Spice spices. Spices were among the most demanded and expensive products available in Europe in the Middle Ages, the most common being black pepper, cinnamon (and the cheaper alternative cassia), cumin, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Given medieval medicine's main theory of humorism, spices and herbs were indispensable to balance "humors" in food, a daily basis for good health at a time of recurrent pandemics. In addition to being desired by those using medieval medicine, the European elite also craved spices in the Middle Ages. An example of the European aristocracy's demand for spice comes from the King of Aragon, who invested
Cassia gum Cassia gum The term cassia gum refers to the flour made from the endosperms of the seeds of "Senna obtusifolia" and "Senna tora" (also called "Cassia obtusifolia" or "Cassia tora"). It is composed of at least 75% polysaccharide, primarily galactomannan with a mannose:galactose ratio of 5:1, resulting in a high molecular mass of 200,000-300,000 Da. In 1995, cassia gum was added to the list of approved food additives in Japan by the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare. Two GRAS notices were filed to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), one on June 23, 2000 (GRN 51) and one