Asafoetida

#### Asafoetida. **Asafoetida or Asafetida **is **a **natural oleo-gumresin, exuded from roots of a big plant, Ferula Asafoetida, and other species of **Ferula,**** **a plant native to Iran and Afghanistan. The substance is a physiological product of the plant. When overground parts of the plant are cut off, a milky juice flows out and solidifies upon exposure to air. Material is also collected from the outside of the root-stem under the surface of the soil. The foliage of the plant is a local vegetable and the oleo-gum-resin is, in a way, a by-product, but it has retained a substantial interest for its peculiar odor and flavor. The annual consumption in the U.S.A. alone is about 50 metric tons. The crude botanical is contaminated with sand, earth, gravel, vegetable fragments, etc. and it is used in the production of the following preparations: - **Asafoetida**** ****Resinoid**** **by hydrocarbon extraction. - **Asafoetida**** ****Absolute**** **or **Asafoetida**** ****Tincture**** **by alcohol extraction. - **Asafoetida**** ****Oil**** **by steam distillation. The resinoid is a semi-solid, dark brown mass. Its odor is somewhat coarse, and the product is not recommended for flavor use. By acetone- extraction, a superior resinoid is obtained. **Asafoetida Absolute **or "resin-absolute" is a semi-solid reddish-brown mass of distinctly alliaceous odor. However, beneath the garlic-onion- like topnote there is an immensely rich and sweet-balsamic body of highly interesting type. The dryout reveals some vanillin or related component. **Ferulic Acid **is present as an ester in large quantities in **Asafoetida. **The acid is closely related to the flavor principle of **Maple Syrup (Ferulaldehyde **or 4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic aldehyde). It is also related to isoeugenol and vanillin. **Asafoetida Oil **is a pale yellow or orange-yellow colored liquid, having a sharp alliaceous, almost obnoxious and acrid odor. The flavor is slightly bitter, acrid and somewhat pungent. Its power and radiation is often underestimated, and the oil lacks the valuable fixation and balsamic background typical of the extracted products. The yield of essential oil by steam distillation of the crude botanical material is about *7 *to **9%, **occasionally much higher. Generally, the **Resinoid**** **or the **Absolute,**** **at times the **Tincture**, are used in flavor work in spice blends, meat sauces, pickles, etc. The use of Asafoetida in "Worcestershire Sauce" is well known. Suggested use level, based upon the alcohol-soluble matter (60 to 68% of the crude botanical), is 3 to *5** *mg%, and the **Minimum**** ****Perceptible**** **is about 0.50 to 1.00 mg%. The effect of the fixative, balsamic materials in the extract is obvious. At low concentrations, **Asafoetida Absolute **can introduce very intriguing notes in rose bases and heavy oriental fragrances. The alliaceous odor of asafoetida is due to large amounts of sulphur compounds in the essential oil only; there are no sulphur compounds in the non-volatile part of the extract. By steam distillation of the extract, it is possible to eliminate the alliaceous odor and produce a very interesting perfume material of great fixative value. This material is not commercially produced, but it is quite easy for most consumers to perform this partial "de-odorization" of **Asafoetida.** **Asafoetida**** **is readily available and it is fairly inexpensive. The age of the crude botanical has a significant influence upon the odor and flavor of its processed derivatives.