Cumin

Cumin () seed contains a volatile oil that contains cuminaldehyde and other aldehydes; the seeds also contain numerous flavonoids and terpenes. Cumin has been used as a galactogogue in India and Türkiye with some literature support, including as part of an herbal mixture.[1–5] Galactogogues should never replace evaluation and counseling on modifiable factors that affect milk production.[6,7] No data exist on the excretion of any components of cumin into breastmilk or on the safety and efficacy of cumin in nursing mothers or infants. Cumin is “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) as a spice and flavoring by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Cumin is generally well tolerated, but occasional phototoxic skin reactions have been reported after contact with the oil. Those allergic to cumin or related herbs should avoid cumin. Dietary supplements do not require extensive pre-marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Manufacturers are responsible to ensure the safety, but do not need to the safety and effectiveness of dietary supplements before they are marketed. Dietary supplements may contain multiple ingredients, and differences are often found between labeled and actual ingredients or their amounts. A manufacturer may contract with an independent organization to verify the quality of a product or its ingredients, but that does certify the safety or effectiveness of a product. Because of the above issues, clinical testing results on one product may not be applicable to other products. More detailed information about dietary supplements is available elsewhere on the LactMed Web site.