Spices Flashcards
What functional chemical unit are spices composed of? How are these often arranged? What common chemical group is formed this way?
Isoprene units linked in many ways (often aromatic). That’s how ya get TURPENES
What advantage could compounds which we call spices confer to plant survival?
scent attraction of pollinators, deterrent of herbivory, pathogen defense
When did Europeans first begin exploring by sea? What might they have been looking for?
In the 1400s, possibly in a search for pepper
What were the major seafaring countries during the early exploration period?
Portugal, Spain, England, the Dutch
How did spices first arrive in Europe?
Trafficked to Europe from Asia by Arabian traders
When did Portugal have dominance over spice cultivation? Where was this? When did the Dutch take control? How did the British get around this?
The 1500s in India, China, and the spice islands. Dutch took control in the 1600s but their monopoly was broken when the British established other areas of spice production
What makes spices desirable?
They add smell and flavour, but also help to preserve and cure food
What were the 6 most valuable spices from the “Old World”?
- Black pepper
- Nutmeg/mace
- Cloves
- Cinnamon
- Saffron
- Turmeric
What is the scientific name of the plant which produces black pepper? What makes it notable among the spices?
Piper nigrum, the world’s most widely used spice (also didn’t have a major conflict revolve around it unlike other spices). Worth 10 times more than other spices in medieval Europe
What differentiates white pepper from black pepper?
Black pepper is made by drying green, unripe berries. White pepper is made the same way but using ripe berries (less pungent)
What is the active component of pepper?
Piperine, a pungent alkaloid
Nutmeg and mace both come from the same plant, what makes them different? What is the scientific name of this plant?
Nutmeg is the stony seed of Myristica fragrans, while mace is a membrane which surrounds it
What is the active component of nutmeg?
Myristicin, an essential oil
Where did Myristica fragrans originate? What was significant about the British influence here (date of arrival and event)?
The “spice islands” (present day Banda islands). The British arrived in 1603 and in 1616 convinced the occupants to acknowledge British rule, making them this the first British colony
When did the Dutch take control of the spice islands?
1620
When was the Dutch monopoly on nutmeg broken? How?
Broken in 1776 when French botanist Pierre Poivre stole seeds from the islands to plant in Mauritius (a French colony)
What did the treaty of Breda between the Dutch and the British entail? When was this?
In 1667, the British gave control over Run island (a spice island) to the Dutch, and received the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam in return (Manhattan - New York!)
What is the scientific name for cloves? What part of the plant is harvested to produce this spice? What other spice shares a similar history?
The un-opened flower buds from Eugenia caryophyllata are used for the spice, which shares a similar history as nutmeg
What is the scientific name of the plant from which we harvest cinnamon? Where did it originate? What part of the plant is harvested?
Cinnamomum zeylanicum is native to India and Sri Lanka. The inner bark is harvested and dried as cinnamon
Which spice is the most expensive today (common and scientific name)? Where is it mainly produced? What part of the plant is harvested?
Saffron, the stigma of the Crocus sativus flower. Mainly produced in Spain and harvested by hand
Where did Curcuma longa originate? What is the common name for the spice which comes from this plant? What part of the plant is harvested as a spice?
Native to India, the rhizome of the plant is harvested as turmeric
Besides food, how else has turmeric been used? Why? What is the active component?
In traditional medicine. Possibly has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-bacterial, and anti-cancer properties. The active chemical is curcumin (not an alkaloid)
What are the two most commonly used spices that originated in the “New World”?
Vanilla and hot chili peppers
To what family of plants does vanilla (Vanilla plantifolia) belong? Where did it originate?
Part of the orchid family, native to the rain forests of Central America
Of the 18000 species in the orchid family, how many are grown as crops?
Just one: vanilla
What European nation was the first to be introduced to vanilla? How did this come about?
It was part of the Aztec chocolatl drink offered to the Spanish conquistadors
How is vanilla processed for consumption?
complex, many-month process of drying, heating, and sweating… (induces fermentation)
What is the primary active component in vanilla? How can compound be produced in other ways?
vanillin, a phenolic. Can be synthesized from lignin in wood/wood pulp, but also converted from glucose by GMO yeasts
What is the active component of Capsicum solanacea? What is the common name for the spice harvested from this plant? To what plant family does this species belong?
From the nightshade family, grown for the production of hot chili peppers. The active compound in these peppers is capsaicin
What differentiates Capsicum annuum from Capsicum frutescens?
C. annuum is the most common (cayenne, jalapeno, bell)
C. frutescens is more fiery
What gives chili peppers their hot taste? How does this interact with the body?
Capsaicinoids (a group of 7 alkaloids in the seeds) bind to the same nerve receptors that perceive physical burning sensations
