Egypt supplies both spearmint and peppermint. They look similar when dried, but they taste different, suit different products and even fall under different EU limits when sold as herbal tea.
The key differences
| Spearmint | Peppermint | |
|---|---|---|
| Botanical name | Mentha spicata | Mentha × piperita |
| Aroma | Sweet, mild; carvone-type | Strong, cooling; menthol-type |
| Typical use | Mint tea in North Africa and the Middle East, culinary use | Herbal-tea bags, blends, flavour and extraction |
| Reference cut (ONIC archive spec) | Stem-free chopped leaves, 2–4 mm | Stem-free TBC leaves, 0.5–2 mm |
| Reference moisture / total ash / acid-insoluble ash | <12% / <12% / <2% | <12% / <14% / <2% |
| Harvest in Egypt | March–September | March–September |
The values are reference specification limits from ONIC’s archive, not batch results; confirm them for each lot.
Which one for your product?
- Tea bags and herbal-tea blends: peppermint TBC is the standard choice; its menthol character carries through blends.
- Traditional mint tea and cooking: spearmint gives the familiar sweet “nana” taste.
- Extraction and flavour: decide by the aroma profile you need; ask for a volatile-oil result – ONIC’s spearmint reference specification sets a minimum of 0.9%.
An EU detail many buyers miss
Under the EU rules on pyrrolizidine alkaloids, peppermint herbal infusion has a maximum level of 400 µg/kg, while herbal infusions not specifically listed – which includes spearmint – fall under the general limit of 200 µg/kg (dried product). As a dried culinary herb, mint is subject to the 400 µg/kg limit for dried herbs (Regulation (EU) 2020/2040). Make sure your testing plan matches the way the product will be sold.
Buying mint from ONIC
See spearmint and peppermint with real photos of ONIC stock, or request samples of both to compare in your application.
Products in this guide
Spearmint
PeppermintQuick answers
What is the difference between spearmint and peppermint?
Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is sweet and mild, used for traditional mint tea and cooking. Peppermint (Mentha × piperita) is stronger and cooling because of menthol, and is the usual choice for herbal-tea bags.
Do EU pyrrolizidine alkaloid limits differ for spearmint and peppermint tea?
Yes. Peppermint herbal infusion is listed with a 400 µg/kg limit; spearmint as a herbal infusion falls under the general 200 µg/kg limit (dried product).
Source from ONIC
Send your specification, quantity and destination port – we reply with a quotation and can send samples.