Zoom in on these pictures—what you’re seeing is called Oleoresins, extracted from spices. Even recipes like Biriyani powder can be turned into Oleoresins and sold for ₹2000 to ₹3500. Sounds impressive, right?
But here’s the truth. The extraction process isn’t perfect, and raw spices are expensive. How can a company make money from a ₹3000/kg cardamom that only yields Oleoresins sold at ₹2500? Simple—they dilute it with water, or blend it with cheaper spice extracts.
To make things worse, masala powders lose 50% of their volatile compounds during the multiple grinding stages used to create that fine granules size you associate with quality. By the time it reaches your kitchen, only 25% of those original volatile oils remain. So, manufacturers add Oleoresins—either natural or synthetic—to compensate,as they can use substandard body(spice) and add Oleoresins.
But water-diluted Oleoresins shorten the shelf life of these masalas, which is why most last only 9 to 12 months. Ever noticed the burning sensation or stomach discomfort after eating food made with some masalas? That’s likely the effect of these additives.
For thousands of years, our ancestors perfected masala recipes with only natural ingredients, considering both flavor and digestion. However, today’s collaboration between masala and Oleoresin makers compromises quality—less aroma, dull taste, and unpleasant aftereffects.
Lab tests won’t reveal these additives, but your taste buds will. Oleoresins just can’t match the richness of natural spices in taste, aroma, or color.
So why are brands using Oleoresins? It’s all about cutting costs and speeding up production.
At Just Half Spoon, we use cold (cryogenic) grinding, freezing spices to -196°C before a single-stage grind to preserve the full essence of their volatile oils. Our recipes are time-tested in our own restaurants, and we export to several countries because people appreciate the unmatched quality of our natural masalas.
So, the choice is yours—natural masala, or one blended with Oleoresins? Choose wisely.
