Overview Of True Cinnamon

History of True Cinnamon 

Cinnamon is the dried bark of the perennial tree of C .Zeylanicumof the Lauraceae family. True cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka. Cinnamon is originally grown wild in central hill country of Sri Lanka. The history of cinnamon dates back to about 2800 B .C when it can be found referenced as " kwai" in Chinese writings. Cinnamon was a precious spice in the west during 14th -15th centuries and its primary use was to preserve meat and to retard the growth of bacteria. The quest for cinnamon was a major factor which led to exploration of the world in 15th century.

 

Product and Uses

Cinnamon bark is largely available in the form of quills and making quills is unique to Sri Lanka. Quills are made by rolling the pealed bark and joinning several of them together to get a pipe like structure in the required length. other than that pieces of bark are available as chips , quillings or featherings. Cinnamon is unique plant which has essential oil in leaves , bark and roots but chemical composition of them are compleatly different from each other. Essential oils are produced from both and leaves , major chemical in bark oil is Cinnamaldehyde and in leaf oil Euginol. Cinnamon is also available in pure ground from or as an ingredient in curry mixtures and pelleted from too.

Cinnamon is mostly used in cooking and baking. It is a verstile spice whoich can be added to any food item such as salads , confectionaries , beverages , soups , stews and sauces. Cinnamon drink made by immersing pieces of bark in hot water is popular among Lathin American Countries. Cinnamon flavored tea is becoming popular and it is becoming a trend to drink cinnamon tea than other addicted drinks for stay healthier. It also uses as a common ingredient in Chinese an Aurvedic Medicine. Cinnamon leaf and bark oils are used to flavor food products , in perfumery industry and in pharmaceutical industry.

 

Cinnamon Scientific Classification

Domain    : Eukarya

Kingdom  : Plantae

Phylum     : Magnoliophyta

Class         : Magnoliopsida

Order        : Laurales

Family      : Lauraceae

Genus      : Cinnamomum

Species    : Cinnamomum zeylanicum

 

Main types of Cinnamon

• Ceylon Cinnamon, True Cinnamon    (Sri Lanka)
• Cassia    (China and other East Asian countries)
• Saigon Cinnamon    (Vietnam)
• Korintje Cinnamon   (Indonesia)

 

The difference between Ceylon and Cassia Cinnamon

	Ceylon Cinnamon	Cassia Cinnamon
Colour	Light brown	Reddish dark brown
Formation	Several layers of fold like a cigar	One inward fold with an empty cavity
Texture	Soft and fragile. Easy to break	Hard and rough. Difficult to break
Flavour & Aroma	Sweet flavour. Soft aroma	Pungent & zesty flavor. Strong aroma
Composition	0.004% of Coumarin	5% of Coumarin
Use	Safe for prolonged use. Has antioxidant and antimicrobial qualities	Causes liver damage by constant use.
Origin	Sri Lanka	China, India, Vietnam, Indonesia
Availability	Expensive. Used in the EU , Western Asia , Oceania	Low priced. Used in Canada and the USA

     

 

Major Growing Areas  

In Sri Lanka, Cinnamon seems to have originated in the central hills where seven wild species of Cinnamon occur in Kandy, Matale, Belihull oya, Haputale, Horton planes and the Sinharaja forest range. Presently cultivation concentrated along the coastal belt from Negambo to Matara, it has also made in roads to Kalutara and Ratnapura.

 

Varieties

There are eight cinnamon species in Sri Lanka. Among them only Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume is grown commercially. In tradition, there were several types of cinnamon categorized based on taste of the bark. "Pani-Miris Kurundu" was the best with sweet-pungent taste and "Miris Kurundu", "Sevel Kurundu" and "Thiththa Kurundu" are the others. Currently ten cinnamon accessions have been identified based on yield and quality performances and best two lines, named as "Sri Vijaya" and "Sri Gamunu", were released. Other selections are under evaluation in different agro climatic zones.

 

Harvesting and Post Harvest practices

First harvest of cinnamon can be taken after three years of planting and two harvests can be taken per year. Harvesting is done when the bark color of the stem turn in to brown and stick diameter is about 3- 5cm diameter. Branches and leaves are removed from harvested sticks before peeling and harvested stems should be peeled on the same day. During peeling outer skin is scraped and rubs the bark with a brass rod to be loosened bark from the hard wood. Then peel the bark, part by part, with a special knife and peeled bark is allowed to dry under sun for few hours and when rolling of the bark starts, pieces of bark are connected together and to make a pipe like structure (called as a quill) and the standard length of the tube is 42 inches. The hollow of the tube is filled with small pieces of bark and the tubes are left for in-door drying for about 4-7 days.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Medicinal and Chemical Properties

Euginol is the main chemical ingredient in cinnamon leaf oil and Cinnamaldihide is present in cinnamon bark oil. However there are hundreds of minor chemical ingredients which give characteristic flavor and aroma in true cinnamon. Cinnamon has been used for medicinal purposes and has been known as a healing herb since it is mentioned in Chinese botanical books that date back to 2700 B.C. In ancient Rome It had been used medicinally for cold and flu as well as for the problems of the digestive system. Recently, it has been studied for its ability to boost brain power, reduce blood clotting and its healing effects on the heart and colon. Recent studies have proved its ability to control type 2 diabetics by reducing blood sugar level and to reduce blood cholesterol level. In traditional society's cinnamon is said to have used to relieve digestive upset, congestion, menstrual problems, stiff joints and muscles. It has said to been used as an anti- inflammatory agent and as a pain reliever to arthritis patients. Some studies had shown that cinnamon help to cure urine tract infections and to fight tooth decay and gum disease.

 

From Field to Peel

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

   Cinnamon  Products

Cinnamon Quills (Whole Quills)

Stems from fully matured cinnamon plantations undergo a process in which the inner bark is removed and then divided into several pieces. These pieces are joined together and filled with smaller pieces of the same type of cinnamon, then left to dry. Each quill measures 105 cm (42 inches) in length. Cinnamon quills are categorized into different grades.

 

Cut Quills

Cinnamon sticks cut to a specified length and graded as whole cinnamon sticks.

Cuilling

Whole cinnamon sticks broken into pieces less than 200 mm in length. They may contain up to 5% by weight of feathers and bark pieces. No other foreign substances should exceed 2%.

 

Featherings

Small pieces that break off from cinnamon bark when making cinnamon quills. They may contain up to 10% chips by weight, with other extraneous substances not exceeding 2%.

Chips

Mature, hard, greenish-brown bark with an outer layer called 'Kurutta' that cannot be peeled off conventionally. It must be separated by scraping or beating with a wooden stick. Chips should not contain more than 2% of other extraneous substances.

 

Ground Cinnamon

Cinnamon powder prepared by drying and grinding the inner bark from well-ripened cinnamon stalks. 100% of particles should be smaller than 500 micrometers, and 90% should be smaller than 300 microns.

 

Crushed Cinnamon

Coarse cinnamon powder prepared by drying and grinding the inner bark from well-ripened cinnamon stalks. 90% of particles should be larger than 500 micrometers.

Special Cuts

Inner bark from well-ripened cinnamon stalks, dried and cut into small pieces ranging from 1 mm to 5 mm.

 

Cinnamon Essential Oil

Various essential oils can be extracted from the cinnamon plant, particularly from Sri Lanka's Cinnamomum verum, which is highly esteemed globally, contributing to its profitability. The primary oil-based products derived from the cinnamon plant include cinnamon leaf oil and cinnamon bark oil. However, commercial extraction of oil from cinnamon fruits and roots is not commonly practiced.