A Comparative Review on the Standard Quality Parameters of Turmeric

The world economy of the international trade of herbs and related products has been witnessing an increase of 15% annually. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak, there are reports highlighting an instant rise in the demand for medicinal plants especially the immunity booster plants. Due to the anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-bacterial and antifungal properties of Curcuma longa L. popularly known as Turmeric and Haldi in India, herbal scientists are exploring this potential herb in managing the COVID-19 pandemic. It is widely believed that an increase in the demand for herbal products may increase the chances of species adulteration leading to adverse consequences. In such cases, it is important to devise a comprehensive intuitive document highlighting various standard quality parameters of Turmeric that are reported in different standard texts benefitting the concerned stakeholders. In the present review, classical texts such as API (Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India), WHO (World Health Organization), FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) and other literature are explored to highlight standard quality parameters of Turmeric.