Crops Caraway (Carum carvi)

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Common Name	CARAWAY
Latin binomial	Carum carvi Spp.
Plant family	Apiaceae
Names in other languages	carvi (F), kummel (D), alcaravea (E)

Caraway seed has been a popular and widely-used spice for several thousand years. The plant is native to the Mediterranean regions of Europe, Asia and North Africa, and is additionally cultivated in Northern Europe, Russia and the USA, though for many years the Netherlands has been the main supplier in world trade, with up to 10,000 ha under cultivation. The seeds are used for spicing a wide variety of bakery products, cooked meats, salads, pickles and drinks: the characteristic flavour of caraway derives from the essential oil, which is extracted from small channels within the seeds. This oil is valued in pharmacology as an antispasmodic and carminative; it is used in perfumery and also in preparations such as gargles and mouthwashes, having some antibacterial properties. More recently it has been discovered that the largest constituent of the oil, carvone, has potential uses as an insect repellent, as a suppressant of sprouting in stored potatoes, and for inhibiting the growth of some fungi.

This entry forms part of the publication Crops for Industry and Energy in Europe

References:

Bremness, L (1988) The Complete Book of Herbs. London: Dorling Kindersley & National Trust.

Chisholm, C J (Ed) (1994) Towards a UK Research Strategy for Alternative Crops. Silsoe: Silsoe Research Institute.

Hornok, L (Ed) (1992) Cultivation and Processing of Medicinal Plants. University of Horticultural Sciences, Budapest. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.

Rosengarten, F (1969) The Book of Spices. Wynnewood: Livingston Publishing Co.

Sauer, J D (1994) Historical Geography of Crop Plants: a Select Roster. Boca Raton: CRC Press.