ABSTRACT
Turmeric is an im portant natural source of yellow pigment, spice, nutraceuticals, and herbal medicines. Turmeric is the common nam e used for the Curcuma longa L. (syn. Curcuma domestica val.) plant, a m em ber of the Zingiberaceae (ginger) family and its products (American Spice Trade As sociation, 1982). The plant, its dried rhizomes, and products m anufactured from the rhizomes are also known as curcuma, curcumin, Indian saffron, and yellow ginger. The terms turm eric and curcumin are commonly used interchangeably to refer to colorant products from turm eric rhizomes, while the pigments are called curcuminoids.
