MEDICINAL PLANTS IN FOOD AND BEVERAGES

It is somewhat embarrassing to read, as the title of this introduction: “Medicinal and Aromatic plants in Food and Beverages”. The combination of “Medicinal” and “Food” sounds as a prescription: “Take ½ hour before meals” or may remind too much of such lovely ladies as Mrs Toftana from Palemo and Napoli with about 600 victims. The Marquise de Brivivilliers, who experimented first on poor hospital patients in Paris before he got to the proper act. Mrs. Héléne Jegade from Rennes, accused of murders and the Dutch Mrs. Van der Linden from Leiden with 102 attempts of which at least 27 were proven to have been successful.

However, poisoning was not a specific feminine business and insanity was already on the way. Well-known are the classical cases of Mandins and Britannica who had to be cleared away in order to give room to Nero; we have the famous Borgia family. Alexander and Cesar and further the names may be mentioned of sainte croix, the teacher of Madame de Brivivilliers and of Le voisin and of Guibourg, who got a total complement from their special activities.

In modern times the combination of “Medicinal and Food” has also a special aspect in that administering of “Medicinal” products, even medicinal plants, together with food, might lead to the involuntary ingestion of such medicinal products, which would pose the ethical challenge of an infringement of personal freedom and may lead to juridical questions.

The addition of fluorides to the drinking water to prevent dental cares has caused a lot of disturbance in some countries and this practice has had to be abandoned in some cases on court-order. The question of interest here is; what characteristics, which properties made a plant a medicinal herb and distinguish it from other plants, from vegetable food and food ingredients. For example, the fresh lemons medicinal products because of their ability to heal? And what about peppermint-liqueur, which is widely used as a tea? Whilst other people may consume it in the form of peppermint, wisely coloured green – the

confectioning. Nevertheless, peppermint is also used medically in pharmaceutical preparations: toothpastes ointments, lozenges among others.

This double-faced used of a herb, on one hand for medical purposes, on the other hand as an ingredient in the preparation of alcoholic beverages, and of which peppermint is not the one and only example, is not surprising as it may look on first sight. Many of the recipes for such liqueurs had their origin in medicinal pharmacies of the monasteries, which shows that the title is not so awkward as it in the first sight may have appeared.

The problem of the “Materie medico” for the classification of a herb as a medicinal herb” becomes even more complicated when the growing interest in the so called “alternative medicinal practices and therapeutics is considered. These alternative therapeutics, such as for instance, homoeopathy, use a much more important number of herbs than the so-called official, allopathic medicine

The field of possible medicinal herbs is even more complex than the plants used in the official medical science and its alternative therapeutics. For instance, there are the herbal teas, which are on the border-line of medicine, healthcare, and beverages. Further there are those plants used in folk medicine. Belonging to the field are also aphrodisiacs, love-portions and virility stimulating herbs. The recent interest in modern verification of traditional uses of panox ginseng, echinacea is an example. Finally there are also the herbs playing a role in witch-craft, ancient as well as modern ones, in which people get “high” with vigor and confidence. For instance, “Peyote alkaloids used for rituals, including religious. Amaranath for immortality, basil-good wishes fennel – fidelity; among others. Taken in sufficient quantity in orange juice are reported to make a person “high”, a state of mind which certainly is more psychic then physical. Side effects such as the victim walking on all four and roaring like a beast may conjure us being high.

In all cases the plants, the herbs or their derived products are taken for their effects, be these real effects or supposed ones. The question now arises, what criterion defines such effect as being a medical one. So all these effects have to be purely physical effects like healing wounds or stopping an infection in order to be called “medical effects” or should psychic effects also be taken into account? The later is important in connection with aromatic plants, since psycho-effects are part of their activity.

In Europe discussions have been going on in regard to the problem of defining “medicinal herbs”, mainly in connection with its public health aspect and legal aspects, among the latter those regarding the regulation of distribution and sales of medicinal herbs. It should be recalled that since its dawn mankind has lived with herbs and has used them in connection with his feeling of well-being, his health in the broadest sense. The use of herbs is innate to man, to say so. And he still goes out in the field to gather for example; dandelion leaves for a salad in a health cure.

