Spices

SPICES, substances of plant origin, added to food to give it a pleasant smell and taste. Spices also include various aromatic powders, essences, and extracts prepared from natural spice plant substances or fabricated from hydrocarbons, alcohols, esters, acids, etc. Plant spices can be classified by the plant organs from which they are obtained: a) seeds and fruits: mustard (Sinapis alba L., Sinapis nigra, Sinapis juncea L.), black pepper in grains (Piper nigrum L.), white pepper in grains—ripe fruits of Piper nigrum from which the outer shell has been removed, clove in grains, or piment (Pimenta officinalis Berg), capsicum, or paprika (Capsicum annum, Capsicum baccatum L.), anise (Pimpinella anisum L.), star anise or badian (Illicium anisatum L., Illicium religiosum Siebold), caraway (Carum carvi L.), coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), nutmeg (Myristica moschata Thunberg, M. fragrans Houttyn), cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum White and Maton), vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Andr.); b) flowers and their parts: saffron (Crocus sativus L.), clove (Caryophyllus aromaticus L.), capers (Capparis spinosa L.); c) leaves: bay leaf (Laurus nobilis L.), parsley (Petroselinum sativum Hoffm.), savory (Satureja hortensis L.), tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus sativus L.), dill (Anethum graveolens L.), marjoram (Origanum Majorana L.); d) bark: cinnamon (Cinnamomum ceylanicum Krst.); e) bulbs: onion (Allium cepa L., Allium porrum L.), garlic (Allium sativum L.); f) roots: ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), horseradish (Armoracia rusticana L.), celery (Apium graveolens L.), parsley (Petroselinum sativum Hoffm.), licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.). The chemical composition of plant spices is very diverse; the main active principle in them is usually essential oils and resins, less frequently aldehydes, alkaloids, etc. Due to their rich content of sharp aromatic and taste substances, spices act in a stimulating manner on appetite and increase the secretion of saliva, gastric, and other digestive juices, thereby contributing to more successful digestion and assimilation of food. Spices have wide application as seasonings in culinary and confectionery production, in pickling, in canning, in the production of table varieties of vinegar, liqueurs, etc. Possessing a strong and pleasant aroma and taste, spices even in small doses improve the taste of food and mask its deficiencies, which depend on blandness or an unpleasant taste of certain products entering the composition of a given dish, confectionery item, drink, etc. Skillful use of spices is of particular importance for public dining rooms and factory kitchens, where not only satiating and cheap, but also tasty lunches must be served. One should avoid excessive seasoning of food with spices, since due to the content of sharp irritating substances in spices, frequent and unmoderate use can adversely affect the mucous membrane of the stomach, the liver, the kidneys, and even the central nervous system. This applies especially to people suffering from or predisposed to diseases of the mentioned organs. Therefore, in dietary cuisine, spices are used very cautiously and only those possessing the most gentle action are applied (cinnamon, parsley, onion, vanilla). In preparing food for children, the use of spices is avoided, as the child's body is very sensitive to sharp irritants. Many spices themselves, as well as tinctures, extracts, and essential oils from them, find application in medicine. For example, the widespread use of mustard plasters, mustard alcohol, pepper tincture; pepper enters the composition of so-called Asian arsenical pills, saffron in Tinct. Opii crocata, cinnamon in Aqua Cinnamomii, cinnamon and clove^: in Acetum aromaticum, dill and licorice in Pulvis Liquiritiae compositus, anise oil in Liquor Ammonii anisatus, etc. Detailed description of individual types of spices, their composition and application in medicine—see in separate articles: Mustard, Anise, Ginger, Clove, Nutmeg, etc. Spices are often falsified by the addition of foreign substances resembling the genuine product in appearance. The following falsifications are more common: black grain pepper is mixed with fruits of other Piperaceae species, black field peas, balls of flour, and pepper waste, soot, etc.; ground pepper is falsified by the addition of flour, crushed rye bread, anise, nut shells, sand, etc.; unpeeled cinnamon is mixed with the bark of other laurel trees, ground cinnamon is mixed with flour, crushed nut shells, bran, ochre, etc. Other spices can also be subject to such forgeries. Quite often practiced is a falsification consisting in the extraction from spices of their most valuable components—aromatic and taste substances—with alcohol or ether. Falsification of spices is detected by microscopic examination and chemical analysis of them.