Abstract

The narration of herbs and spices is as long as the narration of human beings. People have used these plants since ancient times. Edible spices and herbs serve many advantages in food products. Their primary advantages are to enhance flavor, aroma, texture, and color of food. Spices and herbs also provide secondary effects, such as preservative, nutritional, and health functions. Use of spices, their extracts or active components in different forms for controlling microbial growth or their toxin metabolites in food constitutes is an unconventional approach to chemical additives. The naturally occurring phenolic compounds (phenolic diterpenes, diphenolic diterpenes) in spices are effective against oxidative rancidity of fats and antimicrobial property. Phenolic compounds are the primary antioxidants present in spices and there is a linear relationship between the total phenolic content and the antioxidant properties of spices.