Aframomum melegutta also called Grains of Paradise (GOP) is gradually remerging and sneaking itself back onto dinner tables and the ingredient shelves of restaurants and food factories. Steeped in a rich and partly embellished historical background, Aframomum melegutta is a spice native to tropical West Africa. Part of the West African coast especially from Buchanan to Harper in Liberia was named the ‘Grains Coast’ due to the high availability GOP in this area.

It was christened “Grains of Paradise” by the Italians for its high value and the secrecy of its origin when it was first introduced into Italy and Sicily. At that time, it was suggested that the spice originated only from the biblical Eden where they were found floating on the rivers of paradise. This clearly boosted its value among consumers wanting a taste of paradise!

Historical accounts, however, trace it back to traders from West Africa who carried the spice to Tripoli and later to Italy where it would get its exotic nomenclature and be imbued with that celestial epithet, ‘paradise’. Europeans later acquired a taste for this spice as a substitute for regular pepper, particularly Asian black pepper. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England, GOP gained popularity as it became a key ingredient in many foodstuff and drinks, along with well-known spices such as cinnamon and ginger. It was used to improve wine with a ‘stale’ smell. Even today, GOP is used to flavor rum and brandy, and also for spicing meat, sauces and soups.

Traditional herbal formulations which are used to cure or manage dysentery, toothache and migraine are known to contain GOP. It is also used for the treatment of body pains and rheumatism as a constituent ingredient within a cocktail of herbs. GOP seeds have been observed to act against a number of micro-organisms. The essential oil extracted act against both harmful and less harmful bacteria. A microorganism called Candida albicans which causes oral and genital infections in humans succumbs to the anti-microbial prowess of GOP.  

Due to its re-emerging economic importance, many entrepreneurs are increasingly seeking to establish plantations of Grains of Paradise. The plant is propagated by rhizome division and can be cultivated successfully under cocoa plantations in warm humid areas with partial shade. ASNAPP is working on germinating the plants from seeds subjected to different treatments prior to sowing. Seeds would normally emerge 7 to 12 days and after sowing and within a period of about six to eight weeks, the seedlings could be transplanted to the field. For sustained growth of the plant, it is important to constantly prune off old leaves. A plantation of Grains of Paradise can last for up to 10 years under good management, and could therefore serve to generate additional incomes to rural households. It is crucial that pods are allowed to mature before harvesting to obtain a high quality product. This is because the green pods have seeds without the characteristic pungent taste associated with the dark brown seeds from the red-ripe pods. An acre of GOP could yield between 0.5 and 1.5 tons per acre.

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Credit to Acquaye et al. (2001) who compiled the original profile of GOP.