The extensiveness of the herbs-field, its diversity and diffusity, together with the “folk”-character of parts of it and the law of signatures, may lead in these discussions around “medicinal” to playing with words and become merely a matter of chance, without resulting in an unambiguous definition of what has to be regarded as a medicinal herb. Apart from its public health aspect, an economic aspect is involved also. In case the sale of “medicinal herbs” is to be restricted to certain authorized persons only, such as pharmacists and druggists, a clear definition would get economic importance also.

A much more promising approach than the discussion of such an ambiguous subject as is the definition of “medicinal” is the setting of quality standards and specifications for herbs; offered as “medicinal herbs”. An initiative for such an approach has to be taken up by pharmacies.

Setting quality standards and specifications also means that enforcement has to be possible, which requires that manpower and facilities are available. Without such instruments of enforcement any regulations becomes a “paper tigger”.

Looking at a herb and considering its effects it may be clear that many herbs are multi-effective. It depends on our interests which “effect” gets our attention and our aim. Conditions of use, including the dose, become very important with regard to the conclusions at which one may arrive in these studies. Examples of plants with multi-effects are, for example Piper Methysticum has been used as a medicinal plant; in candied form and in liqueurs. Also Matricaria camomila, which is not only a very old therapeutic used internally as well as externally, is an ingredient in a number of alcoholic beverages, and finally, it is also used in cosmetics ranging from hair-shampoos to bath-perfumes.

Considering the use, it is important to recall that the human being is a combination of coordinated functions and the necessary instruments. Included in this is the interaction between physical and psychical functions. Applying a herbal product to a man is adding the “multi-effective” herb to the “multi-functionally body”. The results may be different in case this human body is disturbed, is ill or in case we deal with a sound and healthy human individual.

The combination of multi-effective and multi-functional also explains why on administration of a herb apart from a main effect also side-effects may be observed. One-effect-drugs are rare in botanicals. It explains why some effects can be observed at a certain dose and others are not. They may need a higher dose in order to reach their threshold value.

As the subject of this paper is the use of herbs in food, beverages, the therapeutic effect of aromatic plants will not further be discussed. This leaves the effects connected with the flavour of our food drinks.

With the sensation “flavour” a very complex phenomenon comes forward. Its complexity is even such that it is possible to focus here only to some of its most elementary aspects. The term “aromatic” is even that elementary, that it is practically impossible to define it. That reflects in the difficulty of defining “aromatic herbs”; it might be possible to describe aromatic herbs as plants which distinguish themselves by a pleasant, distinct aroma or a sharp or characteristic taste. They are used in the preparation of dishes and drinks to enhance their taste and aroma or to add to these.

It follows from this description that aromatic herbs and their derived products belong to the characteristic ingredients in our diet. Roughly they may be distinguished from other ingredients not only by their aromatic properties, however, also by not having a definite nutritive value. Their aromatic properties bring them in that group of diet-ingredients which may be characterized as products of delight. What effects do the aromatics exert in connection with our food?

There is, of course, first of all the sensorial effect to be discussed later in somewhat more detail, which, however, is important also with regard to its connection with the physiological effect. Aromatics stimulate in one way or another functions of the digestive tract. This starts already with the salivary glands, which results in making “the mouth water” as a popular expression, existing in many languages, says.

This stimulating, appetite-raising effect is well appreciated and on the market are many “appetizers” mostly alcoholic beverages, prepared using aromatic herbs or their extracts. Nearly every region has its own traditional appetizer. Beerenburg, jagermeisier, Unterberg, campari, pernod to name only a few. Their cecipes are mostly well-guarded secrets although a number of components are known.

Another function of the aromatic herbs is that of “digestive”. The secretion of gastric juice may be stimulated, the re-absorption may be speeded up, the peristaltic movements influenced. Some aromatics such as chamomile may stimulate the gall-bladder, others such as hop, pimpiniella and Bero-beris have diuretic (urine stimulating) properties.

