Condiment

thumb|Salt and pepper at a modern restaurantthumb|upright=1.35|Tray of condiments and spices A '''condiment''' is a preparation that is added to food, typically after cooking, to enhance the flavor,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-17 |title=Definition of Condiment |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/condiment |access-date=2024-07-24 |website=Merriam-Webster |language=en}}</ref> to complement the dish, or to impart a specific flavor. Such specific flavors generally add sweetness or pungency, or sharp or piquant flavors.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=The Culinary Institute of America |author-link=The Culinary Institute of America |title=The Professional Chef |publisher=Wiley |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-470-42 135-2 |edition=9th |location=Hoboken, New Jersey |page=234}}</ref> 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.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last1=Eilander |first1=Ans |last2=Verbakel |first2=Marieke R. |last3=Dötsch-Klerk |first3=Mariska |date=2023-01-25 |title=The Potential of Condiments, Seasonings, and Bouillon Cubes to Deliver Essential Micronutrients in Asia: Scenario Analyses of Iodine and Iron Fortification |journal=Nutrients |volume=15 |issue=3 |pages=616 |doi=10.3390/nu15030616 |issn=2072-6643 |pmc=9920952 |pmid=36771323 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

==Definition== [[File:ASC Leiden - W.E.A. van Beek Collection - Dogon markets 08 - Various condiments at Sangha market, Mali 1992.jpg|thumb|Various condiments at Sangha market in Mali, 1992]] The exact definition of a condiment varies. Some definitions encompass spices and herbs, including salt and pepper,<ref>Collins: Definition Condiment</ref> 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.<ref name="Farrell, p. 291">{{harvnb|Farrell|1990|p=291}}</ref>

The Culinary Institute of America defines condiments as an "aromatic mixture" that "accompanies food", giving the examples of chutney, pickles and some sauces.<ref>{{Cite book |last=The Culinary Institute of America |author-link=The Culinary Institute of America |title=The Professional Chef |publisher=Wiley |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-470-42 135-2 |edition=9th |location=Hoboken, New Jersey |page=1171}}</ref>

== Types == Condiments added during cooking to add flavor<ref name=":0" /> include barbecue sauce, compound butter, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, iru, ogiri, Marmite and sour cream.

Condiments can also be 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.<ref name=":0" /> 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.

[[Image:Salt, sugar and pepper shakers.jpg|thumb|Salt, pepper, and sugar are commonly placed on Western restaurant tables.]]

==Etymology== The term ''condiment'' comes from the Latin ''condimentum'', meaning "spice, seasoning, sauce" and from the Latin ''condire'', meaning "preserve, pickle, season".<ref name="Nealon">{{harvnb|Nealon|2010}}</ref> The term originally described pickled or preserved foods, but its meaning has changed over time.<ref>{{harvnb|Smith|2007|pp=144–146}}</ref>

==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,<ref>{{harvnb|Farrell|1990|p=297}}</ref> but this claim is not supported by any evidence or historical record.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Freedman |first1=Paul |title=Out of the East: Spices and the Medieval Imagination |date=2008 |publisher=Yale University Press |isbn=978-0-300-21131-3 |pages=3–4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=biR8AwAAQBAJ&pg=PT11 |language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Nealon" />

== 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.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Djiazet |first1=Stève |last2=Mezajoug Kenfack |first2=Laurette Blandine |last3=Serge Ngangoum |first3=Eric |last4=Ghomdim Nzali |first4=Horliane |last5=Tchiégang |first5=Clergé |date=2022-07-01 |title=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 |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0963996922003374 |journal=Food Research International |volume=157 |article-number=111280 |doi=10.1016/j.foodres.2022.111280 |pmid=35761590 |issn=0963-9969|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=African Spices and Seasonings ǀ SpicesInc.com |url=https://spicesinc.com/blogs/african-spices-and-seasonings?srsltid=AfmBOoqSVPA_qm6VlxJv72i7-9FBx-TApzuMQXqZ44P53i4GNvaIHDBC |access-date=2026-01-20 |website=spicesinc.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Spices and food condiments in Niger-Delta region of Nigeria |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262944395 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20190519191719/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262944395_Spices_and_food_condiments_in_Niger-Delta_region_of_Nigeria |archive-date=2019-05-19 |access-date=2026-01-20 |website=ResearchGate |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-12-30 |title=30 Common Nigerian Spices And Their Uses{{!}} My Sasun African Market |url=https://mysasun.com/blogs/bloglearning-bytes/30-common-nigerian-spices-and-their-uses |access-date=2026-01-20 |website=My Sasun |language=en}}</ref> North America and Latin American countries provided allspice, annatto, chile peppers, chocolate, and sassafras.<ref name=":2">{{Citation |last=Brown|first=Peter M.|title=Spices, Seasonings, and Flavors|date=2009|work=Ingredients in Meat Products: Properties, Functionality and Applications|pages=199–210|editor-last=Tarté|editor-first=Rodrigo|url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-0-387-71327-4_9|access-date=2025-04-25|place=New York, NY|publisher=Springer|language=en|doi=10.1007/978-0-387-71327-4_9|bibcode=2009iimp.book..199B |isbn=978-0-387-71327-4|url-access=subscription}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Mejia |first1=Luis A. |last2=Bower |first2=Allyson M. |date=2015 |title=The global regulatory landscape regarding micronutrient fortification of condiments and seasonings |url=https://nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nyas.12854 |journal=Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences |language=en |volume=1357 |issue=1 |pages=1–7 |doi=10.1111/nyas.12854 |bibcode=2015NYASA1357....1M |issn=1749-6632}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=de Mejia |first1=Elvira González |last2=Aguilera-Gutiérrez |first2=Yolanda |last3=Martin-Cabrejas |first3=Maria Angeles |last4=Mejia |first4=Luis A. |date=2015-08-27 |title=Industrial processing of condiments and seasonings and its implications for micronutrient fortification |url=https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.12869 |journal=Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences |volume=1357 |issue=1 |pages=8–28 |doi=10.1111/nyas.12869 |pmid=26312771 |bibcode=2015NYASA1357....8D |issn=0077-8923|url-access=subscription }}</ref> 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.<ref name=":1" />

