World of Spices

THE Timeline Spices were among the most valuable items of trade in ancient and medieval times, they were rare and precious products, used for medicine, perfume, incense and flavouring and played a big role throughout human history Pepper is the most important commercial spice: 200 BC to 800 60% The Romans control the trade 3500 BC The ancient 2000 BC The Old Testament includes much about herbs In 1492, Christopher Columbus went of the total volume of the spice trade 1000 BC Medical system 700 to 1500 The Republic of Venice had the Egyptians were using various spices for flavouring food, in cosmetics and for embalming their dead based on herbs could be found in China, Korea westwards from Europe to find a sea route to the lands of OF SPICES monopoly over spice trade with the Middle East and India spices but found the Americas 12th to 16th century Europeans explore passages to the East Indies Spices are still cultivated mostly by hand and are cleaned, 2011 International trade: Over $1.5 bn per year 15th to 17th century Wars for control of the spice trade break out 1600-1900 1500 to 1800 Americans enter English exploration washed and sun-dried the spice trade for 5-10 days Wars have been fought, entire continents colonised, just for that extra flavour. ET on Sunday takes a spicy journey through the history, geography & economics of the wonder stuff: from clove to khmellsunell Graphic: Alankar 150,00,000-160,00,000 Pure capsaicin* Common Spice Mixtures World Production 86,00,000-91,00,000 Various capsaicinoids (eg - homocapsaicin, homodihydrocapsaicin, nordihydrocapsaicin) Scoville Scale (2000 figures; in mt) 50,00,000-53,00,000 Law enforcement-grade pepper spray, FN 303 irritant ammunition -India & Pakistan Chaat masala 1 Measurement of the spicy heat (or piquance) of a chili pepper. The number of Scoville heat units (SHU) indicates the amount of capsaicin* present China Five-spice powder India 8,55,000-14,63,700 22,55,800 Georgia Khmell Naga Viper pepper, Infinity chilli, Bhut Jolokia, Trinidad Scorpian Butch T Pepper sunell With different climates in different parts of the country, India is the top producer in the world and produces a variety of spices 3,50,000-5,80,000 Red Savina habanero UK Mixed 14,63,700 1,00,000-3,50,000 Habanero, Scotch bonnet, Datil pepper, Rocoto, Madame Jeanette, Peruvian White Habanero, Jamaican pepper World's hottest spice chilli grown by Aussies USA France Old bay seasoning pumpkin pie spice 50,000-1,00,000 Byadgi chilli, Bird's eye chilli, Malagueta pepper,Chiltepin pepper, Piri piri, Pequin pepper Quatre épices China Japan Shichimi 5,84,871 Indonesia togarashi 2,60,902 1,000-2,500 Anaheim pepper, poblano pepper, rocotillo pepper, Peppadew 30,000-50,000 Guntur chilli, Cayenne pepper, Aji pepper, Tobasco pepper, Cumari pepper (Capsicum Chinese), Chipotle 3,500-8,000 Espelette pepper, Jalapeno, Gua India S Asia 10,000-23,000 Serano pepper, peter pepper, Aleppo pepper America Chilli powder N Africa Harissa, Ras el hanout Curry powder Garam Pakistan masala 2,08,328 Arab & Middle East Baharat Nigeria 1,46,500 *Capsaicin is a chemical compound that stimulates chemoreceptor nerve endings in the skin, especially the mucous membranes Content courtsey & adapted with permission from Recipe-finder.com India & Ethiopia & Eritrea Berbere Bangladesh Bangladesh Panch phoron 1,44,000 Vietnam 1,23,752 Ethiopia 1,10,960 World Trade Origin of Spices Mexico International trade in spices is estimated to be around 4,00,000 tonnes annually, at $1.5 bn Others 91,755 1,04,500 Pepper Capsicum Seed Spices Tree Spices Turmeric Ginger Cardamom Vanilla Clove Moluccas (Indonesia) Cinamon Sri Lanka, India, SE Asia Pepper Hills of Nutmeg Papua New Guinea, Moluccas Vanilla Mexico 33% 22% 15% 14% 8% 6% 4% 2% World 49,39,990 Western India Percentage of world trade for important spices (Indonesia)