Lost in plantation

Millions of growers and workers are in distress in Kerala, the plantation capital of India, as domestic and international prices of cash crops …

Hot pepper genome decoded

Study opens doors for creating better varieties, with different nutritional values and flavours

Many hues of haldi

Turmeric plays a prominent role not just in our kitchens, but in many auspicious rites and rituals as well

Hero Herb: Why we need to focus more on turmeric

The pandemic years have witnessed a boom in the production and export of the humble underground stem called turmeric, along with a renewal of …

Win one, lose many

India needs to have a hard look at the sources of all its varied traditional knowledge and how to protect them

The secret gardens of Malabar

An English translation has been made exactly 300 years after the Hortus Malabricus was written, new, sinister designs seem to lurking behind it - …

Herbal products can help in dealing with COVID-19, if they are made trustworthy

Herbal products can increase our immune responses; however, we first need authenticity, a proper scientific approach, strict governmental …

The fiery flavours of stem pepper

The pepper species, relatively unexplored, is restricted to a few pockets in West Bengal

Science or Snake Oil: can turmeric really shrink tumours, reduce pain and kill bacteria?

Turmeric is often reported to have anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties, but there is not sufficient evidence to draw definitive conclusions

Poison in disguise

Fake cinnamon floods Indian market as authorities drag feet over regulating its import and sale

Into the ginger trap

Farmers from Kerala make big bucks by growing ginger in Karnataka but leave behind a trail of pollution

A humble recipe of 3 spices to slacken COVID-19 scare

There is urgent need to focus on alternative, easily available sources; natural products consumed as spices and food can be a better choice  

Indian chilli blocked in EU

Indian exporters of chilli products are smarting. The EU has all but shut the door on them after recently detecting the presence of Sudan red 1, …

In 2 years, 80% cashew producing units closed in Kollam

Huge operational costs and unfriendly government policies led to the closure of the units; it also left 0.35 million people jobless, mostly women&…

The colour of chilli

FRANCE may have rejected consignments of chilli powder from India because a banned carcinogenic colouring matter -- Sudan red 1 -- was detected. …

Saving saffron

J&K proposes a strategy

Curcumin shield

Why India has the world's lowest rate of Alzheimer's disease

Falling trade

Spicy cure

Indian chilli is the hottest

Turmeric harvester

Bitter blow

Spice route

Cardamom could show the way to sustainable income generation

Safe storage

Using a little turmeric powder mixed with rice can protect the stored grain from pests

Documenting the dying