![]() Botanical Name: Trachyspermum ammi [L] Sprague. Syn: Carum copticum Heirn Family: Umbelliferae English Name: Bishop's Weed Indian Names are as follows: Hindi: Ajwain Bengali: Jowan or Joan Gujarati: Yavan Kashmiri: Jawind Kannada: Oma Malayalam: Omum Marathi: Onva Oriya: Juani Urdu: Ajowain Sanskrit: Ajamoda Yavanika Tamil: Omum Telugu: Vamu Ajwain seeds, like other spices, are not viewed nutritionally. They are more known as adjuncts used in small quantities for flavouring numerous foods, as anti-oxidants, as preservatives, or in medicine or for the manufacture of essential oils for ultimate use in perfumery, essences and medicines etc. However, for the purpose of enforcement of quality standards with the ultimate objective of detection of adulteration, information on physic-chemical composition is often sought which in brief, is as follows: Moisture: 8.9 % Protein: 15.4 % Fat: 18.1 % Crude fibre: 11.9 % Carbohydrates: 38.6 % Mineral matter: 7.1 % Calcium: 1.42 % Phosphorus: 0.30 % Iron: 14.6 mg/100g Calorific value: 379/100g. Health Benefits of Ajwain Ajwain can be used in a wide variety of food items. It possesses preservative and medicinal properties. In India it is used with pulses, meat and liver. Ground with ginger and salt, it forms chutney. In the west, it is used for making soups and curries. Ajwain is rich in calcium and iron and is used to enhance digestion. It is an anthelmintic and antiseptic. Ajwain oil is used for treating cholera, stomach pains, diarrhoea and indigestion Steam distillation of crushed seeds yields 2.5 to 4.0 % essential oil which is valued considerably in medicine on account of the presence of thymol therein. Ajwain seed is distilled in India, partly in primitive native stills and partly in more modern and large-scale distilleries. Prior to and during World War I, considerable quantities of ajwain seed was exported from India for distillation in Europe and the United States. The oil was for a long time the principal source of thymol. However, since the introduction of synthetic thymol, the distillation of ajwain oil outside India has partially ceased, and the oil has lost its former importance. However, the demand situation is fast changing now with more demand for natural goods than synthetic goods. This changing scenario may put India to advantageous position only if India is in a position to meet the demand. We have necessary resource, since India produces sufficient ajwain. We are only to gear up production of ajwain oil with right quantity of thymol so that we shall be in a position to meet expected global demand. The standard technology is available, so also various schemes. We shall only to plan and implement. ![]() |
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