Known for their strong, warm and aromatic flavor, Cloves are spices from the Clove tree (also named Eugenia or Syzygium Aromaticum), native to Indonesia. Commonly used in cooking, for both sweet and savory dishes, as well as in beverages or for its medicinal properties, cloves have a rich history and a distinctive flavor profile that has made them a staple ingredient for various applications across the globe.
In this article, we dive into the origins of Cloves, the different grading qualities and its use in various applications.
History and Origin of Cloves
Historically, Cloves are native to Indonesia, in Maluku Islands (originally), Sulawesi and Java regions, thanks to their tropical climates and rich soils. These areas provide ideal conditions for the cultivation of clove trees, which bear small, crimson flower buds harvested before they bloom.
During the colonial era, cloves, as much as most spices, were traded massively in various regions, and Cloves are now produced in many other countries such as Madagascar, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Comoros, where the weather conditions are favorable for clove cultivation.
As of 2022, Indonesia remains the principal producing country with more than 133 000 metric tons, representing 73% of the Global production, followed by Madagascar cloves, which accounts for approximately 24 000, and Tanzania which produces 8 600 metric tons of cloves (source: Tridge). It is notable, however, that essentially all of the cloves produced in Indonesia go towards local consumption where it is a major ingredient in extremely popular local cigarettes known as “kretek”.
Identification and Classification of Cloves
On top of evaluating quality, there are varying forms of cloves.
The most common forms found in international trading are whole cloves and headless.
Whole cloves are the floral buds from the clove tree that have been harvested before blooming and dried. Headless cloves are cloves consisting of only the receptacles and sepals, and which has lost the dome-shaped “head”.
There are other forms of clove spices, such as Mother cloves (which are ovoid brown berries, the fruit of the clove tree), Khoker cloves (whole cloves that underwent fermentation due to incomplete drying), Clove stems (fragments of the stalk of the cloves) or ground cloves (which is simply powder obtained by grinding the cloves, without any addition to it).
Grading qualities
In international trading, we consider three different grades to classify the quality of the cloves: Hand-picked superior grades (CG1), clean quality grades (CG2) and standard quality grades (CG3). This is based on the guidelines by ISO Standard 2254:2004.
These grades are different by their shape and size, their harvesting time, their moisture levels, and their flavor/aroma profile and intensity.
Understanding the grading of cloves is crucial depending on the application. Higher grade cloves (CG1) generally offer a more intense flavor and aroma, while CG2 and CG3 may suit recipes requiring a milder clove essence. Despite the flavor/aroma variations, CG2 and CG3 cloves may retain essential properties as well.
Grade 1 - Hand-picked Cloves - CG1
Hand picked cloves are the finest cloves available on the market. Selected and sorted based on their size & shape, these cloves are hand picked at the peak of their maturity when flavor and aroma levels are strong and intense. This quality grade is mostly used in gourmet applications.
These CG1 Cloves buds are usually less than 12% moisture and a minimum of 17% volatile oil, and are mostly sold with minimum quantities of headless cloves (2% maximum), khoker cloves (0.5% maximum), mother cloves (0.5% maximum) and other impurities.
Grade 2 - CG2 Cloves
The CG2 Cloves buds are the most common for retail food applications and culinary use. Smaller than the hand-picked, and less uniform shapes, the CG2 grades still offer a great aroma (slightly milder than CG1), great moisture levels, generally less than 12%, harvested at a favorable maturity, giving them a lighter color.
CG2 may contain a few percent of headless cloves (5% maximum), khoker cloves (3% maximum) and mother cloves (4% maximum).
Grade 3 - CG3 Standard Quality Cloves
The CG3 are considered commercial grade cloves. Harvested when the buds are fully mature, with a darker color and a less intense flavor, the CG3 are the most suitable for medicinal and mass production use. Their size and shape are variable, less uniform with a higher tolerance for foreign material.
CG3 batches usually contain a minimum of 15% volatile oil, a maximum of 6% of mother cloves, 5% of khoker cloves.
Conclusion
Sourced from Madagascar and Comores, Cloves come as a great addition to DMNP’s spice portfolio to become a one-stop shop solution for our customers. Available as both Conventional and Organic, our cloves support our sustainable goals and principles.
