Myristica fragrans Houtt. · Family: Myristicaceae · Dried Aril
Mace is the lacy aril that wraps the nutmeg seed — one fruit, two spices, and mace is the expensive one. That price gap is exactly why Bombay mace, a different Myristica species, turns up as a substitute. It is distinguishable in whole blades and effectively invisible in powder, so we verify the species.
One fruit, two spices — and one substitution to watch
The nutmeg fruit yields two commercial spices. Inside is the seed, dried and sold as nutmeg. Wrapped around it is a bright red, lacy membrane — the aril — which is removed, flattened and dried to become mace. They share a botanical source and very little else: mace is finer, more delicate and more floral, with a higher volatile oil content, and it typically commands a substantial premium over nutmeg.
Grading runs primarily on colour and blade integrity. Fresh, well-dried mace is a bright orange-red; it pales toward yellow and buff with age, heat and poor storage. Grade 1 is intact lacy blades at bright orange-red with minimum 12% volatile oil; Grade 2 is paler with broken blades acceptable at minimum 10%; broken and processed material sits at minimum 8% and goes mainly to grinding and oleoresin extraction.
The risk worth naming is substitution. Bombay mace — the aril of Myristica malabarica, a different species — is visually comparable, materially cheaper and aromatically much weaker. In whole blades an experienced grader can tell the difference: true mace blades are broader, more lacy and more orange-red, while Bombay mace is narrower, flatter and duller. In powder the difference effectively disappears. Given the price gap between mace and nutmeg, the incentive is obvious, which is why we verify the botanical species rather than assume it.
The third control is inherited from nutmeg: aflatoxin. Mace comes from the same fruit, the same growing conditions and the same drying chain, and it carries the same mycotoxin exposure. We test per lot.
On origin: as with nutmeg, India grows in Kerala but Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Grenada dominate world supply. We state raw-material origin per lot.
What is in the aril
Dominant terpenes in mace's volatile oil, giving the fresh, piney-woody top note that reads lighter than nutmeg's.
The characteristic aromatic ether shared with nutmeg, contributing the warm, sweet-aromatic depth.
Minimum 12% on Grade 1 — higher than nutmeg's 10% on ABCD, and the reason mace reads more intensely aromatic at lower inclusion.
A minor aromatic ether; part of the GC fingerprint and relevant where a market limits these constituents in flavourings.
Behind the bright orange-red of fresh mace. They degrade with age, heat and light — which is why colour is a freshness indicator, not just a cosmetic grade.
Bombay mace (M. malabarica) is a cheaper, weaker aril from a different species. Verified against, per lot.
Why buyers specify mace on species and colour
Confirmed as Myristica fragrans, not M. malabarica — the substitution powder conceals.
Minimum 12% on Grade 1, higher than nutmeg. Declared rather than inferred from a grade name.
Bright orange-red means fresh, well-dried carotenoid pigment. Pale yellow means age, heat or poor storage.
Same fruit, same drying chain and the same mycotoxin exposure as nutmeg. Tested per lot, not per contract.
Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Grenada dominate world supply. We state raw-material origin rather than implying Indian cultivation.
Whole blades where verification matters, or ground to a buyer-specified mesh under the same testing regime.
These are functional and physico-chemical properties of the actives; SV Botanica does not make medical or therapeutic claims for this ingredient.
Colour, blade integrity and form
| Grade | Standardisation | Form | Best For | Solubility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole Blades — Grade 1 Premium | Bright orange-red; volatile oil min 12%; extraneous NMT 0.5% | Intact lacy blades | Premium retail, gourmet, whole-spice | Whole blade |
| Whole Blades — Grade 2 Commercial | Pale yellow to orange; volatile oil min 10%; extraneous NMT 1% | Broken blades acceptable | Food manufacturing, blending | Whole blade |
| Broken / Processed Economy | Volatile oil min 8%; extraneous NMT 2% | Irregular broken pieces | Oleoresin production, grinding | Broken |
| Ground Mace Powder Ground | 40–60 mesh; volatile oil min 7%; total ash NMT 3% | Pale yellow to buff powder | Seasonings, bakery, food manufacturing | Ground |
| Extraction Grade Feedstock | Specified on volatile oil rather than colour or blade integrity | Broken or whole | Mace oleoresin and oil production | Broken / whole |
Colour on mace is a freshness signal, not just a cosmetic tier. The bright orange-red of Grade 1 comes from carotenoid pigments that degrade with age, heat and light, so a pale yellow blade is usually telling you something about storage and drying rather than about the tree it came from — and the volatile oil ladder tracks it, from 12% down to 8%. Buy whole blades where you can. Whole material lets a grader confirm both the colour and, more importantly, the species: Bombay mace (Myristica malabarica) is a cheaper, weaker aril from a different species whose narrower, flatter, duller blades are distinguishable in whole form and effectively invisible once ground. For extracted forms see nutmeg oleoresin.
