Ceylon Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum J. Presl, syn. C. zeylanicum Blume; Lauraceae)

Spice obtained from the inner bark rolled into quills of Sri Lankan “true” cinnamon. It features a sweet–spicy profile, naturally low coumarin compared with cassia, and essential oils rich in cinnamaldehyde (bark oil) and eugenol (leaf oil). Used as a flavoring in foods and beverages, in standardized extracts, and in cosmetics as a fragrance/antioxidant with attention to potential skin sensitization.

Caloric Value (Per 100 g Of Product)

Ceylon cinnamon powder: ~240–310 kcal/100 g (high fiber and carbohydrate).
Unsweetened ready-to-drink infusion: ~0–3 kcal/100 g.
Hydroalcoholic extract: ~50–150 kcal/100 g (depends on solids and EtOH residue).
Glyceric/glycolic extract: ~150–300 kcal/100 g.
Standardized dry extract (powder): ~200–350 kcal/100 g.

Key Constituents

Cinnamic aldehydes: chiefly cinnamaldehyde (primary aroma “fingerprint”; nucleophile-reactive).
Phenylpropanoids/phenols: eugenol (prominent in leaf oil), coniferaldehyde, benzyl cinnamate; traces of linalool.
Polyphenols: tannins/proanthocyanidins and phenolic acids (cinnamic, caffeic, ferulic) with in-vitro antioxidant activity.
Coumarin: naturally low in Ceylon vs. cassia species.
Macronutrients/fiber: high dietary fiber; minor protein and lipid fractions.
Analytical markers: volatile profile by GC–MS/GC–FID (cinnamaldehyde/eugenol), TPC (Folin–Ciocalteu), coumarin by HPLC.

Production Process

Harvesting and peeling of inner bark from young shoots; removal of corky outer layers.
Rolling into concentric quills and air-drying in clean, ventilated rooms.
Grading/sorting (e.g., Alba, C5, C4…) by diameter, color, integrity; milling to produce powder.
Extraction:
– Essential oils (bark/leaf) by steam distillation.
– Hydroalcoholic or glyceric extracts at moderate temperature; optional resin enrichment.
Standardization: set assay for cinnamaldehyde/eugenol (oils), polyphenols/coumarin (extracts), moisture and particle size (powders).
Quality: metals/pesticides, microbiology (absence of Salmonella), residual solvents; barrier packaging per GMP/HACCP.

Sensory And Technological Properties

Aroma/color: warm sweet–spicy; golden-brown in powder, amber in extracts.
Functionality: strong flavor impact at low dose; polyphenols with in-vitro antioxidant activity.
Compatibility: essential oils require solubilizers/emulsifiers in beverages; potential beverage haze from polyphenol–protein complexes; cinnamaldehyde can react with SO₂ and other nucleophiles, attenuating aroma.

Food Applications

Bakery, chocolate and fillings, infusions, syrups, RTD beverages, dairy/ice-cream, cereals/snacks, sauces and toppings. Indicative dosages: powder 0.1–2.0% depending on matrix; extracts 0.02–0.30% (as is) to target intensity; essential oils at trace levels with proper carriers and within regulatory limits.

Nutrition And Health

Ceylon cinnamon supplies polyphenols with in-vitro antioxidant activity; in foods, any health claims require authorization. Lower coumarin than cassia is favorable for dietary safety; however, bark/leaf essential oils can irritate/sensitize skin and must be dosed prudently.

Quality And Specifications (Typical Topics)

Moisture (powders) within spec; controlled particle size (e.g., D90 < 500 μm standard; finer for beverages).
Volatile oil (bark) and aroma factors: GC profile consistent with species/origin.
Coumarin: low values expected for Ceylon; monitor to exclude cassia adulteration.
Contaminants: pesticides/metals within limits; compliant microbiology; absence of OTA and Salmonella.
Sensory: uniform color; free of musty/damp or rancid notes.

Storage And Shelf Life

Protect from light, humidity, and oxygen (DO kept low); use low-permeability barrier packs with reduced headspace or protective atmosphere.
Powders: control RH/aw to prevent caking and volatile loss; reseal well after use.
Essential oils: store cool in dark, tightly closed containers; limit air exposure. Apply FIFO rotation.

Allergens And Safety

Not a major food allergen; some fragrance allergens (e.g., cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, cinnamyl alcohol) may require label disclosure above thresholds. Avoid direct application of neat essential oils to skin/mucosae; follow safety guidelines and good practices.

INCI Functions In Cosmetics

Typical entries: Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Powder; Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract; Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Oil; Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Leaf Oil.
Roles: perfuming, antioxidant, skin conditioning, masking; use at low levels due to sensitization risk; adhere to IFRA category guidance.

Troubleshooting

Beverage haze: polyphenol–protein/ion complexes → clarification, fine filtration, mild chelants; optimize pH and hardness.
Sedimentation: coarse particles in suspension → micronize/sieve; add colloidal stabilizers.
Aroma loss/dulling: cinnamaldehyde reactions with reactive ingredients or SO₂ → reformulate aroma phase, use encapsulates, reduce DO.
Overpowering/irritation: excessive dose or poorly dispersed oil → reduce dose, pre-solubilize, round with vanillin/sugars.
Lot variability: origin/grade/process → tighten specs on GC profile, coumarin, and flavor strength.

