Abstract
\nTurmeric is a popular spice used in South Asia for both culinary and religious purposes.
\nIt has also been used in traditional Indian medicine called Ayurveda. More recently curcumin
\nhas been identified to be the active ingredient in turmeric, and its pharmacological basis has been
\nidentified. The paper examines the extraction, processing and refinement of curcumin with
\nspecial emphasis on testing and characterization. This study focuses on the comparison of UV
\nSpectrophotometry and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) for characterizing
\npurity of curcumin with the view of selecting the best technique for this particular commercial
\napplication. Field application was a key criterion in the selection. Based on the results HPLC
\nwas selected as the technique of choice for curcumin characterization application due to various
\nfactors such as accuracy of results, low cost, ease of use in the field, simplicity of sample
\npreparation, robustness, quality and reliability.<\/p>\n
Keshav S. Thvar<\/p>\n