The use of turmeric dates back nearly 4000 years to the Vedic culture in India, where it was used as a culinary spice and had some religious significance. It comes from the root of the curcuma longa plant which is a perennial plant belonging to the ginger family Zingiberaceae. Curcumin is a major component of turmeric, and the activities of turmeric are commonly attributed to curcuminoids. Curcumin gives turmeric its yellow color. India produces nearly the world’s entire turmeric crop and consumes 80% of it. With its inherent qualities and high content of the important bioactive compound curcumin, Indian turmeric is considered to be the best in the world.
Erode Turmeric is known for the high curcumin (90%) content which is a natural food coloring agent as approved by WHO. For this high curcumin content makes a huge demand for Erode turmeric in countries like Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore, United Kingdom, United States of America and Gulf countries. After 8 years of process, Erode turmeric has received GI tag from Geographical Indication registry in 2019. Erode, a city in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is the world’s largest producer of turmeric and the most important trading center for turmeric. Erode region produces both Finger variety (Virali Manjal) and Tuber variety (Kilangu manjal) of Turmerics. It is also known as “Yellow City,” “Turmeric City,” or “Textile City.” Every year, Erode produces 6 lakh tonnes of Turmeric and exports 60 percent of them. Sangli, a city of Maharashtra, is second only to Erode in size and importance as a production and trading site for turmeric. More than 100 components have been isolated from turmeric.
Turmeric termed as a wonder spice is a part of every Indian household in daily life. It is also used in manufactured food products such as canned beverages, dairy products, baked products, ice cream, yellow cakes, yogurt, orange juice, biscuits, popcorn, sweets, cake icings, cereals, sauces, and gelatins. It is a significant ingredient in most commercial curry powders. Turmeric has numerous uses in Asian cuisine. It is used in savory and sweet dishes, and is widely used in Eastern specialties such as fresh turmeric pickle.
Turmeric has a very long history of medicinal use, dating back nearly 4000 years. In Ayurvedic practices, turmeric is thought to have many medicinal properties including strengthening the overall energy of the body, relieving gas, dispelling worms, improving digestion, regulating menstruation and dissolving gallstones. Many South Asian countries use it as an antiseptic for cuts, burns, and bruises, and as an antibacterial agent. In folk medicine, turmeric has been used in therapeutic preparations over the centuries in different parts of the world. Turmeric is used as an herbal medicine for rheumatoid arthritis, chronic anterior uveitis, Conjunctivitis, skin cancer, small pox, chicken pox, wound healing, urinary tract infections, and liver ailments etc.
Turmeric is blended with other essential product extracts results in herbal products such as face wash, face scrub, face mask, beauty soaps, aroma oil, hand wash and body moisturizer that are sold in Indian market as well as foreign markets. Turmeric is currently used in the formulation of several sunscreens. Several multinational companies are involved in making face creams based on turmeric.
