degermed ginger powder

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Degermed ginger powder is the dried, ground rhizome of Zingiber officinale Roscoe from which the fibrous germ (bud/shoot) has been mechanically removed prior to milling, yielding a more uniform, shelf-stable powder with a cleaner pungent-spicy flavour. It is widely used as a spice, flavouring agent, and functional food ingredient in baked goods, beverages, confectionery, sauces, and spice blends.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Ginger is broadly recognised as safe at culinary doses; no formal Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) has been established by any major regulatory body, reflecting its long history of safe food use. At high supplemental doses (>5 g/day), ginger may cause mild gastrointestinal discomfort and can inhibit CYP3A4, CYP2C9, and CYP1A2 liver enzymes, raising herb-drug interaction concerns particularly with anticoagulants and immunosuppressants. No IARC classification applies to ginger powder, and there is no evidence of carcinogenicity or genotoxicity at typical dietary intakes.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) (Australia)	Approved	Ginger powder is permitted as a natural spice and flavouring under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. No specific maximum use level; governed by GMP.source
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Ginger and ginger powder are permitted as flavourings under Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 on flavourings and certain food ingredients with flavouring properties. No numeric ADI established; use is subject to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). Not assigned an E-number as it is a natural spice/flavouring, not a food additive per se.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Regulated as a spice under FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, Regulation 5.8.12 (Ginger – Sonth/Adrak). Permitted as ginger powder or extract in confectionery and lozenges per Chapter 2.7. Must be free from mould, living and dead insects, insect fragments, rodent contamination, added colouring matter, and other harmful substances.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) is listed as GRAS under 21 CFR 182.10 (spices and other natural seasonings and flavorings). No quantity restriction applies under GMP conditions. FEMA GRAS number 2520.

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Pregnancy — While culinary doses are generally considered safe, high supplemental doses of ginger (>1 g/day) during pregnancy have raised theoretical concerns about uterotonic effects; women should consult a healthcare provider before using ginger supplements during pregnancy.

Infants — Very limited safety data exist on ginger exposure in infants, and it is not recommended as an intentional food ingredient for infant formula or early weaning foods.

Heart Disease — Ginger constituents can inhibit platelet aggregation and interact with anticoagulant or antiplatelet medications (e.g., warfarin), which is particularly relevant for patients with cardiovascular conditions on such therapies.

Liver Disease — High-dose ginger inhibits CYP3A4, CYP2C9, and CYP1A2 liver enzymes, potentially altering metabolism of co-administered drugs in patients with pre-existing hepatic impairment.

Ibs — Although often used as a digestive aid, high doses of ginger powder may exacerbate gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating, heartburn, or diarrhoea in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FDA. Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) – Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.). hfpappexternal.fda.gov
2FDA. Modulation of PXR activity by ginger and its constituents (FDA-funded research). fda.gov
3FSSAI. FSSAI Food Safety Management System Guidance Document for Spices Industry, 2018. fssai.gov.in
4PubMed. Ginger – Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed), 2018. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 – Chapter 2.9: Salt, Spices, Condiments and Related Products (Regulation 5.8.12), 2011. fssai.gov.in

Independently researched5 citations