Myristica fragrans Houtt. · Family: Myristicaceae · Kernel Oleoresin
Nutmeg carries myristicin, and that single constituent is the reason a safety reviewer will look twice at any nutmeg-containing formulation. We declare it by GC on every batch — a figure most nutmeg certificates simply do not carry — alongside volatile oil and the kernel part declaration.
The constituent that decides how a safety reviewer treats your formulation
Nutmeg oleoresin is the solvent-extracted concentrate of Myristica fragrans kernel, carrying the warm, sweet, faintly woody character used across bakery, dairy, processed meat and beverage applications. It disperses evenly where ground nutmeg settles, and it holds a defined specification where ground spice drifts.
The consideration that sets nutmeg apart from the other warm spices is myristicin — an alkenylbenzene naturally present in the kernel, alongside smaller amounts of elemicin and safrole. These compounds have attracted regulatory and toxicological attention, and nutmeg's psychoactive effects at large doses are attributed largely to myristicin.
At the inclusion levels used in food this is a well-established, long-consumed spice, and nothing here suggests otherwise. But the practical point for a buyer is that a safety reviewer assessing a nutmeg-containing product will ask for the myristicin figure, and most nutmeg oleoresin certificates do not carry one. That turns a routine review into a delay.
We declare myristicin by GC on every batch, report volatile oil, and state the part — kernel, with mace quoted separately, since the two parts of the same fruit differ in profile and price.
What is in nutmeg kernel
The alkenylbenzene characteristic of nutmeg and the constituent a safety review will focus on. Declared by GC per batch rather than left unreported.
Related alkenylbenzenes present at lower levels; reported on request where a regulatory review requires the fuller picture.
A major monoterpene of nutmeg volatile oil, contributing the fresh, slightly piney top note.
Supporting terpenes contributing to the characteristic aroma profile.
Collectively the aroma, declared per batch as on any aroma-led spice.
Mace is the aril surrounding the same seed — a related but distinct material with its own profile and price, quoted separately.
Why formulators specify a myristicin-declared nutmeg oleoresin
The figure a safety reviewer will ask for, present on the certificate rather than requested afterwards as a special test.
Two products come from the same fruit. The part declaration keeps them distinct in specification and price.
Reported per batch, since aroma is the commercial value on a spice with no pungent principle.
Indonesia and Grenada dominate world nutmeg; India grows it in Kerala. We state raw-material origin rather than implying otherwise.
Solvent named and tested every batch — the defining control on any solvent-extracted product.
Disperses uniformly where ground nutmeg separates, with far more aroma per kilo.
These are functional and physico-chemical properties of the actives; SV Botanica does not make medical or therapeutic claims for this ingredient.
Volatile oil grades and dispersible forms
| Grade | Standardisation | Form | Best For | Solubility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nutmeg Oleoresin (Standard) Standard | Volatile oil declared; myristicin by GC | Amber to brown viscous liquid | Bakery, dairy, processed meat, sauces | Oil-soluble |
| Nutmeg Oleoresin (High Volatile) Aroma-led | Elevated volatile oil; myristicin declared | Amber viscous liquid | Flavour-critical applications, low inclusion | Oil-soluble |
| Nutmeg Oleoresin Dispersible Dispersible | Plated or emulsified; myristicin declared | Free-flowing powder | Dry seasoning blends, bakery premixes | Dispersible |
| Mace Oleoresin Quoted separately | Aril of the same fruit — different product | Orange-amber viscous liquid | Delicate applications, premium seasoning | Oil-soluble |
| Nutmeg Essential Oil Quoted separately | Distilled volatile fraction only | Colourless to pale yellow mobile liquid | Flavour and fragrance applications | Oil-soluble |
Myristicin is declared on every grade, because the figure is needed for a finished-product safety assessment regardless of which grade is bought, and requesting it as a one-off test later delays reviews. Mace — the lacy red aril surrounding the same seed — is a distinct product with a more delicate profile and a higher price, and is quoted separately rather than treated as a nutmeg variant. Where a grade is standardised with a carrier, the carrier and inclusion level are named. Raw-material origin is stated per batch.
Full product specification for Nutmeg Oleoresin, standard grade. Values are specification limits, not batch results; a batch-specific CoA is issued per shipment.
