Spices are aromatic plant-derived substances — seeds, bark, roots, fruits, or flowers — used in small quantities to add flavor, color, and aroma to food. They have been at the center of global trade, cuisine, and culture for thousands of years. Unlike herbs (which come from the leafy green parts of plants), spices are typically dried and often ground into powder before use.
Common spices include black pepper, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, paprika, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, coriander, and chili. Each spice carries unique volatile oils and bioactive compounds that contribute not only to taste but also to preservation and health benefits. In food technology, spices and spice extracts are used in sauces, marinades, stews, bakery products, confectionery, beverages, and processed meats. Proper storage — in airtight containers away from light and heat — is essential to preserve their potency, as ground spices lose aroma faster than whole ones.
Explore more about spices — from individual profiles and flavor pairings to storage tips and usage in food production — in the articles below.
What is Ashure? Ashure (also spelled aşure or Noah’s pudding) is a Turkish and Middle Eastern sweet pudding made from a base of hulled wheat… Read More »Ashure — Turkish Sweet Pudding of Grains, Fruits, and Nuts
What is Asam Laksa? Asam laksa is a tangy, spicy Malaysian noodle soup built on a sour tamarind broth enriched with flaked mackerel, fragrant herbs,… Read More »Asam Laksa — Malaysian Sour Fish Noodle Soup
Honey spice bread (Коврижка медова) is a GOST recipe for a traditional Eastern European honey cake — a dense, fragrant loaf made with natural honey,… Read More »Honey Spice Bread (Kovryzhka Medova) GOST Recipe
Suvorov cookie (Суворовське) is a GOST enriched (zdobne) cookie — a rich, crumbly butter biscuit with a high fat and egg content. Named after the… Read More »Suvorov Enriched Cookie GOST Recipe
GOST 7587-71 “Dried onion” is the standard governing the quality requirements for dried onion used in food production. This standard applies to dehydrated onion (Allium… Read More »GOST 7587-71 Dried Onion
Dried onion (dehydrated onion) is widely used as a raw material in food production. While fresh onion is preferred in culinary and catering applications, industrial-scale… Read More »Dried Onion (Dehydrated Onion)
A heat-stable flavoring is an aromatic ingredient that can withstand thermal processing without significant loss of its organoleptic and technological properties. Choosing the right flavoring… Read More »Heat-Stable Flavorings
Dry perfume GOST Recipe Dry perfume is a mixture of prepared natural aromatic herbs and spices , carefully dried and ground. This formulation is an old… Read More »Dry perfume GOST Recipe