CINNAMON OR TRUE CINNAMON - Intercom Exports

asis,
Whole cinnamon, (min.,)
Ground (powdered)
cinnamon
0.7 0.3
GRADING OF QUILLS
Quills are yellowish brown , cylindrical, approximately 1m *10 mm diameter;
scraped, smooth, thin, rolled with occasional scars, and fine, light- coloured wavy lines
running length ways and clearly visible. A pleasing, fragrant odour and a warm, sweet,
aromatic taste. Quills are further separated into compound quills and simple quills.
Quills are also graded by quality and size from H, M, C TO Alba, the finest. H
quills are the largest and of uneven colour, while alba quills are smallest, pencil- sized,
smooth and uniform in colour with no blemishes, and sold at a premium. The large H-
grade quills are the most frequently adulterated by inclusion of poorer bark. Discoloured
quills may be bleached using a sulphur treatment. Unscraped and scraped bark is also
locally traded, and together with the last 3 grades is most frequently distilled to produce
bark oil. Bark from other countries is also graded but not to the same extent. However,
grading is complicated by the use of the designation cinnamon to include cassia in some
countries, and to cover either indiscriminately in others.
Bark grading to International Standards Organizations requirements will
eventually become universal. ISO 6539- 1983 already covers cinnamon from
Madagaskar, that donot meet these requirements for the spice will be downgraded in
major international markets. The Amarican Spice Trade Association[ASTA]
specifications requires cinnamon to contain not more than 2 dead insects, 1mg/lb
mammalian excreta, 2 mg /lb other excreta, 1% mould by weight, 1% insect defiled by
weight and 0.5% extraneous foreign matter by weight.
The main use for bark is as spice in quills or powder. Small quills are added to
meat and similar dishes and removed after cooking, are an ingredient in sweet pickled
products and are added to hot punches and similar drinks. Ground bark or powder is
commonly added to curries, pilafs and stews in the middle east ans asia, where its
antibacterial properties due to the phenol content may help counteract the effects of bad