A condiment is a preparation that is added to food, typically after cooking, to enhance the flavor,[1] to complement the dish, or to impart a specific flavor. Such specific flavors generally add sweetness or pungency, or sharp or piquant flavors.[2] The seasonings and spices common in many different cuisine arise from global introductions of foreign trade. Condiments include those added to cooking to impart flavor, such as barbecue sauce and soy sauce; those added before serving, such as mayonnaise in a sandwich; and those added tableside to taste, such as ketchup with fast food. Condiments can also provide other health benefits to diets that lack micronutrients.[3]
Definition
The exact definition of a condiment varies. Some definitions encompass spices and herbs, including salt and pepper,[4] using the term interchangeably with seasoning. Others restrict the definition to include only "prepared food compound[s], containing one or more spices", which are added to food after the cooking process, such as mustard, ketchup or mint sauce.[5]
The Culinary Institute of America defines condiments as an "aromatic mixture" that "accompanies food", giving the examples of chutney, pickles and some sauces.[6]
Types
Condiments added during cooking to add flavor:[2] includes barbecue sauce, compound butter, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, iru, ogiri, Marmite and sour cream.
Condiments added prior to serving: for example, in a sandwich made with ketchup, mustard or mayonnaise.
A table condiment or table sauce is served separately from the food and added to taste by the diner.[2] Many, such as mustard or ketchup, are available in single-serving packets, commonly when supplied with take-out or fast food meals. In traditional Asian restaurant settings, common condiments such as soy sauce, vinegar, chili oil, and shichimi are available.
Etymology
The term condiment comes from the Latin condimentum, meaning "spice, seasoning, sauce" and from the Latin condire, meaning "preserve, pickle, season".[7] The term originally described pickled or preserved foods, but its meaning has changed over time.[8]
History
Condiments were known in historical Ancient Rome, India, Greece and China. There is a myth that before food preservation techniques were widespread, pungent spices and condiments were used to make the food more palatable,[9] but this claim is not supported by any evidence or historical record.[10] The Romans made the condiments garum and liquamen, a similar and at times synonymous preparation, by crushing the innards of various fish and then fermenting them in salt, resulting in a liquid containing glutamic acid, suitable for enhancing the flavour of food. The popularity of these sauces led to a flourishing condiment industry. Apicius, a cookbook based on fourth and fifth century cuisine, contains a section based solely on condiments.[7]
Global uses
When global trade was established, spices and seasoning were among the common commodities that were traded. Many of the popular spices from around the world were exchanged, giving rise to the usage of foreign seasonings in many cuisines. India, Asia, and China introduced basil, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, garlic, ginger, mace, mustard, nutmeg, onion, tamarind, and turmeric. The Mediterranean and Middle East countries introduced bay leaf, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, fenugreek, rosemary, sage, sesame, and thyme. African countries introduced grains of paradise, selim pepper iru, ogiri, alligator pepper, ethiopian cardamom, piper guineense, prekese, njansang and calabash nutmeg.[11][12][13][14] North America and Latin American countries provided allspice, annatto, chile peppers, chocolate, and sassafras.[15] All of these spices and seasonings are used in traditional recipes from their respective originating countries. The development of many different dishes and cuisine around the world are dependent on the introduction of these foreign spices and seasonings.
Micronutrients
Condiments can provide healthy benefits. Micronutrient deficiencies are prevalent in Asia.[16][17] To combat lack of nutrition certain condiments are added to food. Common condiments added to help with micronutrient deficiency are fish sauce, soy sauce, seasonings, and bouillon cubes. Studies taken in nine different Asian countries suggest that iodine and iron are common micronutrients deficient in many diets. By using iodized salt, the iodine intake can increase 9-80% of the nutrient reference value (NRV). The addition of bouillon cubes can increase iron intake 3–40% of the NRV.[3]
Gallery
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Chrain (horseradish sauce) -
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Ajika, spicy sauce in Caucasian cuisine -
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Packets of duck sauce -
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Hungarian Erős Pista
See also
- Condiments by country (category)
- Dip – Type of condiment
- Garnish – Decoration added to food or drink
- List of brand-name condiments
- List of condiments
- List of fish sauces
- List of foods
- List of mustard brands
- Non-brewed condiment – Malt vinegar substitute
- Seasoning – Process of supplementing food via herbs, salts, or spices
- Herb – Plant used for food, medicine or perfume
- Spice – Food flavoring
- Relish – Cooked, pickled, or chopped vegetable or fruit used as a condiment
- Pickling – Procedure of preserving food in brine or vinegar
References
Citations
- ^ "Definition of Condiment". Merriam-Webster. 17 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ a b c The Culinary Institute of America (2011). The Professional Chef (9th ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley. p. 234. ISBN 978-0-470-42 135-2.
