Yusuf Ismail Koleleni
Physics Department, Muslim University of Morogoro, P.O. Box 1031, Morogoro, Tanzania.
In this post, we present a brief overview of our recently published book chapter titled “Geographical Variation in Mineral Composition of Tanzanian Ginger Roots Analysed by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy”
The term spice originates from the Latin word ‘species,’ which denotes plants utilised for both medicinal and flavouring purposes. Spices are the desiccated components of plants. “The delightful flavour and pungency of spices make them indispensable in the food industry to flavour, improve and increase the appeal of their products. Spices impart aroma, colour and taste to food preparations and sometimes mask undesirable odours. In addition, they are reputed to possess several medicinal and pharmacological properties and hence find a position in the preparation of a number of medicines”. The therapeutic properties of spices arise from complex chemical compounds found in one or more plant parts as secondary metabolites. Based on their composition, these metabolites are classified as glycosides, alkaloids, essential oils, corticosteroids, and so forth. “Ginger is an herbaceous perennial native to south-eastern Asia, which thrives in mild climates. Due to its medicinal and health-promoting properties, and high nutritional value, ginger has attracted growing interest among both dieticians and consumers”. It is one of the oldest medicinal plants, which has been grown in Asia since ancient times, for nearly 3,000 years. It was first found in South eastern part of the Asian continent, and since that time, it has been used in nations all over the globe as a spice and condiment to add flavour to their food and enrich its taste.
“The spice ginger obtained from the underground stems or the rhizome of Zingiber officinale Roscoe, one of the most widely used species as a common condiment for various foods and beverages. Both fresh and dried ginger rhizomes are used worldwide as a spice, and ginger extracts are used extensively in the food, beverage, and confectionery industries in the production of products such as marmalade, pickles, chutney, ginger beer, ginger wine, liquors, biscuits, and other bakery products”. “Ginger is also widely used in both traditional and contemporary natural medicine”. “The unique flavour properties of ginger arise from the combination of pungency and aromatic essential oil. The main pungent compounds in fresh ginger are a series of homologous phenolic ketones known as gingerols, which are thermally unstable and are converted under high temperature to shogaol”.
“The ginger rhizome also contains resin, proteins, cellulose, pentosans, starch and mineral elements. Of these, starch is the most abundant and comprises 40–60% of the rhizome on a dry weight basis. The relative abundance of certain constituents of ginger is determined by the cultivar grown, the environmental conditions of growth and the stage of maturity at harvest”. “Humans require a suite of mineral elements in varying amounts for proper growth, health maintenance and general well-being. Minerals are essential components of our diet that serve as cofactors in the thousands of enzyme-controlled actions, control the action of nerves and muscles, help to maintain the body’s water balance, and buffer the pH (acidity) of the cell and extracellular fluids”. “Plant-derived foods have the potential to serve as dietary sources for all human-essential minerals that make a significant contribution to daily mineral needs at all stages of the life cycle”. Generally, too low or too high a concentration of trace elements in the human diet can affect the quality of human life.