Composition of the Turkish cumin seed oil

Abstract

The steam and water distilled oils of Turkish cumin seed (Cuminumcyminum L.) were examined by a combination of GC and GC/MS. The major compounds characterized in the oils were cuminaldehyde (19.25–27.02%), p-mentha-l,3-dien-7-al (4.29–12.26%), p-mentha-l,4-dien-7-al (24.48–44.91%), ?-terpinene (7.06–14.10%), p-cymene (4.61–12.01%) and ß-pinene (2.98–8.90%). The mode of distillation and pregrinding of the cumin seed had a pronounced effect on the composition of the resultant oil. The composition of the lab-distilled oils was compared with some commercially produced Turkish cumin seed oil, some Indian oils and Egyptian oil. They were found to differ in their cuminaldehyde and p-menthadienal contents