What are cumin seeds?
Cumin seeds are the harvested, threshed and cleaned dried seeds of Cuminum cyminum. The long, slender, brownish-grey seeds contain 2.5–4% volatile oil. Because they keep their aroma far longer than the ground form, they are preferred by spice processors, meat plants and companies with their own mills. The main producing countries are Türkiye, India, Syria and Iran.
Grading and cleanliness
Raw cumin contains stems, soil, stones and foreign seeds. After machine cleaning (sieves, aspirators, destoners, colour sorters) purity rises to 99% and above; the terms "machine cleaned", "sieved" and "colour sorted" indicate the cleanliness level. Some suppliers wash and re-dry the seed to lower the microbial load; steam-treated grades are also available.
Applications
Spice milling and blend production, roasted cumin, fermented sausage and meat products (whole seed use), bread, bagel and cracker toppings, cheese and pickles, retail spice packing. Roasted cumin gives a softer, nutty aroma in hummus, rice and ready-meal mixes.
Technical properties and quality criteria
Check purity (≥ 99%), volatile oil (≥ 2.5%), moisture (≤ 9%), foreign matter (≤ 1%), total and acid-insoluble ash, broken seeds, insect damage, microbiological values and pesticide and aflatoxin residues. Admixture of look-alike seeds such as caraway (Carum carvi) is a botanical purity issue linked to supplier reliability.
Processing notes: milling and roasting
Metal detection, sieving and, if possible, colour sorting are recommended before milling. Low-temperature or cryogenic milling limits volatile oil loss; the ground product should be sealed immediately. Roasting is done briefly at 120–150 °C; over-roasting creates bitterness and dark colour.
Wholesale sourcing: price and minimum order
The wholesale price of cumin seeds depends on harvest season and crop size, origin, cleanliness, volatile oil and order quantity. The typical minimum order is one pallet (500 kg); big bags are considered for large volumes. PERDIST compares sources against your target specification and provides a written quotation with documents.
Frequently asked questions
Need current pricing, minimum order, origin or technical documents for this ingredient? Tell us the application and monthly quantity; we reply with a written quotation within one business day.