Reaffirmed 2023

NATIONAL FOREWORD

This Indian Standard (Second Revision) which is identical with ISO 3542 : 2003 ‘Oil of cinnamon leaf, Sri Lanka type (Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Blume)’ issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) was adopted by the Bureau of Indian Standards on recommendation of the Flavours and Fragrance Sectional Committee and approval of the Petroleum, Coal and Related product Division Council.

This standard was originally published in 1972 and subsequently revised in 1989. In the first revision, gas chromatographic method for determination of purity of compound was included as informative annex. The second revision of this standard has been undertaken to align it with the latest version of ISO 3542 : 2003.

From times immemorial, cinnamon bark derived from Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Blume, and cassia derived from Cinnamon cassia are known to the perfumery and flavour world. The essential oil derived from bark and leaf of Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Blume, are used in perfumery for its spicy and warm woody oriental type odour. The dried bark of cinnamon, both zeylanicum and cassia varieties are common flavour ingredient and spice used in Indian and international cuisine.

The cinnamon tree is found to be growing commonly in tropical forests. Cinnamomum zeylancium, Blume, the true cinnamon is cultivated primarily in Sri Lanka and South India and grows wild in the areas Madagascar and Comores Islands. The cassia varieties are cultivated in China, Vietnam and Indonesia. In addition, in India, a variety of cinnamon tamala is also found to be growing primarily in the eastern region. This variety yields TEJPAT or TEJPATTA which is a spice ingredient mainly used in northern India.

Cinnamon leaf oil of commerce is derived from steam distillation of free and mature leaves of Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Blume. The leaves yield the oil which is rich in eugenol content and the bark yields an oil which is rich in cinnammic aldehyde content. Oil of cinnamon leaf is currently produced mainly in India and Sri Lanka, with Sri Lanka accounting for nearly 80 to 90 percent of the total production.

The text of ISO Standard has been approved as suitable for publication as an Indian Standard without deviations. Certain terminologies and conventions are, however, not identical to those used in Indian Standards. Attention is particularly drawn to the following:

a) Wherever the words ‘International Standard’ appear referring to this standard, they should be read as ‘Indian Standard’.

b) Comma (,) has been used as a decimal marker, while in Indian Standards, the current practice is to use a point (.) as the decimal marker.