17-05-2013, 03:24 PM
SPICES IN INDIA
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INTRODUCTION
SPICES: CONCEPT OF SPICES
According to Chambers Twentieth Century Dictionary,” spice is an aromatic and pungent vegetable substance used as a condiment and for seasoning food”.
The Standard ISO 676:1995 of the International Organization for Standardization(ISO) defines spices and condiments as “vegetable products or mixtures thereof free from extraneous matter, used for flavouring, seasoning and imparting aroma in foods; the term applies equally to the products in the whole form or in the ground form”.
Much confusion prevails among specialists and laymen alike as to whether a particular material is a spice, vegetable, contiment, flavourant or a drug. Spice is one of the strongly flavoured or aromatic substances of vegetable origin, obtained from plants of tropical, subtropical and temperate zones.
Thus, spices are substances essentially from the vegetable kingdom, characterized by strong, pungent odors or sweet or bitter taste. Spices alter the taste of food to a small degree, such as in colour, taste, piquancy and pleasant flavor. A spice shouldn’t develop woody persistent tissue like a shrub or a tree, i.e., it should be soft and it may be either leaf, bark, fruit, flower, seed or root resembling rhizomes. It is the user whose taste and olfactory nerves that decide precisely what a spice should be and when the same material may be pronounced a condiment ,or seasoning or a flavourant.
ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF SPICES IN INDIA
Spices once hailed as ‘grey gold’ have played an important role in the history of civilization, exploration and commerce. Spices were the first object of commerce between the East and the West. The cultivation and use of spices go back to the beginning of history. Spices trade is the oldest known trade to man. Spices were the traditional items of international trade. Spices have had a greater impact on world trade than any other food stuff. Many spices have medicinal properties and have profound effect on human health, since they affect many functional processes. Spices are being used every day in the family at all occasions of sorrow, happiness and festivals in one or other forms.
India also known as ‘the land of spices’ is the largest producer, consumer and exporter of spices in the world. Every Indian home is equipped with some important spices, which are used as home remedies for common ailments. It was due to spices trade that ancient commercial ties existed between India and the Middle East. There had been a flourishing trade in spices successively between the Indians and the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs, the Portuguese, the Dutch, the French and the British throughout the period of recorded history.
Within India, Kerala is the leading producer of black pepper(the king of spices) and cardamom(the queen of spices).Kerala earns valuable foreign exchange through spices trade.Spices cultivation which was once the monopoly of India has now spread to a number of other countries and the competition in spices trade, has become fierce.Though the mystery and rarity of spices have now virtually disappeared, their magical effect on food and their ability to delight the palate remain unchanged.
VARIETIES OF SPICES
India produces a wide range of spices. At present, production is around 3.2 million tones of different spices valued at approximately 4 billion US $, and holds a prominent position in world spice production. Because of the varying climates-from tropical to sub-tropical to temperate-almost all spices grow splendidly in India.In reality almost all the States and union territories of India grow one or the other spices.Under the Act of Parliament, a total of 52 spices are brought under the purview of Spices Board. However 109 spices are notified in the ISO list. The wide range of spices can be grouped under the following five categories:
a) Major spices- black pepper, cardamoms(small and large), chillies, ginger and turmeric.
b) Seed spices- Coriander, Celery, fennel, fenugreek, dill, aniseed, caraway, mustard, poppy seed, parsley and ajowan.
c) Tree spices- Clove, nutmeg and mace, cinnamon, tejpat, kokum, allspice, cabbage, tamarind, cassia, curry leaf, asafetida and pomegranate.
d) Herbal spices- thyme, marjoram, oregano, savory, basil, rosemary, horse radish, tarragon, hyssop and lovage; and
e) Miscellaneous spices- Garlic, saffron, vanilla, juniper, greater galangal, curry powder, spice oils, oleoresins and mixtures where spice content is predominant.
USES OF SPICES
Spices constitute an important group of agricultural commodity which are virtually indispensable in the culinary art. They are the secret of a housewife’s palatable dishes. In small quantities, they are used to prepare culinary dishes and have little or no nutritive value, but they stimulate the appetite, add zest to food and enhance taste. The various applications of spices include:
a) Spices are well-known appetizers or preservatives.
b) Many spices have rich medicinal properties and are used in pharmaceutical, perfumery, religious rituals, cosmetic products etc.
c) Spices are employed as adjuncts to import flavour and aroma or pungency to food.
d) Spice extracts are used to meet new demands of food processing industry.
e) Spices are employed in food industry in the preparation of pickles, biscuits, beverages, processed meat etc.
f) Spice oils and oleoresins are employed in cosmetics, tooth paste, toilet soaps, hair oils, tobacco products etc.
g) Spices find essential application in the preparation of Indian systems of medicines, as they have medicinal, preservative or antiseptic values.
h) Spices are used to season insipid food- their aromatic qualities are useful in overcoming the odours of bad food.
ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE OF SPICES TRADE
India is the largest producer and exporter of spices in the world. India with varied climate and soil is the natural home of spices.No country in the world grows as many varieties of spices as India. Although different spices are produced in different countries of the world, India has the privilege of producing all types of spices. She has spices like the majestic black pepper, elusive cardamom, refreshing ginger, colourful turmeric, fiery chilli, and a host of other spices like cumin, coriander, aniseed, nutmeg, mace and saffron. Within India Kerala is the large producer of leading spices like pepper and cardamom.
Spices trade in India is contributing much to the socio-economic development of the country. India earns substantial amount of foreign exchange from the export of spices. The spices trade is also contributing much to the Gross National Product of the country. The contribution made by the spices export to the national exchequer is slightly more than two percent of the total exports of the country. Spices trade also has employment potential, cultivation, farming, processing, manufacture and export of spice products are all labour intensive. With the increase in population, sophisticated habits of the people and increase in the use of instant foods, the demand for spices may go up at a fast rate. India being the far most country in respect of spices production and export, development of spices in the country can make substantial contribution to the country’s national economy.
SPICES BOARD
Spices Board, established in 1986 is the flagship organization for the development and worldwide promotion of Indian spices. The board is an international link between the Indian exporters and the importers abroad. The Board has been spearheading activities for excellence of Indian spices, involving every segment of the industry. The board has made quality and hygiene the corner stones for it’s development and promotional strategies. Promotion of exports of spices and spice products, maintenance and monitoring of quality of exports, development and implementation of better production methods, guidance to farmers on getting higher and better quality yields through scientific agricultural practices, provision of financial and material support to growers, encouraging organic production and export of spices, facilitating infrastructure for processing and value addition, registration and licensing of all spice exporters, assistance for studies and research on better processing practices, foolproof quality management systems, improved grading methods and effective packaging techniques production of promotional and educative materials in a variety of media for the benefit of exporters and importers etc are important activities of the board.
SPICE UNDER STUDY : TURMERIC
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It is native to tropical South Asia and needs temperatures between 20 °C and 30 °C (68 °F and 86 °F) and a considerable amount of annual rainfall to thrive. Plants are gathered annually for their rhizomes , and propagated from some of those rhizomes in the following season.
When not used fresh, the rhizomes are boiled for several hours and then dried in hot ovens, after which they are ground into a deep orange-yellow powder commonly used as a spice in curries and other South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine, for dyeing, and to impart color to mustard condiments. Its active ingredient is curcumin and it has a distinctly earthy, slightly bitter, slightly hot peppery flavor and a mustardy smell. Curcumin can be used to test the alkalinity or acidity of foods. It turns yellow in an acidic food, and it turns red in an alkaline food.