India
Nutmeg & Mace
Farm Locations
We work closely with farmer partners in the following regions of India while incorporating principles of food transparency and traceability. This involves maintaining documentation of various touchpoints in the supply chain and also keeping lots procured from different farms separate where possible.
What you get to experience with The Sabor Co. is single-origin spices at an individual farm level or a particular region in most cases.
Ernakulam District, Kerala, India
The Sabor Co. is currently working with a third-generational farmer based in Njarakkal a beachside village in the Ernakulam district of Kerala.
Some of the trees planted on this family plantation are close to 75 years old, growing amongst betel nut trees and pepper vines.
Pollachi, Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, India
We are also working with a farmer-producer organisation in Tamil Nadu that currently has close to 70 farmers concentrating mainly on nutmeg and mace cultivation.
Harvesting Season
Although the nutmeg tree can bear flowers and fruits throughout the year, the peak harvesting season in the southern states of India starts in May and can go on till September depending on which state the plantation is located in.
Varieties of Indian Nutmeg & Mace
Popular varieties of Nutmeg and Mace in India include Konkan Sugantha, Konkan Swad, Konkan Shrimathi, Vishwashree, Kadukanmackel, Nova, Kallingal, and Keralashree.
Each variety would have a different plant growth pattern, size, and shape of nuts, and the oil content and oleoresins available for extraction from the seed and the rail it produces.
Grades of Indian Nutmeg
Whole Nutmegs are traded by their size i.e. the number of Nutmegs per pound or per kg.
There are two grades of Indian Nutmeg, AB and ABCD, with AB grade with a Nutmeg count of 200-215 pieces per kg and the ABCD grade with a Nutmeg count of 250-260 pieces per kg.
There are also some other grades of Nutmegs that have even higher count per kg, approximately 300-350 pieces or seeds per kg, these are referred to as Pooja and Tiger Grades.
Although sizes are the main factor for grading Nutmeg seeds, it is not true that bigger is always better. If these seeds are analysed in a laboratory, the levels of essential oils and oleoresins in both seeds should be the same.
All the above grades can be supplied either with or without shells.
| Grade | Count | Moisture | Aflatoxin | Broken |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | 200-215 pieces | 10-12% | 10-12% PPB | 2-3% |
| ABCD | 250-260 pieces | 10-15% | 10-15% PPB | 2-3% |
| Pooja/Tiger | 300-360 pieces | 10-15% | 10-15% PPB | 2-3% |
* The specifications provided above are approximate only and may vary based on the lot.
Grades of Indian Mace
As per AGMARK, the government organisation responsible for the grading of agricultural products in India, Mace is graded in two formats i.e. Whole (Blades) & Powdered.
Whole Mace
| Grade | Inorganic Extraneous Matter Percent By Mass (max) | Organic Extraneous Matter Percent By Mass (max) | Insect Damage Percent By Mass (max) | Moisture Content (max) | Volatile Oil Content ml/100 gm (max) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 0.5 | 1.5 | 3 | 12 | 11 |
* The specifications provided above are approximate only and may vary based on the lot.
Powdered Mace
| Grade | Moisture Content Percent by Mass (max) | Total Ash Percent by Mass on Dry Weight Basis (max) | Acid Insoluble Ash Percent by Mass on Dry Weight Basis (max) | Crude Fiber Percent by Mass on Dry Weight Basis (max) | Non Volatile Ether Extract Percent By Mass on Dry Weight Basis (min-max) | Volatile Oil ml/100 gm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | 10 | 2 | 0.5 | 8 | 22-30 | 15 |
| Grade 2 | 10 | 2.5 | 0.75 | 8.5 | 22-30 | 11 |
* The specifications provided above are approximate only and may vary based on the lot.