A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring, coloring or preserving food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems from plants used for flavoring or as a garnish. Sometimes, spices may be ground into a powder for convenience. Many spices have antimicrobial properties. This may explain why spices are more commonly used in warmer climates, which have more infectious diseases, and why the use of spices is prominent in meat, which is particularly susceptible to spoiling. Spices are sometimes used in medicine, religious rituals, cosmetics or perfume production, or as a vegetable.
A condiment is a spice, sauce, or, preparation that is added to food to impart a particular flavor, to enhance its flavor, or in some cultures, to complement the dish. The term originally described pickled or preserved foods, but has shifted meaning over time.
Many condiments are available packaged in single-serving packets, like mustard or ketchup, particularly when supplied with take-out or fast-food meals. They are usually applied by the diner, but are sometimes added prior to serving; for example, in a sandwich made with ketchup, mustard or mayonnaise. Some condiments are used during cooking to add flavor or texture to the food; barbecue sauce, compound butter, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, and marmite are examples.
Some of the fundamentals of the book are definition of spices and condiments nomenclature or classification of spices and condiments, Indian central spices and cashew nut committee, origin, properties and uses of spices, forms, functions and applications of spices, trends in the world of spices, yield and nutrient uptake by some spice crops grown in sodic soil, tissue culture and in vitro conservation of spices, in vitro responses of piper species on activated charcoal supplemented media, soil agro climatic planning for sustainable spices production, potentials of biotechnology in the improvement of spice crops, medicinal applications of spices and herbs, medicinal properties and uses of seed spices, effect of soil solarization on chillies, spice oil and oleoresin from fresh/dry spices etc.