Cinnamomum verum / Cinnamomum cassia · Family: Lauraceae · Dried Bark
Two different trees are sold as cinnamon, and one of them carries coumarin at levels that matter for compliance. We name the botanical species on every certificate and declare coumarin per lot — because on this commodity the species is not provenance detail, it is the specification.
Two trees, one name, and a compliance parameter between them
"Cinnamon" covers more than one species, and the difference is not academic. Cinnamomum verum — Ceylon or "true" cinnamon, from Sri Lanka — and the cassia group, principally C. cassia and C. burmannii from China, Vietnam and Indonesia, are both traded as cinnamon in most markets. Most of the world's cinnamon is cassia.
They differ in flavour: Ceylon is delicate, complex and layered, with meaningful eugenol; cassia is stronger, blunter and higher in cinnamaldehyde. They also differ physically — Ceylon quills are made of thin, papery layers rolled together and crumble easily, while cassia is a thick, hard, single-layer curl. That difference is visible in whole quills and disappears entirely in powder.
The consequential difference, though, is coumarin. Cassia carries it at markedly higher levels than Ceylon, and coumarin has attracted sustained regulatory attention in Europe, where maximum levels are set for certain foods and tolerable daily intake advice exists. For a product with meaningful cinnamon inclusion or frequent consumption, that makes species a compliance decision rather than a flavour preference.
We name the botanical species on every certificate and declare coumarin per lot, supply Ceylon in graded quills including C5 Special, and test EU MRL per lot.
What differs between the species
The dominant aroma compound in both species, source of the warm sweetness. Generally higher in cassia, which is why cassia reads stronger and blunter.
The critical differentiator. Markedly higher in cassia than Ceylon. Subject to EU maximum levels in certain foods, making it a compliance parameter rather than a flavour note.
Present at meaningful levels in Ceylon and much less so in cassia, contributing the clove-like warmth and greater complexity Ceylon is prized for.
Typically 1–2% in good bark; the aroma fraction, reported on request.
Ceylon quills are thin papery layers rolled together and crumble easily; cassia is a thick hard single-layer curl. Visible in quills, invisible in powder.
Ground cinnamon gives no visual clue to species — which is exactly why the certificate must name it.
Why buyers specify cinnamon by species
Ceylon or cassia, stated on the certificate. On this commodity the species determines both flavour and a regulatory parameter.
The compliance line. Cassia is markedly higher, and EU maximum levels apply in certain foods.
C5 Special and other quill grades where genuine Ceylon cinnamon is required.
Bark is the commercial part; leaf material is a different, eugenol-dominated product.
Per lot rather than per contract, because that is how border sampling works.
Ceylon originates in Sri Lanka and cassia in China, Vietnam and Indonesia. We state raw-material origin rather than implying Indian cultivation.
These are functional and physico-chemical properties of the actives; SV Botanica does not make medical or therapeutic claims for this ingredient.
Ceylon and cassia grades
| Grade | Standardisation | Form | Best For | Solubility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceylon Quills (C5 Special) Premium true cinnamon | C. verum; low coumarin; graded quill | Pale tan, thin papery layered quill | Premium retail, low-coumarin applications | Quill |
| Ceylon Quills (Other Grades) True cinnamon | C. verum; low coumarin; grade to specification | Pale tan layered quill | Food manufacturing where Ceylon is required | Quill |
| Cassia Sticks Standard cinnamon | C. cassia / C. burmannii; coumarin declared | Reddish brown thick hard curl | General culinary, beverages, bakery | Stick |
| Ceylon Powder Ground true cinnamon | C. verum ground; coumarin declared | Pale tan fine powder | Bakery, beverages, low-coumarin formulations | Ground |
| Cassia Powder Ground cassia | Ground; coumarin declared | Reddish brown powder | General food manufacturing, retail | Ground |
Specify the species, not just the spice. Ceylon (C. verum) and cassia are both sold as cinnamon and are not interchangeable: cassia is stronger and blunter and markedly higher in coumarin, Ceylon is more complex, carries meaningful eugenol, and is very much lower in coumarin. Where your product falls under EU coumarin maximum levels, or where inclusion is high or consumption frequent, Ceylon is the route rather than a processing fix. In whole quills the two are visually distinguishable — Ceylon is thin papery layers, cassia a thick hard curl — but in powder they are not, which is exactly why the certificate must name the species. We declare coumarin on every grade regardless of species.