| Parameter | Specification / Limit | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Botanical Source | Myristica fragrans Houtt. | — |
| Plant Family | Myristicaceae | — |
| Part Used | Dried kernel (seed) | — |
| Country of Origin | India | — |
| Appearance | Viscous liquid | Organoleptic |
| Colour | Amber to brown* | Organoleptic |
| Odour & Taste | Characteristic of nutmeg, warm and sweet | Organoleptic |
| Myristicin | Declared per batch | By GC / GC-MS |
| Elemicin / Safrole | Reported on request | By GC-MS |
| Volatile Oil (% v/w) | Declared per batch | Distillation |
| Part Used | Kernel only — mace excluded | Declaration |
| Raw Material Origin | Stated per batch | Declaration |
| Solubility | Oil-soluble; dispersible grade available | — |
| Carrier / Diluent | Declared with inclusion level (standardised grades) | Declaration |
| Moisture (% w/w) | NMT 1.0 | Karl Fischer |
| Residual Solvent | Solvent named; within permitted limits — every batch | By GC |
| Lead (ppm) | NMT 1.0 | ICP-MS |
| Arsenic (ppm) | NMT 1.0 | ICP-MS |
| Cadmium (ppm) | NMT 0.3 | ICP-MS |
| Mercury (ppm) | NMT 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Pesticide Residues | Complies (EU MRL, on request) | GC-MS / LC-MS/MS |
| Ethylene Oxide (ETO) | Not treated — declaration provided | LC-MS/MS (on request) |
| Aflatoxins B1 / Total (ppb) | NMT 2 / NMT 4 | HPLC-FLD |
| Ochratoxin A (ppb) | NMT 10 | HPLC-FLD |
| Total Plate Count (cfu/g) | NMT 10,000 | USP <2021> |
| Yeast & Moulds (cfu/g) | NMT 100 | USP <2021> |
| Escherichia coli | Absent | USP <2022> |
| Salmonella sp. | Absent | USP <2022> |
| HS Code | 3301.90 | — |
| Kosher / Halal | Certified (on request) | Certification |
| Shelf Life | 24 months from date of manufacture, in original packed condition | — |
| Storage | Cool, dark place below 25°C, tightly closed, protected from light | — |
*Colour varies with grade and concentration. The myristicin line is the one that distinguishes this certificate from most nutmeg documentation. Myristicin is an alkenylbenzene naturally present in nutmeg kernel, alongside smaller amounts of elemicin and safrole, and these constituents have attracted regulatory and toxicological attention — nutmeg's well-documented effects at large doses are attributed largely to myristicin. At culinary inclusion levels nutmeg is a long-established food spice and nothing here changes that. What changes is the ease of your regulatory review: a safety assessor evaluating a nutmeg-containing product will ask for the myristicin figure, and a certificate that omits it turns a routine sign-off into a delay and a special test request. We declare it by GC on every batch, with elemicin and safrole available on request. Note also the part declaration: mace is the aril of the same fruit, a different material with its own profile and price. Residual solvent is named and tested by GC every batch.
From kernel to declared oleoresin — myristicin-tested, part-controlled, documented
Raw Material: Produced from Myristica fragrans kernel with origin recorded at intake and stated on the certificate. India grows nutmeg in Kerala, but Indonesia and Grenada dominate world production, and Indian oleoresin is frequently extracted from imported kernel — we state which rather than allowing an India-grown assumption to stand.
Extraction & Testing: Extraction is carried out at certified facilities in India. Each batch is assayed for myristicin by GC, with elemicin and safrole available on request, and volatile oil by distillation. Residual solvent is tested by GC against the named solvent. Contaminant testing covers moisture, heavy metals by ICP-MS, aflatoxins and ochratoxin A, pesticide residue screening and a full microbiological panel.
Documentation: Every shipment ships against a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis stating the marker assay, volatile oil where applicable, the solvent used and its residual level, and carrier with inclusion level where applicable, together with an MSDS. Halal, Kosher and Organic certification are available — see our guides on EU pesticide MRL compliance and EU import requirements.
What backs every batch of Nutmeg Oleoresin oleoresin
Key information for global product registration and labelling
Nutmeg contains myristicin, an alkenylbenzene, along with smaller amounts of elemicin and safrole. These constituents have been the subject of regulatory and toxicological attention, and nutmeg's documented effects at large doses are attributed largely to myristicin. None of this makes nutmeg problematic as a culinary spice — it has an extremely long history of food use at ordinary inclusion levels, and it remains a permitted and widely used ingredient. The practical issue is procedural: a safety assessor reviewing a nutmeg-containing formulation will want the myristicin figure, particularly where inclusion is high or the product is aimed at frequent consumption or at children. A certificate that omits it converts a routine review into a special test request and a delay. We declare myristicin by GC on every batch as standard, and can supply elemicin and safrole where the review requires the fuller picture. Determinations about your finished product remain with your regulatory and safety reviewer.
Nutmeg and mace come from the same fruit — the kernel is the seed, mace the lacy red aril surrounding it — but they are distinct commercial materials. Mace is more delicate in aroma, commands a higher price, and has its own profile. Neither is a substitute for the other, and a specification naming only "nutmeg" should be checked against what is actually intended. We supply kernel-derived oleoresin with mace excluded by declaration, and quote mace oleoresin separately.
Every oleoresin is a solvent-extracted product, which makes residual solvent its defining quality control rather than an afterthought. Permitted extraction solvents and their maximum residues are set by the destination market's rules and differ by solvent class. We name the solvent used on every certificate and test each batch by GC. Buyers should confirm the solvent is permitted for their market and application — a supplier who will not name it has made that check impossible. Where a specific solvent system is required, it can be specified at order.
Supplied from India by SV Botanica — FSSAI registered, Spices Board and APEDA registered exporter. Extraction is carried out in India; raw-material origin is stated per batch, since Indonesia and Grenada dominate world nutmeg production. Shipped against a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis with export documentation available on request. This product is supplied as a food ingredient and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Guides on nutmeg sourcing, standardisation and authenticity
How myristicin is assayed and why the figure belongs on the certificate.
Buyer's GuideParts, grades and what to require on the certificate.
QualitySubstitution routes on nutmeg and the controls that catch them.
SourcingWhere nutmeg comes from and how the trade routes work.
RegulatoryResidue limits and screening for India-origin ingredients.
RegulatoryDocumentation, controls and border expectations for Indian botanicals.
Other warm spices and oleoresins from our range
Technical and commercial questions answered by our ingredients team
Kernel-derived oleoresin with myristicin by GC, volatile oil and residual solvent declared per batch, and origin stated. Samples for qualified buyers.