Cloves

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The word Clove is derived from the word clou which means nail. It is aromatic flower of the flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae. It is used as spice in cuisine all over the world. It originates from India. Clove tree is a evergreen tree whose height ranges from 10-20 m. Apart from being used in cuisine, natural clove is also used in other industries for its medicinal use and therapeutic value.

Indian Name: Laung
Botanical Name: Syzygium aromaticum, Eugenia aromaticum
Family Name: Myrtaceae
Parts Used: Flower bud
Habitat: Indonesia

Origin
Clove is a native of Indonesia. Clove spice is also grown in Zanzibar, Indonesia and Madagascar; it is also grown in India, and Sri Lanka. According to FAO, Indonesia leads the world in clove production. Nearly 80% of the clove of thew world is produced by Indonesia followed by Madagascar and Tanzania.

Chemical Composition
Clove spice contains essential oil upto 15%. The oil constituents are eugenol, eugenol acetate and ß-caryophyllene. Clove also consists of triterpene oleanolic acid and beta caryophyllene.

Natural Clove Description
Natural Clove is a small reddish brown flower bud of the tropical evergreen tree Syzygium aromaticum. The tree reaches the height of 14 m. The bark of the tree is gray whereas the leaves are dark green and have shiny appearance. The leaves of the tree are elliptical and are very fragrant. At the end of the branches small crimson flowers grow in triple clusters. Harvesting and curing is done in dry seasons. The cluster of the clove is picked by hand and then they are dried.

Cultivation
Clove seed are planted after prorogation, in shaded areas. It is only at the fifth year that the flowering takes place. The average yield of the plant is around 34 kg of dried buds. In the late summer and again in the winter, the buds are hand-picked and then sun-dried. Zanzibar in Tanzania, is the world's largest producer of cloves. Other major producers are Madagascar and Indonesia.The length of the clove vary between 1/2 to 3/4 inch.

History of Clove
Natural Clove is frequently mentioned in Chinese record of 2nd century B.C. As per tradition the officials had to chew clove while talking to the king. Natural Clove was widely grown in Indonesia since many centuries thereby earning it a name of spice Island. Ancient Romans too used Cloves. Clove reached Europe in the fourth century through Arabs.

In the middle ages the monopoly of the Arabs over spice remained intact but this monopoly was finally broken by the Portuguese. The Portuguese virtually controlled all the spice resource of India and the South East Asia. Eighteenth century saw many wars between Dutch, Portuguese, English and French to get hold over this spice trade.

Trade in Cloves
1.Global Scenario
Indonesia is the largest producer of cloves, followed by Madagascar, Zanzibar, India and Srilanka. Tanzania is another major producer of cloves contributing approximately 60% to the total world production. Cloves are also being traded in the international circuit for its derivatives including essential and oleoresins. The worldwide clove market has been stagnant for the past few years. according to statistics, ihe global production of the spice has decreased by 12% and also the productivity of the spice has also gone down by 4%.

2.Indian Scenario
Southern Region in India is known to produce large quantities of cloves, most of which is domestically consumed. Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu are the major cloves producing states. Farmers are using advanced technology for quality and consistent supply.

Uses
1.Culinary Uses
Cloves are frequently used in dishes to impart its distinctive flavor. Since the aroma is strong hence only little is required to be used. They are generally used to "stud" hams and pork,. They are also frequently used in various North and South Indian dishes. In number of spice mixtures like ras el hanout, curry powders, mulling spices and pickling spices, cloves are utilized.

2.Medicinal Use
According to traditional herbalist cloves are beneficial in the following problems:

• Treats indigestion

• Diarrhea

• Hernia

• Ringworm

• Athlete's foot and other fungal infections.

• Respiratory.

• Used in anti-gout

• Relieves toothache.

• Helpful in insomnia and Curbs the desire for alcohol

3.Other
Some of the other uses of Cloves are:

• It is widely used for food flavoring and aroma in a variety of cuisines, used in confectionery and other products

• Personal Hygiene products: Widely used in toothpastes, mouthwash and tooth powders.

• Flavoring Industry

• Perfumery

• Cosmetics

• Toiletries

Nutrient Chart Of Clove

Cloves Known In Different Languages