Whatareherbsandspices?

Plantproductsthatareaddedtofoodordrinktoprovideflavor

• Herbs:Generallyherbaceouspartofplant:leavesorstems,freshordried

• Spices:dryseeds,fruits,bark,roots

Spicesandhistory

•  TurkishcontrolofsupplyroutesforspicesfromAsialedtoPortugueseandSpanishexploraDontogettoIndia,China,SpiceIslands

•  Portuguese,thenDutch,controlledSpiceIslands(Moluccas);cloves,nutmeg,mace,blackpeppernaDvetotheseislands

•  Controlofspicesledtogreatwealthandpower

•  FinallyFrench,BriDsh.andSpanishsmuggledplantstocolonies,breakingmonopoly,greatlyreducingcostofspices

• ChemicalsresponsiblefordisDnctflavors,smellsofspicesorperfumesareessenDaloilsorvolaDleoils

• Oilsusuallysequesteredinspecializedpocketsorglandsonplants;oilsproducedbyplantasaSractantsorrepellants(somecompoundsbothaSractsomevisitorsandrepelothers)

• Weusesmallamountsmixedwithfoodforpleasant,ratherthandeterrenteffect

• CompoundsmustbeoffairlylowmolecularweighttovolaDlizeandbeperceivedasodor

• Smellis80%ofwhatwecalltaste

Selection for longevity, yield, loss of odor (and thus flavor in foods like tomatoes)

Mostcommonherbsandspicesfromthreeplantfamilies

Mints(Lamiaceae):zygomorphicflowers,usuallysquarestemsandsimple,oppositeleaves;defensiveoilglandsonleafsurface

Mints(Lamiaceae)

•  Basil(Ocimumbasilicum):domesDcatedinIndia;sacredplanttoHindus,veryimportanttoancientGreeks

Mints(Lamiaceae)

•  Mint(Menthaspicata—spearmint;Menthapiperita—peppermint;otherMenthaspeciesusedtolesserextent):fromdamphabitatsofEuropeandAsia

Mints(Lamiaceae)

•  Oregano(Origanumvulgare):Mediterraneangenusofplants;usegreatlyincreasedinUSa[erWWII,withintroducDonofpizza

Mints(Lamiaceae)

•  Marjoram(Origanummajorana):milderflavorthanoregano

Mints(Lamiaceae)

•  Rosemary(Rosmarinusofficinalis):woodyshrubcommoninMediterraneandryscrublands

Mints(Lamiaceae)

•  Sage(Salviaofficinalis):usedmedicinallyfromclassicalGreekthroughMiddleAges;richinterpenesthujoneandcamphor,whicharetoxicathighconcentraDons

Mints(Lamiaceae)

•  Thyme(Thymusvulgaris):Mediterraneangenus;GreeksuseditasanaromaDcinburntsacrifices.PhenoliccompoundthymolusedasanDmicrobialagentinmouthwashesandcreams.

Mints(Lamiaceae)

•  Lavender(Lavenduladentata,L.angus?folia):naDveofMediterranean;driedflowersmorecommonlyusedforperfumesthaninfood;tradiDonalingredientinherbsdeprovence.

CarrotFamily(Apiaceae):flat‐toppedclustersofusuallysmallflowers(umbel);verydissected,alternateleaves.

Leavesused,fruitsused,someGmesboth(celery,dill,coriander/cilantro,fennel);defensiveoilglandswithinleaves,notonsurface.

Withinthefruit,essenGaloilsareconcentratedinchamberssurroundingseeds(protecGon?)

CarrotFamily(Apiaceae)

•  Celery(Apiumgraveolens):naDveofdampEuropeanhabitatsnearsea;disDncDveflavorfromcompoundscalledphthalides

•  CorianderorCilantro(Coriandrumsa?vum):naDveofMiddleEast;maincomponentofodorisdecenal,whichisveryvolaDle;thus,usedmoreasuncookedgarnish;leavesusedascilantro,driedfruitsusedascoriander.CulDvatedmorefordriedfruitswithfloralandlemonflavor;commoninmanyIndiandishesanddisDnguishingflavorinAmericanhotdogs

•  Parsley(Petroselinumcrispum):naDvetoSEEuropeandwesternAsia;disDncDveflavorduetocompoundmenthatriene;leaveshighinvitaminsAandC.ReveredbyearlyGreeksassymbolsofvictoryanddeath.

