World Scientific Research

Black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) is an annual herb of the Ranunculaceae family, which is growing in Mediterranean region and Ethiopia. In Ethiopia the most people are used as household spice preparation and medicinal purpose. In Ethiopia, black cumin varieties are now days released, but there is no as such work on their physiochemical properties avail. This work presents the investigation of the physicochemical properties of the three-black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) verities (Derbera, Dershaye, and Edan). The results of physicochemical properties Derbera is highest in essential oil content (0.7%) and Edane is lowest (0.3%) than other verities and Dershaye is highest in refractive index of essential oil(1.49), refractive index of oleoresin( 1.52%), moisture(8.0%),fat(24.0%),ash(10.45%), protein(20.61%) and lowest in fiber(16.7%) content than other varieties. From this result, Dershaye black cumin Variety, verities show the superior quality in physicochemical properties than the two black cumin verities (Derbera and Edane).