About
What it is and where it shows up.
Dry ginger is the dried rhizome of Zingiber officinale Roscoe, a tropical plant widely used as a spice, flavouring agent, and traditional remedy. Its characteristic pungency and aroma arise from bioactive compounds — primarily gingerols and their dehydration products (shogaols) — that become concentrated during the drying process.
Safety summary
The regulatory and scientific consensus.
Dry ginger is broadly recognised as safe at culinary doses and holds GRAS status with the US FDA as a natural flavouring substance. At high supplemental doses it may potentiate anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs, posing a bleeding risk. FSSAI permits sulphur dioxide up to 2000 ppm as a preservative in commercially dried ginger, which may be a concern for sulfite-sensitive individuals.
Regulatory landscape
What food-safety regulators have decided.
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Approved | Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is authorised as a natural food ingredient and natural flavouring source under Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 on flavourings and certain food ingredients with flavouring properties. No E number is assigned as it is a whole spice/natural ingredient, not a processed additive. EFSA has reviewed ginger preparations in the context of animal feed (FEEDAP, 2020) with no consumer safety concerns identified.source |
| FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India) | Approved | Zingiber officinale Rosc. is listed among spices from the Spices Board of India permitted for use as ingredients in nutraceuticals and health supplements under the FSSAI Health Supplements and Nutraceuticals Regulations; specific health benefit claims require prior approval from the Food Authority.source |
| FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States) | Approved | Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is listed as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) under 21 CFR 182.20 as a natural flavouring substance. No ADI established. GRAS status applies to use as a food flavouring and spice including during lactation.source |
Who should approach with care
Whose guidance would steer them away.
Pregnancy — Culinary amounts are generally considered safe, but high supplemental doses of ginger are not well studied in early pregnancy; the LactMed database notes very limited safety data at medicinal doses, warranting caution beyond normal dietary intake.
Sulfite Sensitivity — FSSAI Appendix A permits sulphur dioxide up to 2000 ppm as a preservative in commercially dried ginger, meaning commercially processed product may trigger reactions in sulfite-sensitive individuals.
Heart Disease — Ginger exhibits antiplatelet and mild anticoagulant properties at high doses and may potentiate prescription anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs (e.g., warfarin, aspirin) commonly used in cardiovascular disease management, increasing bleeding risk.
Ibs — Large or concentrated amounts of dry ginger can cause gastrointestinal irritation including heartburn, bloating, and diarrhea, which may exacerbate symptoms in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome.
Infants — The LactMed database notes very limited data on safety and efficacy of ginger in infants; use in infant foods should be minimal and age-appropriate per FSSAI guidelines, which restrict nutraceutical dosing to one-quarter of adult ranges for children aged 1–5.
Research citations
The sources behind this verdict.
- 1FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards Regulations – Chapter 2.9: Salt, Spices, Condiments and Related Products. fssai.gov.in
- 2PubMed. Ginger – Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 3FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, Functional Food and Novel Food) Regulations – Compendium 2021, 2021. fssai.gov.in
- 4EFSA. Safety and efficacy of essential oil, oleoresin and tincture from Zingiber officinale Roscoe when used as sensory additives in feed for all animal species, 2020. efsa.europa.eu
- 5FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards Regulations – Appendix A: List of Permitted Food Additives, 2011. fssai.gov.in
Independently researched5 citations