News Release

The chemistry (and fascinating history) of pepper, the spice that changed the world

Reports and Proceedings

American Chemical Society

The Chemistry (And Fascinating History) of Pepper, the Spice that Changed the World (Video)

image: Pepper is one of the most plentiful condiments in the world today, but it used to be more valuable than gold. In the American Chemical Society's latest Reactions video, we examine how pepper's delectable chemistry made it a key player in the global spice trade. In 1498, the sought-after spice helped usher in the so-called "Age of Discovery," which bridged the gap between the Middle Ages and the Modern era. The videos are available at the links below:

The chemistry of pepper, the spice that changed the world: http://youtu.be/CKrrks2MugU

Allspice: The world's most misunderstood spice: http://youtu.be/powCDlagwik

view more 

Credit: The American Chemical Society

WASHINGTON, March 3, 2014 — Pepper is one of the most plentiful condiments in the world today, but it used to be more valuable than gold. In the American Chemical Society's (ACS') latest Reactions video, we examine how pepper's delectable chemistry made it a key player in the global spice trade. The sought-after spice helped usher in the "Age of Discovery," which bridged the gap between the Middle Ages and the Modern era. And because we're celebrating our second month of existence, it's a Reactions double feature this week. In our second video, we examine the science behind the most misunderstood spice in the world: allspice. The videos are available at the links below:

The chemistry of pepper, the spice that changed the world: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0kJunDHk8Y

Allspice: The world's most misunderstood spice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlUbr2b5wgY

###

Subscribe to the series at Reactions YouTube, and follow us on Twitter @ACSreactions to be the first to see our latest videos.

The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 161,000 members, ACS is the world's largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

Follow us: Twitter Facebook


Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.