| Appearance |
Whole or powdered, characteristic color |
| Color |
Varies depending on the spice (e.g., brown, red, yellow, green) |
| Texture |
Powdered: fine or coarse; Whole: firm and dry |
| Size |
Whole spices vary in size (e.g., cloves ~1 cm, cardamom pods ~1-2 cm) |
| Odor |
Strong, characteristic, aromatic |
| Taste |
Pungent, bitter, sweet, or aromatic depending on spice |
| Moisture Content |
Typically below 12% |
| Foreign Matter |
Not more than 2% |
| Ash Content |
Varies by spice, generally below 8% |
| Volatile Oil Content |
Important for flavor, varies (e.g., cinnamon ~1-4%) |
| Bulk Density |
Varies widely depending on spice and form |
