Bangladesh]].<ref name=fda19>{{cite web|title=Detention without physical examination of turmeric due to lead contamination|url=http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_1143.html|date=23 August 2019| website= FDA.gov|publisher=US Food and Drug Administration|access-date=1 October 2019}}</ref> Imported into the United States in 2014 were approximately {{convert|12|e6lb|e6kg|abbr=off|order=flip}} of turmeric, some of which was used for [[food coloring]], [[traditional medicine]], or [[dietary supplement]].<ref name="Cowell">{{cite journal | last1=Cowell | first1=Whitney | last2=Ireland | first2=Thomas | last3=Vorhees | first3=Donna | last4=Heiger-Bernays | first4=Wendy | title=Ground turmeric as a source of lead exposure in the United States | journal=Public Health Reports | volume=132 | issue=3 | date=30 March 2017 | issn=0033-3549 | doi=10.1177/0033354917700109 | pages=289–293|pmc=5415259|pmid=28358991}}</ref> Lead detection in turmeric products led to [[product recall|recalls]] across the United States, Canada, Japan, Korea, and the United Kingdom through 2016.<ref name=Cowell/> [[Lead chromate]], a bright yellow chemical compound, was found as an adulterant of turmeric in Bangladesh, where turmeric is used commonly in foods and the contamination levels were up to 500 times higher than the national limit.<ref name="Forsyth">{{cite journal | last1=Forsyth | first1=Jenna E. | last2=Nurunnahar | first2=Syeda | last3=Islam | first3=Sheikh Shariful | last4=Baker | first4=Musa | last5=Yeasmin | first5=Dalia | last6=Islam | first6=M. Saiful | last7=Rahman | first7=Mahbubur | last8=Fendorf | first8=Scott | last9=Ardoin | first9=Nicole M. | last10=Winch | first10=Peter J. | last11=Luby | first11=Stephen P. | title=Turmeric means "yellow" in Bengali: Lead chromate pigments added to turmeric threaten public health across Bangladesh | journal=Environmental Research | volume=179 | issue=Pt A | year=2019 | issn=0013-9351 | doi=10.1016/j.envres.2019.108722 | page=108722|pmid=31550596| bibcode=2019ER....179j8722F | doi-access=free }}</ref> Researchers identified a chain of sources adulterating the turmeric with lead chromate: from farmers to merchants selling low-grade turmeric roots to "polishers" who added lead chromate for yellow color enhancement, to [[wholesale]]rs for market distribution, all unaware of the potential consequences of lead toxicity.<ref name=Forsyth/> Another common adulterant in turmeric, [[metanil yellow]] (also known as acid yellow 36), is considered by the [[Great Britain|British]] [[Food Standards Agency]] as an illegal [[dye]] for use in foods.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/guidance/chemicals-in-food-safety-controls|title=Producing and distributing food – guidance: Chemicals in food: safety controls; Sudan dyes and industrial dyes not permitted in food|publisher= Government of the United Kingdom|date=8 October 2012|access-date=12 December 2015}}</ref> ==Medical research== {{see also|Curcumin|label 1=Curcumin}} Turmeric and curcumin have been studied in numerous [[clinical trial]]s for various human diseases and conditions, with no high-quality evidence of any anti-disease effect or health benefit.<ref name=nelson/><ref name=nccih/><ref>{{cite journal|pmid=27533649|pmc=5003001|year=2016|last1=Daily|first1=JW|title=Efficacy of Turmeric Extracts and Curcumin for Alleviating the Symptoms of Joint Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials|journal=Journal of Medicinal Food|volume=19|issue=8|pages=717–29|last2=Yang|first2=M|last3=Park|first3=S|doi=10.1089/jmf.2016.3705}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|pmid=27213821|year=2016|last1=Vaughn|first1=A. R.|title=Effects of Turmeric (Curcuma longa) on Skin Health: A Systematic Review of the Clinical Evidence|journal=Phytotherapy Research|volume=30|issue=8|pages=1243–64|last2=Branum|first2=A|last3=Sivamani|first3=RK |doi=10.1002/ptr.5640|s2cid=46429012}}</ref> There is no scientific evidence that curcumin reduces [[inflammation]], {{as of | 2020| lc=yes}}.<ref name=nelson/><ref name=nccih/><ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=White CM, Pasupuleti V, Roman YM, Li Y, Hernandez AV |title=Oral turmeric/curcumin effects on inflammatory markers in chronic inflammatory diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials |journal=Pharmacol Res |volume=146 |pages=104280 |date=August 2019 |pmid=31121255 |doi=10.1016/j.phrs.2019.104280 |type=Meta-analysis}}</ref> There is weak evidence that turmeric extracts may be beneficial for relieving symptoms of knee osteoarthritis.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Wang Z, Singh A, Jones G, Winzenberg T, Ding C, Chopra A, Das S, Danda D, Laslett L, Antony B |title=Efficacy and Safety of Turmeric Extracts for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials |journal=Curr Rheumatol Rep |volume=23 |issue=2 |pages=11 |date=January 2021 |pmid=33511486 |doi=10.1007/s11926-020-00975-8 |s2cid=231724282 |url=}}</ref> ==See also== <!-- Please keep entries in alphabetical order & add a short description [[WP:SEEALSO]] --> {{div col|colwidth=20em|small=yes}} * ''[[Alpinia zerumbet]]'' * ''[[Curcuma xanthorrhiza]]'' * ''[[Curcuma zedoaria]]'' * ''[[Etlingera elatior]]'' * ''[[Kaempferia galanga]]'' * [[Domesticated plants and animals of Austronesia]] {{div col end}} ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * {{wiktionary-inline}} {{Herbs & spices}} {{Transient receptor potential channel modulators}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q42562}} {{Authority control}} [[Category:Curcuma|longa]] [[Category:Flora of tropical Asia]] [[Category:Spices]] [[Category:Rhizomatous plants]] [[Category:Crops originating from India]] [[Category:Food additives]] [[Category:Food colorings]] [[Category:Indian spices]] [[Category:Plant dyes]] [[Category:Plants used in Ayurveda]] [[Category:Plants described in 1753]] [[Category:Sri Lankan spices]] [[Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus]]'