Botanical Name - Cuminum cyminum Category - Spices Form - Dry Part Used - Seeds General Information - Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) is an aromatic herb (Figure 50.1) of the Apicaceae family, and its dried seeds are used as a spice. In India it is commonly known as cumin or zeera, and is called kummel, comino, zirech-e sabz, cumino, kemon, zira, and kamun in various other parts of the world. It is native to India, Iran, the Mediterranean, and Egypt. Cumin is a mixture of united and separated mericarps, yellowish green/brown in color, elongated ovoid, and 3-6 mm in length. Cumin is widely used as a spice for its strong characteristic flavor in various ethnic cuisines around the world. Phytochemicals - The major compounds present in cumin oil include cuminal, I-pinene, I-myrcene, I-cymene, I-terpinene, and I-mentha-1,4-dien-7-ol. Cumin possesses many nutraceutical properties with many biological activities.