Appearance |
Powdered, whole, or crushed depending on the spice |
Color |
Varies (e.g., red, brown, yellow, green, black) |
Texture |
Fine powder or coarse granules (depends on form) |
Moisture Content |
5% - 12% (depends on spice type) |
Density |
0.4 - 0.8 g/cm³ (varies by spice) |
Aroma |
Strong, characteristic of the specific spice |
Flavor |
Pungent, bitter, sweet, spicy, or sour (varies by spice) |
Particle Size |
Fine powder (ground) or whole/large pieces (whole spices) |
Volatile Oil Content |
1% - 5% (varies by type, e.g., clove has higher content) |
Solubility |
Insoluble in water (mostly) |
Ash Content |
3% - 7% (depending on spice) |
Acidity (pH) |
5.0 - 7.0 (generally neutral to slightly acidic) |
Antioxidant Activity |
Varies, typically high in compounds like curcumin, capsaicin |