Cumin seeds are obtained from the
herb Cuminum cyminum, native from the East Mediterranean to
South Asia belonging to the family Apiaceae, a member of the parsley family. Caraway
(Carum carvi L.) also known as
meridian fennel or Persian cumin is a biennial plant of the family Apiaceae, native to western Asia, Europe, and Northern Africa.
Caraway and cumin seeds look very similar,
though cumin seeds are lighter in color and less curved. However, by
taste, the two spices differ considerably. Cumin has a warm,
earthy, slightly pungent flavor, whereas Caraway's licorice and citrus notes
are quite distinctive. Regular cumin seeds are yellow and brown in
color and oval in shape. They closely resemble caraway seeds. Black
cumin seeds are smaller in size, and darker brown to black, with some lighter
streaks.
Fennel seeds also known as Saunf in Hindi have a tinge of
sweet flavor and bear resemblance to the aroma and flavor of anise or
licorice. Cumin seeds (Zeera), on the other hand, are bitter with an
earthy and somewhat musky aroma.
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| Image-1: Sample received from Market |
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| Image- 2: Segregation from bulk Required & not required |
We have often heard that many grocery items are made adulterated for quantity and weight purposes. We have studied for two
decades that the caraway seeds are mixed with Cumin seeds and sent to the
market, but now the next level of adulteration is also seen in cumin seeds that
neither resemble caraway nor fennel seeds but have similar
resemblance in shape, size, and color with cumin except longitudinal ridges. No
longitudinal ridges have seen in adulterated seeds and the taste is looks like
sweet licorice or somewhat like saunf. No one can identify if not seen
attentively but if we put slight attention then we can identify it. The above images may help you to get the exact idea to make differences between original and adulterated cumin.
Stay healthy, stay safe...
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