Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) products: What quality differences exist?

This study aimed to investigate the chemical variation of turmeric finished products available in the UK and identify the quality of turmeric products obtained from specific stages of the supply chain, with a focus on quality differences in the UK. 1H-NMR spectroscopy metabolomics coupled to Principle Component Analysis (PCA) and HPTLC methods were used for the phytochemical and metabolomics investigation of 72 turmeric samples, including crude powders, intermediate products from different manufacturing stages and commercial products obtained from health food stores and the Internet. A significant variation in the chemical composition of turmeric finished products, especially in the ones containing turmeric extracts, was found. Several products were found to contain only curcumin or curcuminoids, while the other active ingredients and marker compounds of C. longa were lacking. Products obtained from different stages of the Pukka value chain presented similar chemical composition, with the intermediate products (S57-59) showing the highest amount of active ingredients. Consequently, the manufacturing practices involved in the production of turmeric food supplements are critical stages to obtain high-quality final products. Often the focus has been only on the primary material, its natural variation and forms of production. This study highlights the importance of developing well-controlled integrated systems for the quality assurance of dietary supplements throughout the supply...
Source: Journal of Herbal Medicine - Category: Complementary Medicine Source Type: research