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Introduction

Introduction 

The goddess of turmeric brings color in life 
It is the ornament of married woman And any woman 
who puts turmeric in her purse, 
Her purse will never be empty. 

An old Indian folk song praises turmeric, the golden spice from the East, for its power to bring beauty, good health and good luck to those who use and carry it.

Turmeric, a rhizomatous crop grows to about 1 m tall and bears white to pale yellow flower spikes. The yellow tubers are the source of the pungent spice. It is an erect, perennial herb grown as an annual crop. India, Bangladesh, Taiwan and China are major turmeric producing countries. India is one of the leading growers, with about 79,300 ha under this crop, producing 1,43,900 tonnes per annum. It is cultivated in Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. 

There are two types of turmeric produced in central India. One has solid and dark color and the other long, soft and light color. ‘Kum-Kum’, popular with every house wife, is also a by-product of turmeric. It finds a place in offerings on religious and ceremonial occasions. A type of starch can also be extracted from a particular type of turmeric.

The dried rhizome of a herbaceous plant, turmeric is closely related to ginger. The spice is also sometimes called 'Indian saffron' thanks to its brilliant yellow color. Indian turmeric has been known to the world since ancient times. Several unique properties of Indian turmeric make it the ideal choice as a food flavor, an effective ingredient in medicines and cosmetics, and as a natural colorant. With its rich curcumin content, which imparts the distinctive yellow color, and other inherent qualities, Indian turmeric is considered the best in the world. India is today the largest exporter of turmeric to discerning countries like the Middle East, the UK, USA and Japan. Some of the well-accepted varieties are: 'Alleppey Finger' and 'Erode turmeric' (from Tamil Nadu), 'Rajapore' and 'Sangli turmeric' (from Maharashtra) and 'Nizamabad Bulb' (from Andhra Pradesh). India also exports turmeric in powder form and as oleoresin.

General Botanical Aspects: 
Turmeric is the dried rhizome of Curcuma longa L., a herbaceous perennial belonging to the family Zingiberaceae and a native of India or china. The plant is propagated through rhizomes. 

The leaves are long, broad, lanceolate and bright green. The flowers are pale yellow and borne on dense spikes. The pseudostems are shorter than leaves. The rhizomes are ready for harvesting about 7 to 9 months after planting.

Uses of Turmeric: 
Turmeric is used in various ways: 

As Food Additive: 

  1. Turmeric is a mild aromatic stimulant used in the manufacture of curry powders.
  2. Turmeric is used in products that are packaged to protect them from sunlight.
  3. Turmeric also forms a substitute for mustard in the cattle feed.
  4. The oleoresin component of turmeric is used for oil-containing products.
  5. Sometimes in pickles and mustard, turmeric is used to compensate for fading.
  6. The curcumin solution or curcumin powder dissolved in alcohol is used for water containing products.
  7. Turmeric is also used for coloring cheeses, salad dressings, margarine, yoghurts, cakes, biscuits, popcorn, cereals, sauces, etc.

Medicinal uses: 
It has also been used since ancient times as a traditional medicine and also for beauty care. In the Ayurveda system of Indian medicine, it is an important herbal medicine prescribed for various ailments.

It is very commonly used throughout India as an ingredient for traditional beauty care treatments. In fact, it is even used in modern times to plug radiator leaks in water-cooled radiators.

Miscellaneous Uses:

  1. Turmeric is also believed to ward off snakes and the presence of turmeric plants around the house acts as a barrier for them.
  2. The turmeric paste is used in Indian medicine for snakebites.
  3. The leaves of turmeric are said to act as mosquito repellents.
  4. Turmeric is used as a coloring agent for filter paper used in scientific tests.
  5. It has been recently discovered that in water cooled type of radiators, a spoonful of turmeric added to the water plugs any leaks.