Sustainability And Supply Chain

Sri Lankan supply chain with manual harvesting and artisanal processing; promote traceability, fair labor, and biodiversity protection. In-plant: water/energy savings, effluent management to BOD/COD targets, waste reduction (spent bark valorization in secondary extraction). Recyclable packaging and controlled temperature/humidity logistics.

Conclusion

Ceylon cinnamon offers refined aromatics, low coumarin, and broad application versatility. Performance and safety depend on raw-material quality, control of pH/light/oxygen, proper oil solubilization, and rigorous analytical standardization across the chain.

Mini-Glossary

EtOH — Ethanol: Hydroalcoholic co-solvent; relevant for labeling if residual.
TPC — Total phenolic content: Folin–Ciocalteu; global, non-specific phenolic indicator.
HPLC — High-performance liquid chromatography: Quantifies coumarin/polyphenols and markers.
GC–MS/GC–FID — Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry / flame-ionization detection: Volatile profiling.
IFRA — International Fragrance Association: Guidance on category limits and allergen use.
DO — Dissolved oxygen: Lowering it limits oxidation and aroma loss.
RH — Relative humidity: Control for powder stability.
aw — Water activity: “Free” water fraction linked to stability and microbiology.
GMP/HACCP — Good manufacturing practice / Hazard analysis and critical control points: Preventive quality systems with defined CCP.
BOD/COD — Biochemical/chemical oxygen demand: Wastewater organic-load indicators.
FIFO — First in, first out: Inventory rotation prioritizing older lots.

Medicine

Cinnamon contains bioactive compounds such as eugenol and cinnamaldehyde that give hypoglycemic, antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant, anticancer, hypotensive, hypocholesterolemic and gastroprotective properties. In vitro and in vivo studies indicate that cinnamon can have multiple health benefits, mainly in relation to hypoglycemic activity. Other research has shown potential antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory and antilipidemic effects.

The bark of this plant is used to make spice cinnamon and has long been used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine for various pathological conditions (1).

Previous studies have identified Cinnamon extract as a potential treatment for benign prostate hyperplasia (2) and some types of cancers (3).

Studies have shown that cinnamon has also been used traditionally in age-related brain disorders (4).

Useful components of Cinnamon's essential oil include transcinnamaldehyde (72.81%), benzilic alcohol (12.5%) eugenolity (6.57%) (5).

Cinnamon studies

References__________________________________________________

(1) Yang SM, Tsai KD, Wong HY, Liu YH, Chen TW, Cherng J, Hsu KC, Ang YU, Cherng JM. Molecular Mechanism of Cinnamomum verum Component Cuminaldehyde Inhibits Cell Growth and Induces Cell Death in Human Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma NCI-H520 Cells In Vitro and In Vivo. J Cancer. 2016 Jan 5;7(3):251-61. doi: 10.7150/jca.13689. PMID: 26918037; PMCID: PMC4747878.

Abstract. Cinnamomum verum is used to make the spice cinnamon and has been used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. We evaluated the effects and the molecular mechanisms of cuminaldehyde (CuA), a constituent of the bark of Cinnamomum verum, on human lung squamous cell carcinoma NCI-H520 cells. Specifically, cell viability was evaluated by colorimetric assay; cytotoxicity by LDH release; apoptosis was determined by Western blotting, and morphological analysis with, acridine orange and neutral red stainings and comet assay; topoisomerase I activity was assessed using assay based upon DNA relaxation and topoisomerase II by DNA relaxation plus decatentation of kinetoplast DNA; lysosomal vacuolation and volume of acidic compartments (VAC) were evaluated with neutral red staining. The results show that CuA suppressed proliferation and induced apoptosis as indicated by an up-regulation of pro-apoptotic bax and bak genes and a down-regulation of anti-apoptotic bcl-2 and bcl-XL genes, mitochondrial membrane potential loss, cytochrome c release, activation of caspase 3 and 9, and morphological characteristics of apoptosis, including blebbing of the plasma membrane, nuclear condensation, fragmentation, apoptotic body formation, and comet with elevated tail intensity and moment. In addition, CuA also induced lysosomal vacuolation with increased VAC, cytotoxicity, as well as suppressions of both topoisomerase I and II activities in a dose-dependent manner. Further study revealed the growth-inhibitory effect of CuA was also evident in a nude mice model. Taken together, the data suggest that the growth-inhibitory effect of CuA against NCI-H520 cells is accompanied by downregulations of proliferative control involving apoptosis and both topoisomerase I and II activities, and upregulation of lysosomal with increased VAC and cytotoxicity. Similar effects were found in other cell lines, including human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells and colorectal adenocarcinoma COLO 205 (results not shown). Our data suggest that CuA could be a potential agent for anticancer therapy.

