Mango Ginger | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Mango ginger (Curcuma amada Roxb.) is a rhizomatous spice in the Zingiberaceae family that resembles ginger morphologically but imparts a characteristic raw mango aroma and flavour. It is primarily used in pickles, culinary preparations, preserves, candy, and sauces, and also serves as a source of essential oils and oleoresins in the food and aromatics industry.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Mango ginger has a long history of safe traditional and culinary use in South and Southeast Asia with no major regulatory safety bans reported by any major jurisdiction. Certain isolated bioactive compounds (e.g., amadaldehyde, difurocumenonol) exhibit cytotoxicity and platelet aggregation inhibitory activity in vitro, warranting caution in individuals on anticoagulant therapy. No formal ADI has been established by EFSA, FDA, or WHO, reflecting its status as a whole food/spice ingredient rather than an isolated food additive.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Curcuma amada is not assigned an E-number and is not regulated as a food additive in the EU. It may be used as a food/botanical ingredient under general food law (Regulation EC 178/2002). EFSA has not issued a specific safety opinion on C. amada; no restriction or ban is recorded.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Curcuma amada Roxb. is listed as a permitted botanical plant ingredient under the Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, Functional Food and Novel Food) Regulations, 2016/2017. Also used as a spice/condiment under FSSAI Chapter 2.9.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Mango ginger (Curcuma amada) is used as a spice and flavouring with a long history of safe consumption. No specific GRAS notice for C. amada has been filed; it is consumed as a whole food/spice. The related species C. longa (turmeric/curcumin) holds GRAS status (GRN 686). No FDA ban or restriction on C. amada as a food ingredient.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Pregnancy — Like other Zingiberaceae rhizomes, high-dose supplemental extracts of C. amada have not been formally evaluated for safety in pregnancy; traditional use as an abortifacient at medicinal doses in some Ayurvedic texts warrants medical advice before supplemental use.

Lactation — No clinical safety data exist for C. amada extract use during lactation; culinary amounts are likely safe but high-dose supplemental use should be reviewed with a healthcare provider.

Infants — No safety data exist for C. amada in infants; the rhizome is not a typical infant food and its essential oil constituents and bioactive compounds have not been evaluated in this population.

Other — Bioactive compounds such as amadaldehyde exhibit platelet aggregation inhibitory activity in vitro; individuals on anticoagulant or antiplatelet medications (e.g., warfarin, aspirin) should consult a physician before taking supplemental doses of C. amada extract.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1PubMed. Mango ginger (Curcuma amada Roxb.) may alleviate the effect of high-fat diet/streptozotocin-induced diabetes by activation of the GSK-3β/Fyn/Nrf2 pathway, 2023. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
2PubMed. Mango ginger (Curcuma amada Roxb.) rhizome essential oils as source of environmental friendly biocides: Comparison of the chemical composition, antibacterial, insecticidal and larvicidal properties, 2021. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals...) Regulations, 2017 – Permitted Botanical Plant Ingredients, 2017. fssai.gov.in
4PubMed. Mango ginger (Curcuma amada Roxb.)--a promising spice for phytochemicals and biological activities, 2011. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5PubMed. Antimicrobial, antioxidant, cytotoxicity and platelet aggregation inhibitory activity of a novel molecule isolated and characterized from mango ginger (Curcuma amada Roxb.) rhizome, 2010. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Independently researched6 citations