Turmeric is the boiled, dried, cleaned and polished rhizomes of Curcuma Longa. Turmeric has been grown in India since ancient times. Turmeric was probably cultivated at first as a dye, and then became valued as a condiment as well as for cosmetic purpose.

Turmeric is used to flavor and to color foodstuffs. It is principal ingredient in curry powder. Turmeric oleoresin is used in brine pickles and to some extent in mayonnaise and relish formulations, non-alcoholic beverages, gelatins, butter and cheese etc.

The color curcumin extracted from turmeric is used as a colorant. Turmeric is also used a s a dye in textile industry. It is used in the preparation of medicinal oils, ointments and poultice. It is stomachic, carminative, tonic, blood purifier and an antiseptic. It is used in cosmetic. The aqueous extracts have bio pesticidal properties.

• Turmeric is used to flavour and to colour foodstuffs.
• There are 7 to 12 leaves, the leaf sheaths forms the pseudo stem. The lamina is green above and pale green below and has a length of 30-40 cm and width 8-12 cm.
• Turmeric is the boiled, dried, cleaned and polished rhizomes of Curcuma longa. The plant is a herbaceous perennial, 60-90 cm high, with a short stem and tufted leaf
• Inflorescence is a central spike of 10-15 cm length. 1-4 flowers are born in axil of the bract opening one at a time.
• It is used in cosmetics