Given their important physiological role, it will be clear that aromatics are indispensable components of our diet, as are the energy supplying ones, such as proteins, fats and carbohydrates, the vitamins and the trace elements.

Food without aromatics is particularly inconceivable and even if it is of high nutritive value, however without taste or aroma, it is not acceptable to the consumer. This problem is well-known to those who are interested in the battle against protein-deficiency. Highly purified vegetable or animal proteins are not accepted by the undernourished unless properly flavoured.

The term “properly flavoured” turns the attention to what may be called, the social and cultural aspect of the use of aromatics. For it is not only necessary that a food has nutritive value and in addition to this that is flavoured for physiological reasons, it should also be flavoured properly. In other words: that the type of aromatization chosen is in conformity with local cultural habits. A “foreign” aromatization is not accepted, the “familiar” or “own” flavouring is appreciated.

In the course of time local traditional dishes have originated each with their own characteristic aromatization pattern. Examples are the Indian curry-dishes, the Garlic (lasan), marinated herrings of the North Sea countries and a number of alcoholic beverages such as the Dutch Gin and the Italian Vermouth. Religion has also influenced these traditions.

The local traditional dishes were manifestations of what may be called the regional cuisine or the hybrid Chinese-Indonesian one. Also thought-associations have developed on these traditional dishes. “Smorgasbord” is associated with Scandinavia, Caviar rings Russian bells and if “Paprika” is mentioned, it is Hungary that comes up in our minds.

Aromatics also reflect historical and social developments. In “a distant mirror” Barbara Tushman shows that in the 14th century strict regulations existed for what was considered appropriate for the different classes with regard to clothing and meals. In England in 1363 the law provided that a merchant worth £1000, had a right to wear the same dresses and consume the same meals as a knight, worth £500. And regarding to these meals it may be stated that the well aromatized good tasting meals for a long time have been regarded as a privilege of the higher classes, as a status symbol.

In the course of the industrial era also the food industry arose with it the industrial preparation of aromatic products. In this way better flavoured food and above all more varied food became available to growing groups of the population and to more people than ever before.

An important aspect in this social-historical development has been the commercial contact between different cultural groups. Spices are an example of the role aromatics have played in this respect. Spices for a long time were expensive products and the spice-trade has been an important political and economic factor in the 15th to 17th centuries. Venice, Portugal and Holland are examples of this.

Another element in the contact between different nations has been the improvement in the means of transportation. The steam-engine, the railway, the plane, the internet and in combination with other social developments, have increased enormously the mobility of important information and groups of the population. Tourism has brought many people in contact with “foreign” cuisines. Military expedition forces have been another, mostly less appreciated means of contact.

The last Vietnam-war has shown this. Another example is the Dutch Military action in Indonesia in the 1950-ies which brought thousands of young Dutchmen in contact with the cultures of the Indonesian archipel. As a result “nasi-goreng” a rice dish, together with its sambal, ketjap and aromatics has become a common item on the Dutch menu, to such an extent that even now it is manufactured industrially and canned, for instance. Apart from the tourist contacts, quite a modern development is the phenomenon of volunteer service; which has been found to introduce cultural habits, also eating habits into indigenous ones, culminating into exotic restaurants in our cities.

And, he who wants to see how all this may end up, a visit to the United States will not only show him restaurants from every part of the world, he may also find the results of hybridization in this field such as the sign reading. Italo-American “smorgasbord” some years ago along Road 36.

Given the importance of the role of the aromatics in contribution to the characteristics of the local traditional dishes and of the regional cuisine makes clear their importance in the historical developments. It brought all kinds of aromatic herbs all over the world to the shops and the kitchens of our present world civilizations. But the questions arises, what is on the background of all this? What in the end makes aromatics that important? These questions lead us to the psychic or psychological effect of aromatics.

