Spice Glossary

Below is our main glossary, but there are also specific interest glossaries:

Main Glossary | Aromatherapy Glossary | Tea Glossary | Natural Health Glossary | Spice Glossary

Artificial flavor - The United States Code of Federal Regulations (21 CFR 102.22) defines "artificial flavors" as any substance with the purpose of imparting flavor that is not derived from an herb, spice, fruit, vegetable, or other plant or animal source. A listing of artificial flavors can be found in 21 CFR 172.515 (b), and 21 CFR 182.60. (See also Natural Flavor.)

Autolyzed yeast - Yeast extracts are carefully fermented from cane and/or beet molasses and are autolyzed by enzymes under exacting conditions. Autolysis is the destruction of tissues or cells of an organism by substances, such as enzymes. By varying the fermentation and autolysis conditions, several unique flavor enhancers can be made. Don't confuse this product with active yeast or nutritional yeast.

Bay Laurel - Bay is sometimes called bay laurel or sweet bay in order to identify it as the spice from the Laurus nobilis tree. West Indian Bay, Pimenta racemosa, is the source of bay oil, an ingredient in bay rum. California bay, Umbellularia californica, is sometimes sold as bay leaf spice because of it's very attractive appearance but it is not GRAS (generally recognized as safe for comsumption by the FDA). (See also California Bay.)

Bourbon Vanilla - Bourbon vanilla refers to vanilla grown on what used to be called the "Bourbon islands" - Madagascar, The Comoros, Reunion and Seychelles. Located off the eastern coast of Africa, the Bourbon Islands were named for the French monarchy that ruled them at that time.

California Bay - California bay, Umbelluria californica, is a large, native tree often grown as an ornmental. The leaves are sometimes used in cooking as a replacement for bay laurel. Some spice companies like to sell it instead of true bay because the leaves are more attractive in a clear spice bottle. Unlike bay laurel, California bay is not GRAS (generally recognized as safe for consumption by the FDA) and if sold as bay leaf rather than under a different name, it is not in compliance with FDA regulations which have established a standard of identity for bay of Laurus nobilis. In addition, California bay contains umbellulone, a central nervous system toxin.

Cardamom Pods, White - White cardamom pods are bleached with sulfur to turn the green pods white. White cardamoms are preferred in some countries, especially in Europe although the flavor and aroma of the seeds is adversely affected. Frontier does not sell white cardamon because of the residual sulfer levels on the product.

Decorticated - Decorticating is a term for removing the shell or the pod and the paper thin husk that surrounds cardamom seeds.

Dewhiskered - Dewhiskering is the process of removing the small hair-like stem attached to the seed. Whiskers are commonly found in members of the Umbelliferae family such as anise, dill and cumin seeds.

Heat unit (HU) - A heat unit is a measure of the pungency (heat) of a chili pepper. A scale using heat units to measure pungency was developed in the early 1900s by Wilbur Scoville. Scoville also developed a taste test method for rating heat intensity of chilies. Advances in technology have replaced Scoville testing at most companies with HPLC (High Pressure Liquid Chromatography) testing, which separates and measures the level of the capsaicin (the chemical responsible for pungency). With HPLC testing, heat intensity is expressed in ASTA units. However, because people are more familiar with the Scoville system, a conversion system has been developed to convert ASTA units to Scoville. (See also Scoville.)

Natural flavor - The United States Code of Federal Regulations (21 CFR 101.22, and 21 CFR 182.10) gives the following definition: "The term 'natural flavor' or 'natural flavoring' means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional. Natural flavors include the natural essence or extractives obtained from plants listed in sections 182.10, 182.20, 182.40, and 182.50 and part 184 of this chapter, and the substances listed in section 172.510 of this chapter." Frontier follows the CFR definition. (See also Artificial flavor.)

Propyl glycol - A carrier used in flavors. Some suppliers use this carrier, we request that ours do not.

Scoville heat unit - In the early 1900's pharmacist Wilbur Scoville developed a methodology and scale to measure the pungency (heat level) of chili peppers. The system involves a taste test of pepper extract, and a comparison of the results against a standardized scale. To create the extract, peppers are soaked in alcohol for approximately 24 hours to draw out the capsaicin. A specified amount of the pepper extract is then added to sweetened water. The solution is diluted repeatedly until the hotness of the pepper extract is barely detectable. A heat unit rating is then assigned based upon the dilution ration. For example, a Scoville rating of 20,000 hu for a chili pepper would indicate that it took 20,000 times the volume of sweetened water before the pepper extract was barely detectable. With advances in technology, the Scoville organoleptic testing procedure has been replaced at most companies with HPLC (High Pressure Liquid Chromatography). The American Trade Association (ASTA) supports the use of HPLC testing. With the use of this testing method, heat level is expressed in ASTA units. However, because people are more familiar with the Scoville system, a conversion system has been developed to convert ASTA units to Scoville units.

Vanilla Extract - The FDA has a standard of identify for vanilla extract. To be called an extract, it must contain at least 35% alcohol by volume. If there is less than 35% alcohol, the product must be labeled a flavor. Most vanilla flavor products, including those sold by Frontier, contain no alcohol.

Vanilla Fold - Fold refers to the amount of vanilla beans used to make a vanilla extract. The FDA sets the standard fold strength. Single fold means the extractive matter from 13.35 ounces of vanilla beans in each gallon of liquid. Double fold vanilla contains 26.7 ounces and triple fold, 40.5 ounces. Most vanilla sold at retail is single fold. The higher folds are usually used in food manufacturing.

WONF - WONF is short for "with other natural flavors." The term is used when an extract or flavoring is made with natural ingredients other than the characterizing flavor ingredient. So for instance if a natural strawberry flavor included other natural fruit flavors, it would be labeled as WONF.