Ancient cuisine revisited: Aroma profiling of resin from Ferula drudeana — culinary potential and gastronomic applications of the putative silphium

The extant Ferula drudeana plant has been proposed as an Anatolian ecotype candidate for the mythic silphium plant that was praised for its therapeutic, medicinal, and culinary applications but thought to become extinct during the 1st century. Whereas a range of bioactive substances by now have been identified in the resin of F. drudeana , no culinary work has been reported on the relation between volatile compounds and olfactory/gustatory sensation and interaction of the resin with foods and drinks. The present paper makes the first attempt to fill this gap by aroma profiling the resin using gas chromatography-olfactometry with dynamic headspace sampling. Pinene isomers are found to provide a coniferous backbone, complemented by the earthy depth of β-myrcene and the sweet-green character of α-gurjunene, nuanced by the nutty notes of pyrazines and the sharp, herbaceous lift of 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine (green bell pepper), while a background of terpenes adds resinous flavours. The effects of the resin on the sensory perception of simple food and drink items like soup broth, tea, and a vegetable dish have been studied, along with taste archaeology experiments using ancient recipes from Apicius. The results show that the resin acts as a perfume or flavour enhancer, it tends to dampen bitterness, and the sensory effects of this putative silphium on dishes prepared according to Apicius are distinctly different from identical dishes prepared using asafoetida ( F. assa-foetida ) which was the substitute resin (also called silphium) used in Roman medicine and food in the later empire. • The aroma profile of the resin of the plant Ferula drudeana has been determined and investigated in a number of culinary experiments. • The resin works as a flavour enhancer, e.g. by enhancing umami and suppressing bitterness. • The findings shed light on the role of the resin in ancient recipes, e.g. Apicius. • The findings provide a clue to how certain volatiles by cross-modal interaction can enhance umami sensation.