LEMONGRASS POWDER, IRRADIATED (H390I)

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexusus) is a tall, perennial grass native to the tropical regions of South East Asia and Africa. The stalky root bases of these plants support long, tightly packed green leaves. The long leaves of lemongrass contain rich, lemon-like oil that is released through the cooking process or distilled to provide a concentrated flavoring agent or fragrance for a variety of uses, such as chewing gum or perfumery. Its culinary use is predominately in Thai or Indian cuisine. Lemongrass pairs well with kaffir lime leaves, galangal, ginger and Thai chile. India is the largest producer of lemongrass, exporting about 80% to Europe, North America and Japan. Other varieties are produced in Australia, Africa and Egypt, but are not nearly as common as the East Indian Lemongrass that is used most widely for culinary applications.