Handbook of Herbs and Spices, Volume 2

Description

Herbs and spices are among the most versatile ingredients in food processing, and alongside their sustained popularity as flavorants and colorants, they are increasingly being used for their natural preservative and potential health-promoting properties. This authoritative new edition in two volumes provides a comprehensive guide to the properties, production and application of a wide variety of commercially-significant herbs and spices. Volume 2 begins by discussing such issues as the medicinal uses of herbs and spices and their sustainable production. The contributors explore herbs and spices as natural antimicrobials in foods and the effect of their natural antioxidants on the shelf life of food. The book then goes on to look in depth at individual herbs and spices, ranging from ajowan to tamarind. Each chapter provides detailed coverage of a single herb or spice, beginning by considering origins, chemical composition and classification. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the cultivation, production and processing of the specific herb or spice, its main uses, functional properties and toxicity.