Antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of dried cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.), caraway (Carum carvi L.) and turmeric powder (Curcuma longa L.)

The process of oxidation is vital for energy metabolism but it is also coupled with the production of oxygen free radicals (OFRs). The excessive production of OFRs results in oxidative stress and such conditions demand the supplementation of antioxidants. The bioactive components present in common spices and condiments are of imperative significance as they scavenge OFRs along with acting as antimicrobial agents. The current study aimed to explore the antimicrobial and antioxidant potential of dried cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.), caraway (Carum carvi L.) and turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) powders. The results elaborated the importance of aforementioned spices as they all contain significant amounts of cruder protein, crude fats, fiber and carbohydrates. Cumin seeds contain the highest amounts of fats, while appreciable amounts of carbohydrates were observed in turmeric (43.87 ± 1.41). Vitamin C was present in turmeric and caraway seeds. The results regarding minerals indicated that the cumin contains appreciable quantities of calcium, magnesium, sodium and iron. The results regarding antioxidant potential indicated that the maximum total polyphenol was present in caraway seeds (1016.72 ± 63.68 mg GAE/100 g) that can also be correlated with higher DPPH and β-carotene inhibition activities (57.71 ± 0.77 and 47.65 ± 0.74%, respectively). The caraway seeds were more effective antimicrobial agent as compared to cumin and turmeric. Overall, the results indicated the potential of dried condiments as natural antioxidants and antimicrobial agent.