Export specification for cinnamon bark. Species named per lot; values are specification limits and typical ranges.
| Parameter | Specification / Limit | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Botanical Source | Cinnamomum verum J.Presl or C. cassia (Nees) — named per lot | — |
| Plant Family | Lauraceae | — |
| Part Used | Dried inner bark | — |
| Country of Origin | India | — |
| Form | Quill, stick or ground | — |
| Colour | Pale tan (Ceylon) to reddish brown (cassia) | Organoleptic |
| Odour & Taste | Characteristic, warm and sweet | Organoleptic |
| Botanical Species | Ceylon (C. verum) or cassia — named on certificate | Declaration / GC profile |
| Coumarin | Declared per lot | By HPLC / GC |
| Volatile Oil (% v/w) | Typically 1–2 — reported on request | Distillation |
| Cinnamaldehyde | Reported on request | By GC |
| Quill Length / Grade | Buyer-specified (Ceylon graded quills) | Manual |
| Moisture (% w/w) | NMT 12 | Gravimetric |
| Total Ash (% w/w) | NMT 7 | Gravimetric |
| Acid Insoluble Ash (% w/w) | NMT 2 | Gravimetric |
| Extraneous / Foreign Matter (%) | NMT 1.0 | Manual |
| Mesh (ground) | Buyer-specified | Sieve |
| Pesticide Residues | EU Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 MRL compliant — tested per lot | GC-MS / LC-MS/MS |
| Aflatoxin | Total NMT 10 ppb; B1 NMT 5 ppb — EU compliant | HPLC-FLD |
| Heavy Metals | Lead NMT 3 ppm | ICP-MS |
| Microbial | Salmonella absent/25g; TPC NMT 100,000 cfu/g | USP <2021> / <2022> |
| Ethylene Oxide (ETO) | Not treated — declaration provided | LC-MS/MS (on request) |
| Irradiation | Non-irradiated grade available on request | Declaration |
| Organic | USDA NOP / EU Organic available | Certification |
| Kosher / Halal | Certified (on request) | Certification |
| HS Code | 0906.11 (Ceylon, whole); 0906.19 (Other, whole); 0906.20 (Crushed/ground) | — |
| Documentation | Phytosanitary Certificate, CoA, MSDS, Allergen Declaration, Non-GMO | — |
| Packaging | Buyer-specified — jute, PP, multi-wall paper or vacuum | — |
| Storage | Cool, dry, well-ventilated; away from direct sunlight and strong odours | — |
Two lines here are doing regulatory work. The first is the botanical species: Ceylon (Cinnamomum verum) and cassia (C. cassia, C. burmannii) are both traded as cinnamon and differ in flavour and, critically, in coumarin. The second is coumarin itself — naturally present at markedly higher levels in cassia, subject to maximum levels in certain foods in the EU, and the subject of tolerable daily intake advice following safety assessment. That makes coumarin a compliance parameter rather than a flavour note, and it belongs on the incoming specification for any product with meaningful cinnamon inclusion or frequent consumption — cinnamon-heavy bakery and beverage products being the usual cases. Note the practical trap: in whole quills the two species are visually distinguishable, Ceylon being thin papery rolled layers and cassia a thick hard curl, but in ground form they are not. Powder therefore depends entirely on supplier declaration and testing, which is why we name the species and declare coumarin on every lot regardless of grade. Pesticide MRL is tested per lot.
