cinnamon

Physical specifications

Type/Variety:

True cinnamon (Ceylon): Cinnamomum verum.

Cassia Cinnamon: Cinnamomum cassia, C. burmannii or C. loureiroi.

Appearance:

Feathers (sticks), nuggets (crushed pieces), powder or essential oil.

Feathers should be tightly coiled, uniform in size, and free of cracks or mold.

color:

Ceylon: Light brown or pale brown.

Cassia: Reddish brown or dark brown.

Length:

Feathers: usually 5–10 cm (retail) or up to 1 meter (bulk).

Thickness:

Ceylon: Thin and multi-layered.

Cassia: Thicker and single layered.

Moisture content: ≤ 12%.

Foreign impurities: ≤ 0.5% (eg bark of other species, dirt).

Ash content: ≤ 4%.

Volatile oil content: ≥ 1% (depending on grade).

 

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2. Chemical specifications

Essential oil content:

Ceylon: ~1–2.5% (main component: cinnamaldehyde ~50–65%).

Cassia: ~2–3% (higher cinnamaldehyde content ~80–90%).

Coumarin Content:

Ceylon: < 0.004%.

Cassia: 0.1–0.4% (regulated in food products due to potential toxicity).

Fiber content:

≤ 20% (for dust).

Pesticide residues: Within the permissible limits set by the regulatory authorities.

Heavy metals:

Lead (Pb): ≤ 2 ppm.

Arsenic (As): ≤ 0.5 ppm.

 

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3. Microbiological specifications

Total Plate Count (TPC): ≤ 10,000 CFU/g.

Yeast and mold: ≤ 100 CFU/g.

Coliforms: ≤ 10 CFU/g.

Well. coli: Missing in 1 g.

Salmonella: Missing in 25 g.

Aflatoxins: ≤ 10 ppb (B1, B2, G1, G2).

 

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4. Evaluation standards

Varieties of Ceylon Cinnamon:

Alba: Finest, thinnest feathers (diameter ~ 6 mm).

Special (C5 Special, C5): Slightly thicker feathers.

Continental (C4, C3): Moderate quality.

Mexican (M5, M4): Lower quality with thicker skin.

Hamburg (H1, H2): Rougher and lower quality bark.

Cinnamon Cassia Grades:

Based on origin (eg Indonesian, Chinese, Saigon), oil content and thickness.

 

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5. Nutritional specifications (per 100 g, powder)

Calories: ~247 kcal.

Carbohydrates: ~81g.

Fiber: ~53 g.

Protein: ~4 g.

Fat: ~1.2 g.

Minerals: High in calcium, manganese and iron.

Vitamins: Contains small amounts of vitamin A, vitamin K and B-vitamins.

 

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6. Packaging and storage

Packaging:

Food grade material such as polypropylene, vacuum sealed bags or paper boxes with liners.

Net Weight: Retail (50g, 100g, 500g, 1kg) or bulk (25kg, 50kg) sizes.

Storage conditions: Cool and dry place (< 25°C), relative humidity < 65%.

Expiry date:

Sticks: Up to 2 years.

Powder: 6–12 months (if unopened).