Export specification for mace, whole blades and ground. Values are specification limits and typical grade ranges; a batch-specific CoA is issued per shipment.
| Parameter | Specification / Limit | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Botanical Source | Myristica fragrans Houtt. | — |
| Plant Family | Myristicaceae | — |
| Part Used | Dried aril | — |
| Country of Origin | India | — |
| Form | Whole blades or ground | — |
| Colour | Bright orange-red (Grade 1) to pale yellow (Grade 2) | Organoleptic |
| Odour & Taste | Characteristic — warm, delicate, more floral than nutmeg | Organoleptic |
| Botanical Species | Myristica fragrans verified — not M. malabarica (Bombay mace) | Botanical / GC profile |
| Volatile Oil (% v/w) | Min 7–12 by grade — declared per lot | Distillation |
| Aflatoxin | Total NMT 10 ppb; B1 NMT 5 ppb — tested per lot | HPLC-FLD |
| Blade Integrity | Intact (Grade 1); broken acceptable (Grade 2) | Manual |
| Raw Material Origin | Stated per lot | Declaration |
| Moisture (% w/w) | NMT 10 | Gravimetric |
| Total Ash (% w/w) | NMT 3 | Gravimetric |
| Extraneous / Foreign Matter (%) | NMT 1.0 (NMT 0.5 on Grade 1) | Manual |
| Part Declaration | Aril only — nutmeg (seed) quoted separately | Declaration |
| Mesh (ground) | 40–60 or 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 |
| Ochratoxin A | NMT 10 ppb | HPLC-FLD |
| Heavy Metals | Lead NMT 3 ppm, Cadmium NMT 0.2 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 | 0908.21 (Whole); 0908.22 (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 | — |
The species row is the one that earns its place on this specification. Mace commands a substantial premium over nutmeg despite coming from the same fruit, and wherever a price gap like that exists a cheaper look-alike follows. Bombay mace — the aril of Myristica malabarica, a different species — is visually comparable, materially cheaper and aromatically much weaker. In whole blades an experienced grader can separate them: true mace is broader, lacier and more orange-red, Bombay mace narrower, flatter and duller. In ground form the distinction effectively disappears, which is precisely why powder is the riskier purchase and why we verify the botanical species rather than assume it. The second control is colour, which on mace is a genuine freshness indicator rather than a cosmetic preference: the orange-red comes from carotenoid pigments that degrade with age, heat and light, and the volatile oil ladder tracks the colour ladder. The third is aflatoxin, inherited from the same fruit, growing conditions and drying chain as nutmeg — tested per lot, not per contract. And the part declaration keeps aril and seed distinct: they are separate spices at separate prices and are never blended. Pesticide MRL is tested per lot.
From aril to certified consignment — verified, graded, documented
Sourcing & Grading: Raw-material origin is recorded at intake and stated on the certificate — India grows in Kerala, while Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Grenada dominate world supply. Blades are graded on colour and integrity, and the botanical species is verified as Myristica fragrans rather than the cheaper M. malabarica.
Testing: Every lot carries a volatile oil figure and is tested for aflatoxin against EU limits. Pesticide residues are tested per lot against EU MRL limits, alongside ochratoxin A, heavy metals by ICP-MS and a full microbiological panel. Non-irradiation and non-ETO declarations are standard, with steam sterilisation available where a tight microbiological specification applies.
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 Mace spice
Key information for global product registration and labelling
Mace sells at a substantial premium to nutmeg despite coming from the same fruit, and wherever a price gap of that size exists, a cheaper look-alike follows it into the market. Bombay mace is the aril of Myristica malabarica, a different species, and it is materially cheaper and aromatically much weaker than true mace. The practical position is worth stating precisely, because it determines what you should buy. In whole blades the two are distinguishable by an experienced grader: true mace blades are broader, lacier and more orange-red, while Bombay mace blades are narrower, flatter and duller. In ground form the distinction effectively disappears — colour can be matched, texture tells you nothing, and only analysis separates them. That makes ground mace the riskier purchase from an unverified source, and it is the reason we verify the botanical species per lot and would encourage buyers to take whole blades wherever the application allows. Where you need powder, the verification should sit with the supplier who saw the whole material, not with you after it arrives.
Mace shares the growing conditions, harvest handling and drying chain of nutmeg, and it carries the same mycotoxin exposure. Nutmeg has a long record of EU border rejections on aflatoxin, and buyers who apply a tight mycotoxin specification to their nutmeg but treat mace as an afterthought have left a gap in the same programme. We test every lot against EU aflatoxin limits rather than relying on a certificate covering an earlier consignment, since border sampling tests what is in front of it. Buyers should also confirm whether mace from their intended origin currently sits on any increased-controls listing, as those are revised periodically and determine sampling frequency on arrival.
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 registered, Spices Board and APEDA registered exporter. Raw-material origin is stated per lot; botanical species is verified and aflatoxin tested 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 mace, nutmeg and sourcing
Two spices from one fruit — how they differ, and the substitution to watch.
QualitySubstitution routes across the Myristica spices and what catches them.
RegulatoryResidue limits, per-lot testing and what stops consignments at the border.
RegulatoryDocumentation, controls and border expectations for Indian spices.
Related products from our range
Technical and commercial questions answered by our ingredients team
Grade 1 and Grade 2 whole blades or ground, with the botanical species verified, volatile oil declared, aflatoxin tested per lot and origin stated. Tell us whether you need whole blades or powder.
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.