Whole Caraway Seeds

Caraway seeds are the dried fruit of the caraway plant (Carum carvi), a member of the parsley family. Native to Europe and Western Asia, the plant is now cultivated worldwide. The seeds have a distinctive curved shape and a strong, slightly bitter, anise-like flavor.

Caraway seeds are primarily used as a spice to add a unique flavor to foods. They are common in rye breads, sausages, sauerkraut, and some cheeses. Manufacturers also use them in spice blends and to enhance the taste of various savory dishes.

Caraway seeds are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA for use as a food ingredient. They are a source of dietary fiber and certain minerals. Regulatory bodies like EFSA and JECFA have evaluated caraway and its extracts, generally considering them safe when used as food flavoring. Some traditional medicine practices use caraway for digestive complaints, but scientific evidence for these uses is limited.