Caraway seed
Caraway seed suppliers and sourcing guide
Caraway seed is the dried fruit of Carum carvi, a biennial plant in the carrot family grown mainly in Finland, the Netherlands, Eastern Europe and Egypt. The ripe split fruits are threshed, cleaned and dried, and sold whole, cracked or ground. Its aroma comes mostly from d-carvone and limonene in the volatile oil. Brands use it in rye bread, cheeses, sauerkraut, spirits such as aquavit and kummel, and seasoning blends; caraway oil is distilled from the seed.
- Also known as
- Carum carvi · Caraway fruit · Kummel · Meridian fennel
- Facts checked
- November 2026
Forms and grades of caraway seed
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Whole seed
Cleaned, machine-sorted seed graded by purity, used in breads, cheeses and pickling.
Ground or cracked
Ground seed for seasonings and dry mixes; it loses aroma faster than whole seed.
Steam-treated
Seed or powder treated with steam to reduce microbial load, often required for ready-to-eat use.
Organic
Certified organic caraway, available from European and North American growers.
Caraway oil
Steam-distilled essential oil from the seed, rich in carvone, used in flavors and spirits.
What to check on the COA
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
- Volatile oil
- Volatile oil content by distillation (ASTA or ISO method), the main measure of quality.
- Moisture
- Moisture by distillation or loss on drying.
- Total and acid-insoluble ash
- Ash and acid-insoluble ash to check for soil and sand.
- Extraneous matter
- Stems, foreign seeds, insect fragments and other extraneous matter by visual and filth testing (for example AOAC or ASTA methods).
- Microbiology
- Total plate count, yeast and mold, coliforms, E. coli and Salmonella; many buyers require steam-treated or otherwise pathogen-reduced spice.
- Pesticide residues
- Multi-residue screen by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS.
Storage, lots and expiry
Storage and shelf life
Store whole seed sealed in a cool, dry, dark place; ground caraway loses volatile oil quickly and should be bought in smaller amounts or kept in barrier packaging. Shelf life is set by the supplier's specification, with volatile oil and micro as the usual retests.
Lots and expiry dates
Volatile oil and carvone content vary with origin and crop year, so record volatile oil for each lot. Check purity and extraneous matter on arrival, since seed lots can carry stems and weed seeds.
Regulatory status
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
21 CFR 182.10 lists caraway (Carum carvi) among spices and other natural seasonings and flavorings that are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for their intended use.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)FDA's spice definitions compliance policy guide defines caraway seed as the dried fruit of Carum carvi and names d-carvone as the principal component of its volatile oil.
Source: fda.gov (opens in a new tab)21 CFR 101.22 names caraway seed among the spices that may be declared collectively as "spice" on food labels.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)
This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Caraway seed suppliers
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
We are checking caraway seed suppliers now
Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.
Sell caraway seed? Request a listingFrequently asked questions
What forms of caraway seed can brands buy?
Common forms include whole seed, ground or cracked, steam-treated, organic and caraway oil. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
What should the COA for caraway seed include?
Expect volatile oil, moisture, total and acid-insoluble ash, extraneous matter, microbiology and pesticide residues, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
How should caraway seed be stored?
Store whole seed sealed in a cool, dry, dark place; ground caraway loses volatile oil quickly and should be bought in smaller amounts or kept in barrier packaging. Shelf life is set by the supplier's specification, with volatile oil and micro as the usual retests.
What is the regulatory status of caraway seed?
21 CFR 182.10 lists caraway (Carum carvi) among spices and other natural seasonings and flavorings that are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for their intended use. FDA's spice definitions compliance policy guide defines caraway seed as the dried fruit of Carum carvi and names d-carvone as the principal component of its volatile oil. 21 CFR 101.22 names caraway seed among the spices that may be declared collectively as "spice" on food labels.
More flavors, spices and essential oils
- Vanilla extractExtract of vanilla · Pure vanilla extract
- Vanilla beansVanilla planifolia · Vanilla tahitensis
- Vanillin4-Hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde · Vanillic aldehyde
- Ethyl vanillin3-Ethoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde · Bourbonal
- Natural flavorsNatural flavoring · Natural flavour
- Artificial flavorsArtificial flavoring · Synthetic flavors
- CinnamonCinnamomum verum (Ceylon cinnamon) · Cinnamomum cassia (Chinese cassia)
- NutmegMyristica fragrans · Nutmeg seed
- CloveSyzygium aromaticum · Eugenia caryophyllata
- CardamomElettaria cardamomum · Green cardamom
- Black pepperPiper nigrum · Peppercorns
- Cayenne pepperCapsicum annuum · Capsicum frutescens
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