The nutmeg case has been mentioned already. Luckily the effects of aromatics herbs, taken with foods or beverages in the usual, normal dosage are not as horrifying and extreme as they are often cited. Contrary even to this, their effects are mostly pleasant. If a person has a problem, a well prepared dish can help him out of the dead-lock. “A United Kingdom (UK) member of parliament Mr. Friend (What is in a name?) may be quoted from chandelier, July 1981, writing: “When all is bleak), when the bailiff hammers on the door, the Samaritans ring and make ugly noises and television shows partly political broadcasts on all channels, there are those who obtain solace from music others seek comfort in literature.

I eat. Some sing, some dance while others climb mountains, sail oceans or discover new horizons. I eat, before you accuse me of reaching in the same monotonous way to the slings and piripricks of differing emotions, let me explain that I do not eat the same things. My gastronomic intake is carefully programmed to suit the “occasion” (end of quote). Mr. Friend then continues to describe the various dishes he associates with certain emotions, ranging from when his shares have gone down badly, or being treated with sufficient consideration, to feeling slothful.

In the later case he recommends a cup of beef consommé, laced with brandy followed by madras lamb curry with lime chutney. The article is illustrated with some obers serving different cure, such as cures for depression, one for wanderlust, for home sickness and for rejection.

This kind of effect is not restricted to the single person; it works on the social level also. Everybody knows that difficult business or political problems are more easily solved during a well-prepared dinner than at the desk of the official conference room. It is not always possible to separate psychological and physiological effects of aromatics. Finally, the body and the mind are too narrowly related and are mutually influencing each other. An aromatic which has a beneficial effect on the digestion of food makes the person involved feel better.

Looking over the whole of factors, it may be concluded that the effects of the aromatics in fact are synonymous with sensations of “pleasantness versus unpleasantness” of “liking” versus “disliking”. And all of this coupled with expectations and desires and associated with experiences in the past. By way of example, if Hungary is associated on one hand with paprika and on the other hand with Basil women then such “desire-dislike” songs may result as the one about “die Julisko and Budapest, die hat ein Herz Voll Paprika.

Moreover it is well known a mans love passes through his stomach, which shows how aromatics may influence ones personal life or present the intuments to women to manipulate a man’s emotion to the end, only a savona-rola or some puritans by compiling “liking” or “desire” with “sin” would press for rejection of aromatic products.

The like-dislike sensational is as well close-related as many other sensorial sensations. At certain levels the effect is nihil, the threshold has not yet been reached. With growing levels there is first a pleasant sensation. These levels are pretty low for aromatic herbs (or their derived products) in food. Cook-books with “sniffs” or equally subjective measures making an art out of the aromatization. More advanced ones as the Ladies “Home journal cook-book use tablespoonfuls or fractions of tablespoonfuls.

The following quotation may serve as an example: Lobster tails, 2 pounds shrimp shelled and decorated, 2 large onions chopped, 2 green peppers chopped, 1 clove garlic crushed, 3 tablespoonfuls of butter, 1 tablespoonful of salt, ¼ tablespoonful paprika, ⅛ tablespoonful each of pepper and basil, a dash of cayenne pepper ½ tablespoonful of Worcestershire sauce and 2 cups canned tomatoes (end of quote).

A quarrel may be raised about whether onion, garlic or green pepper are aromatic herbs or not? However paprika, pepper, basil, certainly are as the “dash of Cayenne pepper”.

Another quotations from the same source for aperitifs. For example, the “clam juice on the rocks” takes per 6 (8 ounce) bottles of chilled clam juice ½ bunch of water cress 1 ½ tablespoonfuls of minced chives 1/3 tablespoonfuls of celery seed ½ cup of light cream ¼ tablespoonful of garlic salt 2 tablespoonfuls of lemon juice and several dashes of hot pepper sauce “(end of quote). Or you may prefer a punch type drink, for instance, a “Rosemary Fizz” prepared from “2 tablespoons of crushed rosemary leaves, 2 tablespoonfuls of sugar, a pinch of salt, ½ cup of water, 1 (18 oz) can of apricot nectar, 1 quart of ginger ale, ½ cup of lime or lemon juice and to garnish some lime or lemon rind (end of quote).

