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Articles about turmeric from India show a very high level of lead. Are there any other safe sources of turmeric?

Ask Me Anything (Office Hours)

Eric Wynkoop - Ask Me Anything (Office Hours)

Recorded

This event was on January 30, 2024

Join Chef Eric Wynkoop in his virtual office as he welcomes all of your questions. This event was created for you and we encourage you to Ask Anything – from cooking techniques to course-specific questions, to how to turn your cooking passion into profit or simply hearing the perspective of a professional chef, Chef Eric is ready to answer them all.

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Question

Bill Durkee

Articles about turmeric from India show a very high level of lead. Are there any other safe sources of turmeric?

Answer

Uh, you know, just offhand, I'm, I'm not familiar with all the, the different sources of turmeric. It certainly comes from different places. Um, uh, and, you know, regarding, um, uh, studies from India, um, certainly look, look deeper into that as well. And, and, um, look at, uh, more specifically where that has come from. Um, India is a big place, and turmeric has grown in, in much of the country. And, uh, so, you know, I, I, I, I, the, the, um, the, the student in me, you know, that, that the, the scientist in me, or the the inquisitive person in me is gonna ask the question, uh, is, is there lead in the soil, you know, throughout India? And the answer is probably no. And so I want to know where that is versus where that is not okay. Um, but otherwise, take a look online and see where else you might, uh, find turmeric, uh, being sourced.

Eric Wynkoop

Director of Culinary Instruction

Eric Wynkoop previously served as a founding faculty member at The International Culinary School, instructor in anthropology at Portland State University, and Senior Instructor at the Le Cordon Bleu program at Western Culinary Institute, in Portland, Oregon. He holds Master’s Degrees in postsecondary education and cultural anthropology, as well as credentials in Ayurveda wellness and cooking. Eric has spent more than twenty years in the food and beverage industry. His experiences include banquet management, catering, personal chef, winery cellar hand, educator, textbook contributor, consultant, and ethnographer. He also brings food and cultural insight from nearly a decade of residence in Japan, studies in Mexico, and research in India as a Fulbright Scholar. After graduating from the University of Oregon with a dual degree in Japanese and Asian Studies, he went on to receive his formal culinary training at Western Culinary Institute, in Portland, Oregon. Eric’s role with Rouxbe is central to enhancing the student experience through quality course content and new course development at Rouxbe. Eric is also the lead instructor in Rouxbe courses, a role which he has enjoyed since 2016.