Nutmeg oil

Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt.), belonging to the family Myristicaceae, is a spice seed from the fruit of a tropical. The nutmeg tree grows well in the tropical climate, and found on the continents of the America, Asia and Africa.

Nutmeg has a distinctive, pungent fragrance and a warm, slightly sweet taste; it is used to flavor many kinds of baked goods, confections, puddings, meats, sausages, sauces, vegetables, and some beverages such as eggnog. Nutmeg has aromatic, stimulant, narcotic, carminative, astringent, aphrodisiac, hypolipidaemic, antithrombotic, anti-platelet aggregation, antifungal, anti-dysenteric, and anti-inflammatory activities. The spice is used as a remedy for stomach ache, rheumatism, and vomiting during pregnancy.

Nutmeg contains a volatile oil, a fixed oil, proteins, fats, starch, and mucilage. The fixed oil contains myristin and myristic acid. Nutmeg yields 5–15% of volatile oil. The main component of nutmeg essential oil was a hydrocarbon monoterpene (61-88% as α-pinene, β-pinene, sabinene) monoterpenes acid (5-15%), and aromatic ether (2-18% such as myristicin, elemicin, safrole). Nutmeg oil has 37 components and 31.3% was terpinen-4-ol, reported that nutmeg oil has antifungal activity.

Because of its aroma, nutmeg’s essential oil has been used as a natural flavoring extract and as a perfume in the cosmetic industries. In particular, the oil has been used as a flavoring agent, replacing ground nutmeg in order to avoid leaving particles in foods and beverages.

Nutmeg oil is also known for other properties, such as insecticide, fungicide, and antibacterial. In this case, nutmeg essential oil is considered to be a promising biopreservative.
Nutmeg oil

Nutmeg as a food flavor

Nutmeg, which is an apricot-like fruit of an evergreen tree up to 20 m high with grayish brown smooth bark, dense foliage and small dull-yellow flowers, is cultivated in Madagascar, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the West Indies.

Nutmeg contains about 6% protein, 35% fat, nearly 50% carbohydrates and 4% crude fiber.

The main fatty acid of the fat is myristic acid, a 14-cabron saturated fatty acid. About 75% of the triglycerides are trimyristin.

Most active ingredients of the nutmeg flavor are sabinene, alpha-pinene, beta-pinene and myristicin. It is pale yellow liquid with a pleasant, warm, spicy, aromatic odor.

Having plenty of saturated glycerides, the fat of nutmeg is a semisolid product which, because of its consistency is popularly called nutmeg butter. Nutmeg bitter contains saturated fats 90% and unsaturated fats 10 percent.

The flavor of nutmeg is sweet, with a warm, spicy undertone. It is used to season both sweet and salty foods.

Nutmeg is an excellent in baked pastries, sweet roll doughs, puddings, sauces, curries, processed meat and vegetables.

Nutmeg is an ingredient in liquors, mulled wine, and various other beverages. Nutmeg goes particular well with milk products.
Nutmeg as a food flavor