•  Dill(Anethumgraveolens):naDveofsouthwestAsiaandIndia;commoninGreekcooking.Seedsusedtoflavorcucumberpickles.

CarrotFamily(Apiaceae)

•  Caraway(Carumcarvi):naDvetoEurope;disDncDveflavorduetoterpeneD‐carvone;Ryebread,componentofScandinavianalcoholaquavit

•  Cumin(Cuminumcyminum):NaDvetoSWAsia;enjoyedbyGreeksandRomans(Greekskeptitatthetableinitsownbox).DisDncDvearomafromunusualcompoundcuminaldehyde.

CarrotFamily(Apiaceae)

•  Anise(Pimpinellaanisum):NaDvetocentralAsiaandvaluedsinceancientDmes;highcontentofphenoliccompoundanethole,whichisaromaDcandverysweet(13Xsweeterthantablesugar).UsedasaflavoringinPernodandouzo.Notethatstaranise,whichalsoproducesanethole,istotallydifferent;itisatreethatiscloselyrelatedtomagnolias.

CarrotFamily(Apiaceae)

•  Fennel(Foeniculumvulgare):NaDveofMediterraneanandSWAsia;disDncDveflavorfromanethole;seedsdisDncDveingredientsinItaliansausages,chewedinIndiaasa[er‐mealbreath‐freshener.

CabbageFamily(Brassicaceae)

•  Pungencyfromsamecompoundsasinleaves,sulfurousdefensecompoundscalledisothiocyanates

•  WhengrounduprawtheyareirritaDng;whencookedtheytendtobebiSer

CabbageFamily(Brassicaceae)

•  Mustard:NamecomesfromoriginalEuropeancondimentofwinemixedwithmustardseeds

•  Blackmustard(Brassicanigra):naDvetoEurasia;highinconcentraDonofdefensecompoundsinigrinandthushighinpungency

•  Brownmustard(B.juncea):hybridofB.nigraandB.rapathatiseasiertoculDvateandharvestthanB.nigra,alsolesspungency.Europeansmustardsusuallyusebrownmustard.

•  Whiteoryellowmustard(B.alba):EuropeannaDvewithsinalbinasdefensecompound,whichislessvolaDlethansinigrin.CommonlyusedinUS;yellowcolorcomesfromaddiDonofturmeric.

CabbageFamily(Brassicaceae)

•  Horseradish(Armoraciarus?cana):NaDvetowesternAsia;fleshywhiterootscontainsinigrin,graterawrootstoreleasepungency

CabbageFamily(Brassicaceae)

•  Wasabi(Wasabiajaponica):NaDveofJapanandSakhalinIslandwhereitgrowsbymountainstreams.Notaroot—actuallytheenlargedstemthataccumulatessinigrinasdefense.Difficulttogrow;mostwasabiservedinrestaurantsisactuallydriedhorseradishpowdercoloredgreenandmixedwithwater.Truewasabihasmixtureofpungent,oniony,green,andsweetflavors.

Cinnamon: one of oldest and most valuable spices; ancient Egyptians used it in embalming.

Cinnamon is from the phloem of Cinnamomum cassia, C. zeylanicum (Lauraceae); native to Sri Lanka and China. Two year old stems and twigs are cut, the outer bark (xylem) is removed, leaving quills (cinnamon sticks) of phloem. Phloem contains protective oil cells imparting distinctive aroma

Distinct spicy odor from phenolic compound, cinnamaldehyde (shown to inhibit mold growth in paper we read)

Tropical spices

Black and white pepper (Piperaceae): Climbing vine native to tropical coastal mountains of southwest India

Most widely used spice; once very precious commodity

Dried fruits (berries) of Piper nigrum

Black pepper: whole fruit dried; white pepper: outer fleshy fruit layer removed before drying

Pungency from piperine

Tropical spices