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Cinnamaldehyde

Cinnamaldehyde is the major active ingredient in cinnamon oil. Extracted from the bark of cinnamon trees, it provides the characteristic flavor and aroma we recognize as cinnamon.

In addition to its use as flavoring, cinnamaldehyde also has a number of therapeutic effects such as antimicrobial activity, shown to be a potent inhibitor of harmful bactieria such as Herliobacter pylori and Escherichia coli O157:H7 as well as a variety of viruses and fungi. Cinnamaldehyde has also been shown to have antidiabetic properties, resulting in an increase in health-associated biomarkers such as resting glucose and insulin levels.

Acting as a flavoring, a natural preservative, and a health supplement, cinnamaldehyde is of great interest to the food and health industries. We suggest that the ability to cheaply produce industrial scale amounts of cinnamaldehyde would not only be extremely beneficial for these industries, but would also reduce the environment impact of harvesting cinnamon as global demand increases.