Adding more of the aromatic herb or its derived products leads to an optimum of pleasantness, after this an increase in aromatic herb-dosage does not increase the pleasantness of the sensation and in the end a dose over a certain level raises sensations of dislike and disgust much in the same way as with sound or light.

Soft music may be appreciated as pleasant, however, sounds too loud, such as the detonation or with light, such as a flash only disgust abjection, or very unpleasant reaction. With even higher dosages the aromatic effect may be completely drawn in other effects such as demonstrated from nutmeg, where the sensorial sensation is brow beaten by the psychic effect. The lethal dose, finally sets the upper limit. Mostly it is very high for aromatic herbs and will never be reached in their normal use in foods and beverages.

Of course, the wise “chef” restricts himself to low levels of aromatics and seeks his strength and triumph in artistic combinations. And also the wine housewife, knowing that the path of love passes through the stomach, will do the same in her daily routine. Nevertheless, some aromatic herbs contain components which are considered to be harmful to the consumer, and for which it may be necessary to set limits in the final food, and beverages only. The housewife is outside any control, as is the “chef”.

The principle of active components has been chosen deliberately to avoid to have to sum up all plants containing these substances, a summing-up which mostly will be incomplete. Moreover it also avoids any discussion about botanical systematic and nomenclature. The list of such components contains among others coumarins, thujone, safrole, hydrocyanic acid, beta-asaronue, berberine, hypericines, spartein as the main items and may be found back in codex-alimentarias-documents, the council of European Union, study on “natural flavourings” the code of practice of 10F1 the International Organization of the flavour industry and in many legislations.

Some of such lists mention components of which the health-risk may be doubted or which are present in natural aromatic materials of very restricted use, such as agaric acid. Solanine represents another case. Its presence under some conditions, potatoes and potato products make its consumption by way of solanum dulcamara in a very few beverages negligible. The consequence of such a list, of course, is that analytical methods are available for the determinations of these substances in raw materials, as well as in the finished food and beverages. The development of such methods has always taken place through cooperation between industry, research organizations and authorities. And by industry is meant the food and drink industry as well as the flavour industry.

The result of this cooperative work is laid down in recommended analytical methods of IOFI’s working group on analytical methods. The participation in this working group of the expert-representative of the aromatic wines and bitters producing industry has been highly valuable. On the other hand the more or less identical methods, however restricted to the raw international organization standardized methods make it possible for the authorities to refer to them in their legislation.

This principle of reference to standards is of value because it enables the government to facilitate ladies to apply the most modern and tested methods without having to go through the often very bureaucratic procedures of changing legislations. That these results should be obtained is mainly due to the fact that the circle of experts in this field is relatively small and hence many of them participate in the work of both groups. This way of working many times informally, has proven to be of mutual benefits to the authorities as well as the industry and hence in that of the consumer.

It will remain clear that aromatic plants are of high importance to the food and beverage industry. Their application in this industry has led to the development of the flavour industry. The industrial use of derived products is demanded because in this way it is more easily possible to arrive at final products of standard quality. The natural variability of the aromatic plant is reduced in this way.

On the other hand the industrial use of aromatics sets in certain technological requirements which cannot be fulfilled by the herbs themselves. These technological requirements do not arise from the industrial manufacturing process itself only. Apart from the requirements about the incorporation of the aromatic principles in the food, such as: ease of correct dosaging, fluidity impartibility, the requirements also result from the measures taken to make the food keepable, such as caning, sterilization, etc.

The industrial requirements have lead to such friendly forms, such as: salt-plated with aromatics, drink powder, microencapsulated aromatic products and others in addition to the essential oils, oleoresins, extractives, etc. It is impossible in this introduction to deal in more detail with each of the aromatic plants used in the food and beverage industry. The vast field, the vague borders of it, the lack of definability are at the background of this impossibility.

Nevertheless, it is hoped that this introduction has already brought forward the immense importance of aromatics for our food and drink; for our diet and for our feeling of well-being.




Dr. Andrew Chapya
Executive Director/Chief Scientist
THIN
20th February 2011