- ^ a b Eilander, Ans; Verbakel, Marieke R.; Dötsch-Klerk, Mariska (25 January 2023). "The Potential of Condiments, Seasonings, and Bouillon Cubes to Deliver Essential Micronutrients in Asia: Scenario Analyses of Iodine and Iron Fortification". Nutrients. 15 (3): 616. doi:10.3390/nu15030616. ISSN 2072-6643. PMC 9920952. PMID 36771323.
- ^ Collins: Definition Condiment
- ^ Farrell 1990, p. 291
- ^ The Culinary Institute of America (2011). The Professional Chef (9th ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley. p. 1171. ISBN 978-0-470-42 135-2.
- ^ a b Nealon 2010
- ^ Smith 2007, pp. 144–146
- ^ Farrell 1990, p. 297
- ^ Freedman, Paul (2008). Out of the East: Spices and the Medieval Imagination. Yale University Press. pp. 3–4. ISBN 978-0-300-21131-3.
- ^ Djiazet, Stève; Mezajoug Kenfack, Laurette Blandine; Serge Ngangoum, Eric; Ghomdim Nzali, Horliane; Tchiégang, Clergé (1 July 2022). "Indigenous spices consumed in the food habits of the populations living in some countries of Sub-Saharan Africa: Utilisation value, nutritional and health potentials for the development of functional foods and drugs: A review". Food Research International. 157 111280. doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2022.111280. ISSN 0963-9969. PMID 35761590.
- ^ "African Spices and Seasonings ǀ SpicesInc.com". spicesinc.com. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
- ^ "Spices and food condiments in Niger-Delta region of Nigeria". ResearchGate. Archived from the original on 19 May 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
- ^ "30 Common Nigerian Spices And Their Uses| My Sasun African Market". My Sasun. 30 December 2025. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
- ^ Brown, Peter M. (2009), Tarté, Rodrigo (ed.), "Spices, Seasonings, and Flavors", Ingredients in Meat Products: Properties, Functionality and Applications, New York, NY: Springer, pp. 199–210, Bibcode:2009iimp.book..199B, doi:10.1007/978-0-387-71327-4_9, ISBN 978-0-387-71327-4, retrieved 25 April 2025
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: work parameter with ISBN (link) - ^ Mejia, Luis A.; Bower, Allyson M. (2015). "The global regulatory landscape regarding micronutrient fortification of condiments and seasonings". Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1357 (1): 1–7. Bibcode:2015NYASA1357....1M. doi:10.1111/nyas.12854. ISSN 1749-6632.
- ^ de Mejia, Elvira González; Aguilera-Gutiérrez, Yolanda; Martin-Cabrejas, Maria Angeles; Mejia, Luis A. (27 August 2015). "Industrial processing of condiments and seasonings and its implications for micronutrient fortification". Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1357 (1): 8–28. Bibcode:2015NYASA1357....8D. doi:10.1111/nyas.12869. ISSN 0077-8923. PMID 26312771.
Sources
- "Collins: Definition Condiment". Collins Dictionary. n.d. Retrieved 29 September 2014.Farrell, K. T. (1990). Spices, Condiments and Seasonings (2nd ed.). MA, USA: Aspen Publishers. ISBN 9780834213371.
- "Merriam-Webster: Definition of condiment". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
- Nealon, Tom (7 September 2010). "De Condimentis". HiLobrow. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
- Smith, Andrew F. (1 May 2007). The Oxford companion to American food and drink. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-530796-2. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
De Mejia, Elvira González; Aguilera-Gutiérrez, Yolanda; Martin-Cabrejas, Maria Angeles; Mejia, Luis A. (2015). "Industrial processing of condiments and seasonings and its implications for micronutrient fortification". Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1357: 8–28. Bibcode:2015NYASA1357....8D. doi:10.1111/nyas.12869. PMID 26312771. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
External links
Media related to Condiments at Wikimedia Commons
Further reading
- Herbert, Amanda E; Bouchard, Jack B; Fine, Julia (3 June 2024). "Colonizing Condiments: Culinary Experimentation and the Politics of Disgust in Early Modern Britain". Global Food History. 11: 42–71. doi:10.1080/20549547.2024.2357928.
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