Overview
ISO 676:1995 - "Spices and condiments - Botanical nomenclature" is an ISO international standard (second edition, published 1995) that provides a non‑exhaustive bilingual list (English/French) of botanical names and common names for plants or parts of plants used as spices and condiments. Prepared by ISO/TC 34 (Agricultural food products), Subcommittee SC 7 (Spices and condiments), the edition updates botanical names in line with the European Flora and the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) work and replaces the 1982 first edition.
Key topics
- Botanical nomenclature: Standardized scientific (Latin) names and family assignments for spices and condiments.
- Common names (English and French): Corresponding vernacular names for trade, labeling and regulatory use.
- Parts of plant used: Identification of which plant parts are used (e.g., fruit, seed, rhizome, leaf, bulb).
- Stabilized names and botanist citations: Where applicable, botanical names are stabilized per the ISTA List; botanist names are given in abbreviated form (full names in Annex B).
- Scope limitations: The list is explicitly non‑exhaustive and notes that some listed spices may not be used in all countries.
- Informative annexes: Annexes A, B and C are provided for information only (e.g., full botanist names).
Practical applications
ISO 676:1995 is a reference tool that supports clear, consistent identification of spices and condiments in multiple contexts:
- Food manufacturers and product developers - for consistent ingredient naming and recipe specifications.
- Regulatory authorities and customs - to harmonize legal descriptions, import/export documentation and labeling.
- Quality assurance and traceability teams - to reduce ambiguity in supply chains where common names vary by region.
- Botanical taxonomists and seed testing organizations - for cross‑referencing stabilized plant names (ISTA alignment).
- Trade associations, spice traders and packers - to ensure consistent commercial descriptions across markets and languages.
This standard helps avoid misidentification and supports accurate labeling, specification writing and international trade of spices and condiments. Note that ISO 676:1995 provides nomenclature and descriptive reference data; it does not prescribe analytical test methods or sampling procedures.
Related standards
The ISO 676 table cross‑references several product and commodity ISO standards (examples visible in the standard), such as ISO 5559, ISO 5560, ISO 6538, ISO 6539, ISO 973, ISO 959‑1, and others that relate to specifications, sampling or testing for particular spices.
Keywords: ISO 676:1995, botanical nomenclature, spices and condiments, botanical names, common names, ISTA, spice labeling, international standard.
