There is no universal mesh size for spice powder. As a rough illustration, many culinary powders are traded somewhere around 40 to 60 mesh, with finer grinds for some sauces, seasonings and blends, and coarser grinds for crushed chilli or cracked seeds.
The right size is the one your end use needs. Set it in your specification, with a pass rate and a test method, rather than accepting a supplier's default.
What mesh size means
Mesh refers to the number of openings per linear inch of a sieve. A higher mesh number means smaller openings and a finer powder. Some buyers express particle size in microns instead, which avoids confusion between different sieve standards.
A mesh figure on its own is not enough. "60 mesh" can mean that all the powder passes a 60 mesh sieve, or that a stated share passes. Always write it as a pass rate, for example "not less than a stated percentage passes through a stated sieve".
How end use shapes the grind
- Retail spice jars: a medium grind that looks even and pours well is common.
- Seasonings for snacks: a finer grind usually sticks to the product better and spreads more evenly.
- Sauces and ready meals: a fine grind avoids grittiness and disperses well in liquid.
- Crushed chilli and cracked pepper: a coarse cut is the point, so specify a size range, not a minimum fineness.
- Blends: matching particle sizes of different ingredients helps stop them separating in the pack.
Trade-offs of grinding finer
Finer is not always better. Fine grinding takes more energy and creates more heat, and heat drives off volatile oil, which carries aroma. Very fine powders also take up moisture faster and are more likely to cake.
Fine powder has more surface area, so it can lose colour and flavour faster after packing. For high-value aromatic spices, buyers sometimes ask about cold or cryogenic grinding to reduce heat damage.
Fineness can also hide problems. A very fine grind makes it harder to spot husk, stalks or foreign material under a magnifier.
What to put in your specification
Mesh sits alongside moisture, ash, acid insoluble ash and microbiology in a full agri product specification. For particle size, include these points, then check the pre-shipment sample against the approved sample before loading.
- The sieve size, the sieve standard used and the minimum pass rate.
- An upper limit for coarse particles if you need a smooth texture.
- A limit for very fine dust if it causes caking or handling problems on your line.
- The test method and sample size, so your lab and the supplier's lab measure the same way.
- A requirement that the grinder sieves the powder before packing, not only after grinding.
Where we come in
We help you set a particle size spec that fits your product and agree it with the grinder in writing. We check sieving on the line during production and have samples tested before loading. For help writing your powder spec, ask for a free sourcing review.