From bark to certified consignment — species-named, coumarin-tested, documented
Sourcing & Species Control: Ceylon material originates in Sri Lanka and cassia in China, Vietnam and Indonesia; we state raw-material origin rather than implying Indian cultivation. Species is established at intake and named on the certificate — a control that matters because the two are distinguishable in quill form but not once ground.
Testing: Every lot has coumarin declared by HPLC or GC and the species named, with cinnamaldehyde and volatile oil reported on request. Pesticide residues are tested per lot against EU MRL limits, alongside aflatoxin, heavy metals by ICP-MS and a full microbiological panel. Non-irradiation and non-ETO declarations are standard.
Documentation: Every shipment is supplied against a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis with Phytosanitary Certificate, MSDS, allergen and non-GMO declarations. Non-irradiation and non-ETO declarations are standard; organic, Halal and Kosher certification are available on request. See our guides on EU pesticide MRL compliance and EU import requirements.
What backs every batch of Cinnamon spice
Key information for global product registration and labelling
The defining regulatory consideration on cinnamon, and the reason we name species and declare coumarin on every lot. Coumarin occurs naturally in cassia at markedly higher levels than in Ceylon cinnamon, and it has been the subject of sustained regulatory attention in Europe: maximum levels are set for coumarin in certain foods under EU flavourings rules, and tolerable daily intake advice exists following safety assessment. The practical consequences are concrete. Products with high cinnamon inclusion or frequent consumption — cinnamon-heavy bakery, spiced beverages, supplements taken daily — need the coumarin figure to demonstrate compliance. Where limits bind, switching to Ceylon material is the route, since coumarin cannot practically be processed out of cassia. And a specification that does not name the species has not engaged with the question at all. We name the species and declare coumarin regardless of grade, so your regulatory reviewer always has the number.
A practical point worth building into purchasing procedure. In whole quill form the two species are visually distinguishable to a trained eye: Ceylon is built of thin, papery layers rolled together and crumbles easily; cassia is a thick, hard, single-layer curl that resists breaking. In ground form that distinction disappears entirely — powder gives no reliable visual clue to species. Buyers purchasing ground cinnamon are therefore relying wholly on supplier declaration and testing, which is a materially weaker position than buying quills. Where the species matters for compliance, buying quills and grinding on receipt is the more defensible route; where powder is necessary, require the species named and coumarin declared on each lot.
Whole spices from India face closer residue scrutiny than most agricultural imports, and pesticide MRL is where consignments are most often stopped. We test per lot rather than per contract against EU Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 limits, because a certificate covering an earlier lot does not help when the current one is sampled at the border. Buyers should also confirm whether their commodity and origin currently sit on any increased-controls listing, since those are revised periodically and determine sampling frequency on arrival. Ethylene oxide remains one of the most common reasons Indian spice consignments are refused in the EU: we supply a non-treatment declaration as standard and can test by LC-MS/MS on request.
Supplied from India by SV Botanica — FSSAI Central Licence holder, Spices Board and APEDA registered exporter. Ceylon material originates in Sri Lanka and cassia in China, Vietnam and Indonesia; raw-material origin is stated per lot. Shipped against a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis with Phytosanitary Certificate and full export documentation. Packing is buyer-specified, and container stuffing photographs are provided on request.
Guides on cinnamon species, coumarin and authenticity
Why the species determines a compliance parameter, and when Ceylon is the only route.
QualitySpecies substitution on cinnamon and the controls that detect it.
SourcingOrigins, species availability and what drives raw-material quality.
Buyer's GuideSpecies, grades and what to require on the certificate.
RegulatoryResidue limits, per-lot testing and what stops consignments at the border.
RegulatoryDocumentation, controls and border expectations for Indian spices.
Other bark and warm spices from our range
Technical and commercial questions answered by our ingredients team
Ceylon C5 Special quills and cassia sticks or powder, with the botanical species named and coumarin declared on every lot. Tell us your coumarin limit and we will quote the right species.
Supplied as a bulk ingredient for further manufacture. Buyers are responsible for compliance with the regulations of their destination market. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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