What is it?
An extract of the seeds of green cardamom, Elettaria cardamomum, a spice plant in the ginger family native to southern India. The seeds owe their spicy aroma to an essential oil, generally about 5 percent of freshly harvested seeds, made up mostly of terpinyl acetate and 1,8-cineole. In cosmetics the extract is used for its scent and is also listed as a tonic ingredient.
Key information
- The FDA lists cardamom seed among plants whose natural extractives are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) in food.
- Cardamom seeds contain around 5 percent essential oil, mostly terpinyl acetate and 1,8-cineole.
- We found no cosmetic safety review or skin testing of cardamom seed extract itself.
- A single 1975 case report described contact allergy to cardamom in a confectioner.
More information
Cardamom seeds have a long traditional use as a spice, and Guatemala and India are now the largest producers, according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The FDA lists cardamom seed among the plants whose essential oils, oleoresins and natural extractives are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) in food. The oil content of freshly harvested seeds is generally around 5 percent and can reach 8 percent, but it falls during storage. The steam-distilled oil EFSA assessed was more than 35 percent terpinyl acetate and more than 20 percent 1,8-cineole.
We found no cosmetic safety review of cardamom seed extract and no skin tests of it. EFSA reviewed the essential oil as a flavoring in animal feed in 2019 and concluded that it is safe for animals and for consumers at the proposed level. It could not reach a conclusion on safety for workers handling the concentrated oil, because no studies were provided.
The published record of skin reactions is thin. A 1975 report described a confectioner with chronic hand dermatitis who reacted in patch tests to cardamom and to terpene compounds found in its seeds; the authors noted that dermatitis from skin contact with cardamom had not been reported before. On labels, look for Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract. The essential oil is a separate ingredient, listed as Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil.
Sources: EFSA FEEDAP Panel (2019): Safety and efficacy of an essential oil from Elettaria cardamomum when used as a sensory additive in feed; Legal Information Institute: 21 CFR 182.20, Essential oils, oleoresins and natural extractives generally recognized as safe; Contact Dermatitis (1975): Allergic contact dermatitis from cardamom