==Gallery== <gallery mode="packed"> File:Dijon mustard on a spoon - 20051218.jpg|Dijon mustard File:Chrain3.jpg|Chrain (horseradish sauce) File:Oeufsmayo.JPG|Mayonnaise File:Ketchup-01.jpg|Ketchup File:BasilkumPesto.jpg|Pesto genovese File:Chutneys.jpg|Chutneys File:HAT YAI MARKET 2.jpg|Curry powder or paste File:Megrelian ajika.jpg|Ajika, spicy sauce in Caucasian cuisine File:Tkemali.JPG|Tkemali (Georgian sauce made of sour cherry plums) File:Chinese condiments at the restaurant by bhollar in Nerima, Tokyo.jpg|Common Chinese condiments: soy sauce, vinegar, chili oil, white pepper File:Duck sauce packets.jpg|Packets of duck sauce File:Worcester Sauce 001.jpg|Worcestershire sauce File:Relish.jpg|Gentleman's Relish File:Acar and chili sauce.jpg|''Acar'' and ''sambal'', the common condiments in Indonesia File:Flying goose sriracha th.jpg|Sriracha (type of hot sauce) File:Shichimi 002.jpg|Shichimi File:Wasabi 002.jpg|Wasabi File:Ssamjang.png|Ssamjang File:Eros Pista.jpg|Hungarian Erős Pista </gallery>

==See also== {{Portal|Food}} {{div col}} * Condiments by country (category) * {{annotated link|Dip (food)|Dip}} * {{annotated link|Garnish (food)|Garnish}} * {{annotated link|List of brand-name condiments}} * {{annotated link|List of condiments}} * {{annotated link|List of fish sauces}} * {{annotated link|List of foods}} * {{annotated link|List of mustard brands}} * {{annotated link|Non-brewed condiment}} * {{annotated link|Seasoning}} * {{annotated link|Herb}} * {{annotated link|Spice}} * {{annotated link|Relish}} * {{annotated link|Pickling}} {{div col end}}

== References == === Citations === {{Reflist}}

=== Sources === {{Refbegin}} * {{Cite web |date=n.d. |title=Collins: Definition Condiment |url=http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/condiment?showCookiePolicy=true |access-date=29 September 2014 |publisher=Collins Dictionary}}{{Cite book |last=Farrell |first=K. T. |title=Spices, Condiments and Seasonings |publisher=Aspen Publishers |year=1990 |isbn=9780834213371 |edition=2nd |location=MA, USA}} * {{Cite web |title=Merriam-Webster: Definition of condiment |url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/condiment |access-date=October 23, 2011 |publisher=Merriam-Webster Dictionary}} * * {{Cite web |last=Nealon |first=Tom |date=7 September 2010 |title=De Condimentis |url=http://hilobrow.com/2010/09/07/de-condimentis-1/ |access-date=10 February 2014 |publisher=HiLobrow}} * {{Cite book |last=Smith |first=Andrew F. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AoWlCmNDA3QC&pg=PT171 |title=The Oxford companion to American food and drink |date=May 1, 2007 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-530796-2 |access-date=March 15, 2012}} {{Cite journal |last1=De Mejia |first1=Elvira González |last2=Aguilera-Gutiérrez |first2=Yolanda |last3=Martin-Cabrejas |first3=Maria Angeles |last4=Mejia |first4=Luis A. |title=Industrial processing of condiments and seasonings and its implications for micronutrient fortification |journal=Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences |date=2015 |volume=1357 |pages=8–28 |doi=10.1111/nyas.12869 |pmid=26312771 |bibcode=2015NYASA1357....8D |url=https://nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nyas.12869 |access-date=23 April 2025|url-access=subscription }} *{{Refend}}

==External links== * {{commons category-inline}}

=== Further reading === {{refbegin}} * {{Cite journal |last1=Herbert |first1=Amanda E |last2=Bouchard |first2=Jack B |last3=Fine |first3=Julia |date=3 June 2024 |title=Colonizing Condiments: Culinary Experimentation and the Politics of Disgust in Early Modern Britain |journal=Global Food History |volume=11 |pages=42–71 |doi=10.1080/20549547.2024.2357928}} {{refend}}

Category:Condiments