Turmeric Powder

Turmeric is contracted on curcumin content, and the difference between 3% and 5% is the difference between two quite different prices. Erode material typically runs higher; Nizamabad is the volume origin. Buyers who specify only “turmeric powder” get whatever the season produced.

Milled to 60–80 mesh as standard, or to your mesh. Curcumin is reported per lot by HPLC, since a colour match by eye will not survive an audit.

What to fix on the specification

• Curcumin: 3%, 4% or 5%, determined by HPLC rather than colorimetry.
• Mesh: 60–80 standard, or your figure.
• Moisture on the packed lot.
• Total ash and acid-insoluble ash: the check for added mineral matter.
• Heavy metals, lead in particular.
• Origin: Erode or Nizamabad, which run different curcumin ranges.

Turmeric is commonly adulterated, historically with lead chromate used to brighten colour, so acid-insoluble ash and a heavy-metals panel belong on any turmeric specification regardless of curcumin level. Choosing between 3%, 4% and 5% covers the commercial side.