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Saffron's taste and iodoformic or hay-like fragrance result from the phytochemicals picrocrocin and safranal.

Although market prices fluctuate, premium saffron regularly exceeds US$5,000 per kilogram, sustained by its labor-intensive hand-harvesting process.

== Etymology == The English word saffron is a borrowing from French, first found in a Middle English text written around 1200 as saffran.

== Species == === Description === The domesticated saffron crocus, Crocus sativus, is an autumn-flowering perennial plant unknown in the wild.

Various origins have been suggested for saffron, including Iran, Mesopotamia, Kashmir and Greece.

Bread has been a significant part of human diets since the beginning of agriculture around 10,000 years ago.

In Europe, bread is consumed daily by approximately 400 million people.

The oldest known bread recipe dates back to Egypt around 5,000 years ago.

Bread is a key ingredient in many traditional dishes and cuisines, such as pizza and baguettes.

Bread plays a significant role in religious ceremonies, like the Eucharist in Christianity.

Bread is also a symbol of unity and hospitality in many cultures, often shared among friends and family.

Chocolate bars, either made of solid chocolate or other ingredients coated in chocolate, are eaten as snacks.

The cacao tree was first used as a source for food in what is today Ecuador at least 5,300 years ago.

It is eaten on its own and used to flavor other foods.

Making chocolate with only cocoa butter and milk produces white chocolate.

Chocolate is also used in cold and hot beverages, such as chocolate milk, hot chocolate and chocolate liqueur.

Mesoamerican civilizations widely consumed cacao beverages, and in the 16th century, one of these beverages, chocolate, was introduced to Europe.

The first vitamin to be chemically identified was thiamine in 1926, and vitamin C was identified as a protection against scurvy in 1932.

Humans have developed agriculture and cooking to replace foraging and advance human nutrition.

Chemists in the 18th and 19th centuries experimented with different elements and food sources to develop theories of nutrition.

Modern nutrition science began in the 1910s as individual micronutrients began to be identified.

The role of vitamins in nutrition was studied in the following decades.

Due to its importance in human health, the study of nutrition has heavily emphasized human nutrition and agriculture, while ecology is a secondary concern.

Humans have used fermentation in the production and preservation of food for 13,000 years.

Fermentation is important in several areas of human society.

Perhaps the most commonly known use for fermentation is at an industrial level to produce commodity chemicals, such as ethanol and lactate.

Fermentation occurs in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes.

The discovery of new end products and new fermentative organisms suggests that fermentation is more diverse than what has been studied.

However, this definition does not encompass all forms of fermentation.

Umami is derived from the Japanese word 'umai', meaning 'delicious'.

It is often associated with the taste of cooked meats, such as grilled or roasted.

Broths, like miso and ramen, also contribute to the rich umami flavor.

The glutamate compound is responsible for triggering the umami taste sensation.

Experts believe that umami enhances the overall enjoyment of food by making it more satisfying.

Foods rich in MSG (monosodium glutamate) often exhibit a strong umami flavor.

Humans have used fermentation in the production and preservation of food for 13,000 years.

Fermentation is important in several areas of human society.

Perhaps the most commonly known use for fermentation is at an industrial level to produce commodity chemicals, such as ethanol and lactate.

Fermentation occurs in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes.

The discovery of new end products and new fermentative organisms suggests that fermentation is more diverse than what has been studied.

However, this definition does not encompass all forms of fermentation.

Because of this, cuisine serves as both a practical system for nourishment and a symbolic language through which societies communicate values and heritage.

Cuisine is thus also a broad cultural expression that reflects the history, geography, and identity of the people who create it.

Cuisines vary significantly but also share common patterns shaped by migration, colonization, and globalization.

Cuisine also plays a central role in social and ceremonial life.

This has led to both the preservation of traditional foodways and the rise of fusion cuisine that blends elements from multiple cultures.

As a result, cuisine remains an evolving aspect of human culture, reflecting both continuity and change in the way people experience food.