Vegetable parts, herbs, and essential oils

This chapter highlights composition, processing, and quality aspects of various herbs and spices. There is a growing interest in herbs and spices for food, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic applications in proportion to the rising global demand for natural products. The herbs and spices are rich in volatile essential oils giving pleasant aromas. They may also contain alkaloids and glycosides, which are of greater interest to pharmacologists. Other compounds such as coumarins and flavones have been known for their anti‐bacterial and anti‐inflammatory properties, respectively. Herbs and spices have been investigated for anti‐diabetic, antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, anti‐hypercholesterolemic, and anti‐carcinogenic effects in medicine. Refrigeration slows microbial growth in ground or whole spices. Colder temperatures also help preserve volatile oil's flavor and aroma, freshness, and sanitary quality. Some spices need cooler refrigeration temperatures to prevent mold infestation, color deterioration, and rancidity. Water activity and temperature plays important roles in determining the shelf‐life of stored herbs and spices