The genus Cinnamomum

136 K.R. Dayananda, U.M. Senanayake and R.O.B. Wijesekera
Table 5.1 Chemical requirements for cinnamon bark
The cleanliness and levels of dust, mould and other pathogenic organisms are important
aspects of the production of cinnamon quills, quillings, featherings and chips. Consumers
directly use them in most of the food formulations. It has been reported that compounds
such as cinnamic aldehyde and eugenol found in them inhibit the growth of microorganisms
(Bullernan et al., 1977). The general requirements for cinnamon bark are given
in Table 5.1.
Products Based on Cinnamon Bark and Leaf
Cinnamon quills and remnants of bark are prepared into various other forms, such as
small pieces of quills 7–15 cm long or as a powder. For most baked products, cinnamon
is used in powdered form. Finely ground cinnamon quills are the best, however, flavour
and odour characteristics become less than those of quills. The essential oil content of
the powder is less compared to the bark due to losses during the process of grinding.
Adulteration of cinnamon powder with lower grade bark is commonly practiced
(Llewellyn et al., 1981).
Airtight containers made of glass or wooden boxes with an outer wrapping of polythene
are generally acceptable as packaging for cinnamon products. However, a shelf-life of over
two years is generally not recommended for cinnamon bark or their products since flavour
and odour characteristics tend to change with time.
Cinnamon oils
Requirement
Sri Lanka Seychelles type and Reference to ISO
Madagascar type Recommendations
cinnamon
Moisture % w/w 12.0 12.0 ISO – R 939
Total ash % w/w on 5.0 7.0 ISO – R 928
dry basis max.
Acid insoluble 1.0 2.0 ISO – R 930
ash % (w/w) on dry
basis max.
Volatile oil ml/100 g Whole 1.0 0.4
on dry basis min. ground 0.7 0.3
Source: Anon, 1997.
In the world trade, the oils from the cinnamon species are classified as cinnamon oil, cassia
oil and camphora oil, according to the place of origin. The true cinnamon oils come
from Sri Lanka and they are accordingly classified as “Cinnamon Leaf Oil” (ISO 3524).
Cassia oils come from China, Taiwan and Burma and are called Chinese, Taiwanese or
Burmese cassia oils, respectively. Unlike the Sri Lankan cinnamon oils where a category
for both bark and leaf oil exists, only one category exists in cassia oils. This is because
during distillation cassia bark, leaves and twigs are distilled together to obtain one
category of oil. Camphor oil, although chemically different from either cinnamon or