ABSTRACT
Ferula species, of which there are over 100, are perennial, thick-rooted herbs, native from the Mediterranean region to central Asia. Several of the Asian species are known as asafetida, and this name is also applied to a gum used as a spice and medicine that is obtained from the plants. To produce asafetida, the massive §eshy taproots of mature but non§owering plants (4 or 5 years of age) are partly uncovered and then scored, which eventually results in the release of a milky resinous juice that dries slowly on the root. This is scraped off and collected. The brown, resin-like material is asafetida, infamous for its strong, repugnant smell which has been compared with old garlic. Asafetida was known in Babylonia at least by 750 BC, and in classical Greek and Roman times. It was a popular spice in Europe from Roman times to the Middle Ages, but not after that. Asafetida is not well known in Western countries. It is still used in Asia, particularly in India. Most asafetida is produced in Iran and Afghanistan, and it is also cultivated in India. Asafetida is available commercially in several forms: “tears,” “mass” (or “lump”), “paste,” and “powdered.” Tears are the purest form and vary in size from 5 to 30 mm (0.2-1.2 in.). Lump asafetida is the most common commercial form. Powdered asafetida often has had gum arabic, turmeric, or §our added, to diminish the odor, prevent lumping, and/or add color.
