Ginger root
Botanical name: Zingiber officinale Linn.
Family: Zingiberaceae.
Ginger oil and oleoresins are the volatile oil derived by steam distillation of ginger and oleoresin. It is obtained by percolating the powdered rhizomes of Ginger, Zingiber officinale with volatile solvents. Ginger contains 1-2 percent of volatile oil, 5-8 percent of pungent acrid oleoresin and starch. Zingiberene is the chief constituent in the oil of ginger. Oil is employed for flavoring all kinds of food products and confectionary and finds limited use in perfumery. Oleoresin, commercially called Gingerin contains pungent principles viz. gingerol and shogaol apart from the volatile oil of ginger and is used as an aromatic, carminative, stomachic and as a stimulant.
Oleoresin from ginger is obtained conventionally by extraction of dried powdered ginger with organic solvents like ethyl acetate, ethanol or acetone. Commercial dried ginger yields 3.5-10.0 per cent oleoresin. Ginger oleoresin is a dark brown viscous liquid responsible for the flavour and pungency of the spice.
Ginger of commerce or `Adrak` is the dried underground stem or rhizome of the plant, which constitutes one of the five most important major spices of India, standing third or fourth, competing with chillies, depending upon fluctuations in world market prices, world market demand and supply position.
Ginger, like cinnamon, clove and pepper, is one of the most important and oldest spices. It consists of the prepared and sun dried rhizomes known in trade as `hands` and `races` which are either with the outer brownish cortical layers (coated or unscraped), or with outer peel or coating partially or completely removed.
Ginger requires a warm and humid climate. It is cultivated from sea level to an altitude of 1500 meters, either under heavy rainfall conditions of 150 to 300 cm or under irrigation. The crop can thrive well in sandy or clayey loam or lateritic soils.
The composition of dry ginger is given below:
Dry Ginger rootMoisture:6.9 %
Protein:8.6 %
Fat:6.4 %
Fiber:5.9 %
Carbohydrates:66.5 %
Ash:5.7 %
Calcium:0.1 %
Phosphorous:.15 %
Iron:0.011 %
Sodium:0.03 %
Potassium:1.4 %
Vitamin A:175 I.U./100 g
Vitamin B1:0.05 mg/100 g
Vitamin B2:0.13 mg/100 g
Niacin:1.9 mg/100 g
Vitamin C:12.0 mg/100 g
Calorific value:380 calories/100 g.
Ginger Oleoresin is obtained by extraction of powdered dried ginger with suitable solvents like alcohol, acetone etc. Unlike volatile oil, it contains both the volatile oil and the non-volatile pungent principles for which ginger is so highly esteemed. Concentration of the acetone extract under vacuum and on complete removal of even traces of the solvent used, yields the so called oleoresin of ginger. Ginger oleoresin is manufactured on a commercial scale in India and abroad and is in great demand by the various food industries.
