Cloves, Nutmeg and Mace: A Buyer's Guide
How to buy cloves, nutmeg and mace — origins, grades (hand-picked, ABCD, BWP), quality checks, aflatoxin risks in nutmeg and uses in food manufacturing and retail.
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Cloves, nutmeg and mace are classic "spice route" products, still widely traded from India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Zanzibar and Grenada.
Trade guidance only. Specifications, limits and regulations change, so confirm the current requirements and agree the exact specification in your contract.
Cloves
- What they are: dried flower buds
- Grades: hand-picked (cleanest, with heads intact) and FAQ
- Check: moisture, headless cloves, stems, volatile oil (eugenol)
Nutmeg
- What it is: the seed of the nutmeg fruit
- Forms: in shell or shelled
- Grades: often by count or size (e.g. ABCD), and BWP (broken, wormy, punctured) for grinding
- Check: aflatoxins (nutmeg is a known risk and has strict EU limits), moisture and insect damage
Mace
- What it is: the red lacy covering (aril) around the nutmeg seed, dried to orange-yellow
- Forms: whole blades and broken
- Value: usually priced higher than nutmeg by weight
Storage
All three keep best whole, cool and dry. Nutmeg especially needs good drying and storage to prevent mould.
Uses
Bakery, spice blends, meat processing, beverages and retail. Mace is popular in European cooking and blends.
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