Ginger Powder | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Ginger powder is the dried and ground rhizome of Zingiber officinale Roscoe, a tropical herbaceous plant used globally as a spice, flavouring, and traditional medicine. Its characteristic pungent, warm flavour derives from bioactive compounds including gingerols, shogaols, and zingerone; it is used to season foods, beverages, and baked goods and is also valued for reported digestive and anti-nausea properties.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Ginger powder carries FDA GRAS status as a food flavoring with no established ADI, reflecting a long history of safe culinary use and broad regulatory acceptance. At higher or supplemental doses, potential adverse effects include gastrointestinal discomfort, heartburn, and allergic reactions; caution is warranted during pregnancy (medicinal doses not universally endorsed) and for individuals on anticoagulant therapy due to possible antiplatelet interactions. Ginger is also a recognised high-risk spice commodity for mycotoxin contamination (aflatoxins, ochratoxin A), necessitating quality monitoring.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Approved as a flavouring and natural spice under EU Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 on flavourings. No specific ADI established for culinary use. EFSA FEEDAP panel (2020) confirmed no consumer safety concerns from Zingiber officinale preparations in animal nutrition. MRLs for pesticide residues in dried ginger are governed under Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, with dehydration factors applied from fresh ginger roots (commodity code 0213040).source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Approved as a spice under FSSAI Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, Chapter 2.9 (Salt, Spices, Condiments and Related Products). Also listed in the Spices Board of India schedule, permitting use as a supplement or nutraceutical ingredient under FSS (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals) Regulations. Contaminant limits governed by FSS (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Listed as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) as a spice and flavoring substance under 21 CFR Part 182. No specific maximum daily intake established; use governed by Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) levels.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Pregnancy — Medicinal or high supplemental doses of ginger during pregnancy are not universally recommended, as safety has not been conclusively established across all clinical studies; culinary amounts are generally considered acceptable.

Lactation — Very limited safety data exist on ginger supplements in nursing mothers and infants; clinician consultation is recommended before using ginger beyond normal culinary amounts during lactation.

Heart Disease — Ginger may exert antiplatelet and anticoagulant effects that could potentiate the action of blood-thinning medications (e.g., warfarin, aspirin) commonly used in cardiovascular disease management.

Ibs — At higher doses, ginger may provoke gastrointestinal discomfort, heartburn, and GI irritation, which could aggravate symptoms in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome.

Other — Individuals with known spice allergies or sensitivity to Zingiberaceae family plants should exercise caution, as ginger may trigger allergic reactions in rare cases.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1PubMed. Mycotoxins Occurrence in Herbs, Spices, Dietary Supplements, and Their Exposure Assessment. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
2PubMed. Ginger – Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed). pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3PubMed. Ginger Root – StatPearls (NCBI Bookshelf). ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4FDA. Substances Added to Food – Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.). hfpappexternal.fda.gov
5EFSA. 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
6FSSAI. FSSAI Guidance Document – Food Safety Management System (FSMS) for Spices Industry, 2018. fssai.gov.in

Independently researched7 citations