Author(s): GDMP Madhusankha, RCN Thilakarathan, T Liyanage and SB Navaratne

Abstract: Turmeric, “Curcuma longa” is one of the major spices and colouring agents widely consumed throughout the world. Two Indian samples and three Sri Lankan market samples were collected and named them as Indian 1 (Imported from India & samples were collected from Petta market Colombo), Indian 2 (Imported from India & samples were collected from a local city Matale) and Local 1(Collected from a local market), Local 2 (Collected from an Export Agriculture Research Institute, Matale) and Local 3 (Collected from a home garden). Proximate analysis of each turmeric type was conducted at Export Agriculture Research Institute -Matale and University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka, pertaining to moisture, Protein, fibre, Total Ash, Acid insoluble Ash, minerals and oleoresins. Results revealed that proximate compositions were in a range such as moisture, protein, fibre, total ash, acid insoluble ash and oleoresin contents (12.40 - 11.33) %, (8.53-7.60) %, (7.90-7.20) %, (7.70-6.70) %, (1.80-1.10) %, and (15.87-14.20) % respectively. The mineral content was analysed using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy and results pertaining to Na, K, Fe, and Cu contents were in the ranged of (32-35), (1603-2402), (32-38) and (0.62-0.73) mg/100g respectively.