Spices and Condiments

Definition of Spices and Condiments

 
• According to the latest available International Organization for Standardization (ISO) report, Budapest, Hungary, there are about 109 spices grown in different parts of the world.
• India grows about 63 of these. But the commercial cultivation is limited to about a dozen of spices. Both ISO and ISI (now BIS) experts have concluded, after considerable deliberations, that there is no clear-cut division between 'spices' and 'condiments' and they are now clubbed together. The term 'Spices and Condiments' applies to such natural plant or vegetable products or mixtures thereof, used in whole or ground form, mainly for imparting flavour, aroma and pungency to food and also for seasoning of foods and beverages like soups, etc.
• Spices are natural plant products used to improve the flavour, aroma, taste and colour of food products; they are also used in beverages, liquors, and pharmaceutical, cosmetic and perfumery products. From time immemorial, India has been known as the 'Land of Spices'. No other country in the world has such a diverse variety of spice crops as India. Indian spices are renowned for their excellent aroma, flavour and pungency, not easily matched by any other country.
• Even in minute quantities, spices are a real delight to the senses, making food more palatable, tasty and easily digestible. While, their usage is common in one form or the other in every household, their demand in the food processing industry is increasing at a rapid pace across the world. Thus, the demand for spices in recent years has been continuously on the rise.
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