Spicier receipes are found in areas of the world where temperatures soar.
In addition to flavoring foods for thousands of centuries, spices have an antimicrobial quality that helped prevent food spoilage before the invention of refrigeration. The use of spices in food preservation directly corresponds to climate, with countries in hotter climates using considerably more spices than those with cooler climates. This effect also occurs regionally within the United States, evident in the differences between northern and southern cuisine --- for example, New England clam chowder versus Louisiana gumbo.
Garlic
Garlic, possibly the best antimicrobial spice, contains the powerful antimicrobial component allicin. It kills more microbes than any other spice, including gram negative and gram positive bacteria, fungi and yeast. In studies, garlic oil killed all yeasts within one hour of incubation. After three hours, it killed 93 percent of present Staphylococcus epidermis and Salmonella typhymurium. Garlic oil works especially effectively against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus ceres, Bacillus subtilis, Candida albicans and mycotoxigenic Aspergillus.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon contains the antimicrobial agents cinnamaldehyde and eugenol, making it a strong antimicrobial spice. It adds flavor and aroma to baked goods while providing protection against mold. In particular, cinnamon prevents the growth of mycotoxigenic Aspergillus and Aspergillus parasiticus.
Cloves
Cloves can prove extremely powerful in the fight against mycotoxigenic Aspergillus. Cloves contain eugenol in a particularly high concentration (16 to 18 percent) in their essential oil and are often used to flavor and preserve bakery items. While some spices may become contaminated by microbes when grown, cloves are rarely susceptible to such contamination.
Sage
Sage has a medium-strength antimicrobial effect. The essential oil of sage contains thymol and eugenol, which inhibit the growth of Bacillus ceres, Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. In addition to its ability to protect food from microbes, sage rarely becomes contaminated with microbes when grown.
Oregano
Oregano is another spice with medium-strength effectiveness as a antimicrobial agent. Its antimicrobial components thymol and carvacol protect it from contamination when it grows. Oregano can prove especially effective against mycotoxigenic Aspergillus, Salmonella spp. and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The essential oil of oregano can help prevent fungi from developing on stored grain.
Tags: mycotoxigenic Aspergillus, against mycotoxigenic, against mycotoxigenic Aspergillus, antimicrobial spice, Bacillus ceres, microbes when, microbes when grown