And researchers meet
On another front, in a major effort to link academia and industry through cinnamon, Prof. Ranil de Silva organised a meeting of minds on Thursday, in collaboration with the Director of Agriculture of the Export Development Board, Malani Baddegamage.
With academics cum researchers from the Sri Jayewardenepura and Kelaniya Universities sitting down with Ceylon Cinnamon exporters, the discussions ranged from quality to branding to value-addition. team has won a competitive research grant to the value of Rs. 27.7 million to study the ‘Potential protective roles of Ceylon Cinnamon in health, leading to product development’ from the Primary Industries Ministry.
From across the seas, international collaboration and funding are being extended by Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), the 7th innovation centre in the world, along with India’s Department of Bio Technology (DBT) under the Science and Technology Ministry; the European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON); America’s George Washington University; Sweden’s Gothenburg University; and Australia’s Queensland University of Technology.
Pointing out that Sri Lanka is the only country exporting authentic cinnamon, Prof. de Silva reiterates, however, that there is no significant value-addition to cinnamon products manufactured at grassroots level. The popular export products are in the form of quills, with quality mainly being decided by importers to match their quality
Prof. de Silva points out although the largest true cinnamon exporter in the world is Sri Lanka, regrettably Ceylon Cinnamon exports are threatened by low-quality Cassia, a cheap substitute.
He informed the group about the major research project undertaken to support the manufacture of innovative herbal/natural products from Ceylon Cinnamon based on scientific evidence. It will enhance global marketability, while patents could also be obtained on value-added cinnamon products. standards. Thus the actual economic value of cinnamon cannot be evaluated.
Getting down to detail, he says that cinnamon is one of the oldest spices used in traditional medicine and while about 250 species have been identified so far, it is just four that are used to obtain the spice. True or Ceylon Cinnamon ( Cinnamomum verum or C. zeylanicum) is a small evergreen tree native to Sri Lanka which produces the highest-grade pure cinnamon, while the Chinese cassia cinnamon ( Cinnamomum cassia) is the other most widely available species.
With its distinctive flavour and aroma, cinnamon is not only used as a food ingredient in bakery products, Asian foods, desserts, spicy candies, hot cocoa, liqueurs and tea but also in pharmaceutical preparations and the cosmetic industry. It is a common ingredient in various products such as lipstick, toothpaste, mouthwash, chewing gum, soap, nasal sprays and cough syrups.
“Sri Lanka is the world's largest producer and exporter of pure cinnamon and pure Ceylon Cinnamon suppliers have around 70% of the global market-share,” says Prof. de Silva, adding, however, that export earnings from cinnamon have stagnated in recent years.
Ceylon Cinnamon is categorised into four major grades -- Alba, Continental, Mexican and Hamburg based on the diameter of the quill and the most expensive (Alba) quill has a six-mm diameter.
Prof. de Silva’s contention is that with value-additions, especially considering its potential health benefits, cinnamon could be exported in the form of oil, powder and tablets, bringing in more foreign exchange to the country.