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16 July
The Role of Spices in Global Cuisine

Spices are plant derivative products that enhance the color, flavor, aroma, and delectability of processed, semi-processed, or fresh food products. Primarily, dried or fresh seeds, flower buds, bark, seed pods, beans, arils, rhizomes, and leaves are recognized as plant derivatives. Sole ingredients or mixtures of whole, crushed, or powder forms are added to cuisines, gravies, and beverages to enhance the flavor, aroma, and color.

Universally, more than 100 spices are disseminated: commonly, cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise, pepper (black, white, green, or medley), clove, ginger, turmeric, and cardamom lemongrass vanilla. Apart from them, non-civilized secret spices are available throughout the world. Spices are grown all over the continents and prominently distributed in Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, China, Moluccas, New Guinea, etc. Since most plants are sensitive to sunlight as well as rainfall, cultivations are located along the Earth's equator. While spices are directly used in the food industry, some of them are also used in numerous non-food industries, such as pharmaceuticals, perfumery, cosmetics, and medicine. The global market is open to organic, natural, and conventional spices. Organic spices are grown, harvested, and processed under special precautions, which are not deliberately adding harmful compounds such as pesticides, herbicides, or toxic chemicals. Organic products are almost safe to consume and highly demanded, as well as expensive.

Sri Lanka is a prominent Asian country that cultivates and exports spices around the globe. Cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, clove, ginger, mace, and turmeric have been exported since the colonial era.

Environmental factors, sensuality, and chemical composition are sturdily combined with these spices to create a diversification of culinary cultures. Culinary is a key point of the culture of any country.

Among south Asian countries; India has the widest range of cultures, which are slightly different from each other. Indians preferred high pungency, sweet, sour, and salty, as well as bitter or a blend of them. Especially turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili, pepper, cardamom, and ginger are extensively used. They have different spice mixtures to add a unique taste to dishes as well as beverages. These blends may be in ground form or whole form. South-eastern Asians like Japanese, Chinese, and Thai, who prefer high pungency with sweetness. They gain more pungency from chili and ginger than pepper. Sweetness with pungency is obtained from cinnamon or cassia, especially.

Middle Eastern cuisines rich with spices, and seasonings have been an important part of their culinary culture. Spices such as nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, cassia, fenugreek, annis, and clove are widely used for their seasonings to enhance the flavor and make them more eye- catching. In Middle Eastern cuisine, they can be used in a wide range of dishes, including entrées, salads, soups, deserts, and beverages. Each spice adds a special touch of flavor that emits excellent aromas.

Europeans prefer less pungency than Asians. They consume a lot of pepper, nutmeg, mace, cinnamon, and ginger. Europeans mainly use spices for the seasoning of their products rather than cooking the cuisines. These spices enhance the mouthfeel and the aroma of the food. Americans and Mexicans also prefer spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and pepper.

Spices consist of unique as well as different compound combinations. Furthermore, same compound expresses different properties when combined with varies proportions and combinations. Spices are rich in aromatic compounds such as eugenol, cinnamaldehyde, piperine, mysterine, curcumin, gingerol etc. Due to the combination of the mentioned compounds, the following characters arise and add to the culinary.

*Some spices are rich in antimicrobial properties that can inhibit or reduce the growth of some microorganisms that cause food spoilage. Especially cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, and oregano contains chemical compounds that prevent the oxidation of fats and oils in food products. These results show that food is preserved with spices rather than naturally.

*Spices may enhance the depth and complexity of the flavor of food products. Some of spice combinations feel mouthwatering in first bite. For example, pepper, ginger, and mustard can create a spicy pungency impression, while cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg may generate sweetness of the food.

*The visual presentation of foods is a high concerning factor for many people. Eye-catching is dependent on form, dosage, type, and color.  Especially turmeric, paprika, and saffron impart a yellow-orange hue to foods, while sesame seeds and flax seeds can add crunchiness. For example, pepper is a more significant spice considering its color. Most creamish or light- colored dishes are prepared with white pepper, not using black pepper, to attract the eye while keeping the taste.

*Spices are rich of a variety of volatile oils such as eugenol, cinnamaldehyde, mysterine, curcumin, gingerol, cineol, vanillin etc. These aromatic compounds are enhanced the aroma of the cuisines. Most of spices are contained aromatic compounds while cardamom, anise, ginger, clove, vanilla prominently use.

*According to the scientific literature in aesthetics as well as western medical treatments, spices are able to provide various health benefits to consumers by modulating different physiological processes in the body. For example, cumin and cinnamon can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, while turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon can reduce inflammation and pain. Nutmeg and pepper can enhance immune system function according to the literature.