(2) Choi HM, Jung Y, Park J, Kim HL, Youn DH, Kang J, Jeong MY, Lee JH, Yang WM, Lee SG, Ahn KS, Um JY. Cinnamomi Cortex (Cinnamomum verum) Suppresses Testosterone-induced Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia by Regulating 5α-reductase. Sci Rep. 2016 Aug 23;6:31906. doi: 10.1038/srep31906. 

Abstract. Cinnamomi cortex (dried bark of Cinnamomum verum) is an important drug in Traditional Korean Medicine used to improve blood circulation and Yang Qi. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common chronic disease in aging men. This study was conducted to determine the effect of Cinnamomi cortex water extract (CC) on BPH. BPH was induced by a pre-4-week daily injection of testosterone propionate (TP). Six weeks of further injection with (a) vehicle, (b) TP, (c) TP + CC, (d) TP + finasteride (Fi) was carried on. As a result, the prostate weight and prostatic index of the CC treatment group were reduced. Histological changes including epithelial thickness and lumen area were recovered as normal by CC treatment. The protein expressions of prostate specific antigen, estrogen receptor α (ERα), androgen receptor (AR), 5α-reductase (5AR), and steroid receptor coactivator 1 were suppressed by treatment of CC. Immunohistochemical assays supported the western blot results, as the expressions of AR and ERα were down-regulated by CC treatment as well. Further in vitro experiments showed CC was able to inhibit proliferation of RWPE-1 cells by suppressing 5AR and AR. These results all together suggest CC as a potential treatment for BPH.

 (3) Perng DS, Tsai YH, Cherng J, Wang JS, Chou KS, Shih CW, Cherng JM. Discovery of a novel anticancer agent with both anti-topoisomerase I and II activities in hepatocellular carcinoma SK-Hep-1 cells in vitro and in vivo: Cinnamomum verum component 2-methoxycinnamaldehyde. Drug Des Devel Ther. 2016 Jan 5;10:141-53. doi: 10.2147/DDDT.S93599. 

Abstract. Cinnamomum verum is used to make the spice cinnamon and has been used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine for various applications. We evaluated the anticancer effect of 2-methoxycinnamaldehyde (2-MCA), a constituent of the bark of the plant, and its underlying molecular biomarkers associated with carcinogenesis in human hepatocellular carcinoma SK-Hep-1 cell line. The results show that 2-MCA suppressed proliferation and induced apoptosis as indicated by mitochondrial membrane potential loss, activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9, increase in the DNA content in sub-G1, and morphological characteristics of apoptosis, including blebbing of plasma membrane, nuclear condensation, fragmentation, apoptotic body formation, and long comet tail. In addition, 2-MCA also induced lysosomal vacuolation with increased volume of acidic compartments, suppressions of nuclear transcription factors NF-κB, cyclooxygenase-2, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and both topoisomerase I and II activities in a dose-dependent manner. Further study reveals the growth-inhibitory effect of 2-MCA was also evident in a nude mice model. Taken together, the data suggest that the growth-inhibitory effect of 2-MCA against SK-Hep-1 cells is accompanied by downregulations of NF-κB-binding activity, inflammatory responses involving cyclooxygenase-2 and PGE2, and proliferative control involving apoptosis, both topoisomerase I and II activities, together with an upregulation of lysosomal vacuolation and volume of acidic compartments. Similar effects (including all of the above-mentioned effects) were found in other tested cell lines, including human hepatocellular carcinoma Hep 3B, lung adenocarcinoma A549, squamous cell carcinoma NCI-H520, colorectal adenocarcinoma COLO 205, and T-lymphoblastic MOLT-3 (results not shown). Our data suggest that 2-MCA could be a potential agent for anticancer therapy.

(4) Peterson DW, George RC, Scaramozzino F, LaPointe NE, Anderson RA, Graves DJ, Lew J. Cinnamon extract inhibits tau aggregation associated with Alzheimer's disease in vitro. J Alzheimers Dis. 2009;17(3):585-97. doi: 10.3233/JAD-2009-1083. 

Abstract. An aqueous extract of Ceylon cinnamon (C. zeylanicum) is found to inhibit tau aggregation and filament formation, hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The extract can also promote complete disassembly of recombinant tau filaments and cause substantial alteration of the morphology of paired-helical filaments isolated from AD brain. Cinnamon extract (CE) was not deleterious to the normal cellular function of tau, namely the assembly of free tubulin into microtubules. An A-linked proanthocyanidin trimer molecule was purified from the extract and shown to contain a significant proportion of the inhibitory activity. Treatment with polyvinylpyrolidone effectively depleted all proanthocyanidins from the extract solution and removed the majority, but not all, of the inhibitory activity. The remainder inhibitory activity could be attributed to cinnamaldehyde. This work shows that compounds endogenous to cinnamon may be beneficial to AD themselves or may guide the discovery of other potential therapeutics if their mechanisms of action can be discerned.

(5) Yap PS, Krishnan T, Chan KG, Lim SH. Antibacterial Mode of Action of Cinnamomum verum Bark Essential Oil, Alone and in Combination with Piperacillin, Against a Multi-Drug-Resistant Escherichia coli Strain. J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2015 Aug;25(8):1299-306. doi: 10.4014/jmb.1407.07054.