Abstract:
The oil content and chemical composition of the volatiles from whole capsule, decorticated seed and
husk of four varieties of cardamom viz. Malabar, Mysore, Vazhukka, and Guatemala were studied. The
differences in the aroma of cardamom from different sources were attributed to the ratio of esters and
1,8-cineole in the oil. The main constituents of the oils were found to be terpinylacetate and 1,8-cineol.
The study revealed that the oil obtained from a whole capsule of the Malabar variety was superior in
quality compared to the oil from other varieties. The in vitro total antioxidant capacity of the oils from
whole capsules by two different methods was also carried out, and it was found that the Malabar variety
has the highest antioxidant activity compared to other varieties
