experimental pilot study of peach apricot

8/18/2019 Experimental Pilot Study of Peach Apricot

1/10

Studies of Landscape History on East Asian

nland Seas 2010)

NEO M AP Project

Research Institute for Hum anity and Nature

Experimental Pilot Study of Peach Apricot Kernel Detoxification:

For Reconstruction of Chinese Early Rice Farmers Broad

Spectrum Subsistence Strategy

HO SOY A, Leo Aoi

( Research Institute for Humanity and Nature)

WO LLSTON ECROFT, M ichele

(University College London)

FULL ER, Dorian

(University College London)

QIN , Ling

(Peking University)


2/10

Studies of Landscape H istory on East Asian Inland Seas

July 2010

Edited by Keisuke M AKIBA YA SHI and Megumi UCHIKAD O

©N EOM AP Project

Research institute for Humanity and Nature RH IN)

ISBN 978-4-902325-52-2

Neo lithisation and M odernisation: Landscape History on East Asian Inland Seas

NEO MA P Project)

Research Institute for Humanity and Nature RH IN)

Kam igamo M otoyama 457 - 4 Kyoto, Japan

http: www

chikym ac j p/neo- map

TEL: +81 0)75-707-2480

Fax: +81 0)75/707-2513


3/10

Experim ental Pilot Study of Peach Ap ricot K ernel Detoxification:

For R econstruction of Ch inese Early Rice Farm ers Broad Spectrum

Subsistence Strategy

H O S O Y A , L eo A o i

Research Insti tute for Hum anity and Nature

W O L L S T O N E C R O F T , M i c h e l e

University C ollege London

F U L L E R , D o r ia n

University College London

Q I N ,

Ling

Peking U niversity

The Prunoid subfami ly of the R osaceae p roduce s som e of the m os t popu lar ed ib le t ree f ru it o f tem pera te

P r u n u s

spp) , the pe aches

A mygd a l u s /Pru n u s

spp . ) and the ap r ico t

Armeniaca / P runus

spp.) . Th ese spec ies are of g lobal im po rtance for consum ption and t rade. Th ei r fru i t i s

h i ch i s a f l e shy f ru it wi th two sof t and pu lpy ou te r l ayers (exocarp and m esocarp) tha t enc lose a

u c h s m a l le r h a r d s to n e ( e n d o c a r p ) th a t c o n t a i n s a st a rc h y a n d p r o t e i n a c e o u s s e e d . In E u r o p e a n d t h e

m ericas peo ple typical ly eat the f leshy parts of the fru i t , in fresh or dr ied

form, and d i scard the s tone and

. Ho we ver , wi th in Eas t A s ia , both the f leshy frui t and the seeds o f the Prunoids are consum ed

In Ch i na , t he P runo i d cu l ti va rs o f g rea t e st i mpor tance a re the com mo n peach

Am ygda lus per s ica L , syn .

us p e r s ic a

(L.) Batsch) and the apr icot Armen iaca vu lgar i s Lam. , syn.

P r u n u s a r m e n i a c a

L. . The

and the kerne l (see d) of both these spe cies are ut i l ized. O f par ticular im por tance is the apr icot

n as the Chinese a lmond . It i s frequen t ly used as an ingred i en t in d r inks , swee t s and

ccord ing to P o r te r f ie ld (1951) , aprico t kerne l s have a r ange o f cu l ina ry and m edica l uses such as

ed ic ine in the H ubei r eg ion whe re i t i s ea ten w ho le and m ade in to f lour . Re cent a rchaeobo tan ica l

the food and m edic ina l uses o f apr ico t and peach ke rne l s may da te back to the

e o l i th i c i n C h i n a , w h e n t h e f r u it w e r e c o l l e c t e d fr o m w i ld t re e s . R e m a i n s o f th e k e r n e l s h a v e b e e n

o m a n u m b e r o f C h i n e s e N e o l i th i c s i te s [ T a b l e 1 ] . T h e f a c t t h a t p e a ch k e r n e l w e r e f o u n d i n

ge p i t s a t the H em udu s i t e (BCE 4 ,900-4 ,600) (Qin et a l 2006) c lear ly indica tes tha t they w ere no t m erely

om the consum pt ion o f the fl eshy f ru it bu t va lued fo r the i r ow n food and/o r m edic ina l

The kernel of apr icot , as we l l as peach, i s r ich in nutr i tion such as prote in , f iber , carbohyd rate and mine ra l


4/10

2006, Kx

e-7. kakuda 1992,

Porterfield 1951), and usab le as food additive. On the

hand , the Pnmo id seed t it ters that can be harmful for hum ans. A pricots, part icularly the hit ter

v a r p i r E

o

prussic acid, and consum ing as few as two k ernels can cause death

1951 ). Thereitre. blue we

can address questions about the role of these kernels in the Chinese

sti3sigetre syseem and diet,

w e must first consider how N eolithic people manag ed to remove the

-

acaraructinn

o

potential detoxification techniques, using technology and m ethods know n to

avalabk it Neolithic

C hina, is fundam ental to addressing such q uest ions. In this paper, w e

em o a O w study, a prelim inary

step in our experimental studies on the detoxification of Prunoid kernels.

ocm d of the research- Broad sp ectrum econom y of early farm ers

Cam ay to the

previously accepted concept that the introduction of farming imm ediately caused w holesale

strictly `ag ricultural societies', that subsisted exclusively on cultivated plants, recent archaeobotanical

nstrates that the existing subsistence strategies did not conspicuously change for hundreds to

years after the beginning of farming. This is the case for both Near E astern wheat farming (T anno

2006) and C hinese r ice farming (Ful ler e t a l . 2009, N akam ura 2010) . Archaeobotancial and

m al evidence from C hinese Yan gtze ear ly r ice farmers ' s i tes indicate that these comm unit ies

road spectrum su bsistence strategies, wh ich included hunting, gathering and fishing; rice

ivation w as only a sm all part of the food procurement system (Kohm oto 2001, Nakam ura 2002). This

of diversified economy remained stable for hundreds of years.

An agricultural society was established in the lower Yangtze area approximately 2,000-3,000 years after the

f rice fanning (BC E 6,000, K uahuq iao culture) betw een_ the Song ze culture period (BC E

,200) and the L iangzhu culture period (BC E 3,400-2,200). The sh ift is attributed to the intensification

a result of the introduction of new techniques such as irrigation (Nak am ura 2002,

in 2009). These ex am ples show that auricultural societies are no t necessarily

the natural

and

s in the social organization of the group in q uestion, process that must have been driven by,

therefore be reflected in, routine subsistence-related activities. The principal questions are: H ow did

ize their routine broad spectrum subsistence-related activities?; and How w as this

m nization transformed throug h time?

Food processing activities, for the purpose of to mak ing plant and anim al tissue edible, are as important to

c subsistence as gathering and cultivation. Ma ny processing activities, e.g. crop dehusking and

m ay w ell have taken place w ithin the set tlement area. C onsequen t ly food processing act ivi ties,

areas and scheduling m ust have been an integrated part of the dom estic cycle. Th erefore, i t m ay be

ne food processing activities of N eolithic people, by synthesizing w hat w e

-

about

their processing facilities, tools, w ork area s and org anic debris. If w e can identify the distinct


5/10

ssibly from w ithin the settlem ent, we m ay be able to better interpret the scale and

hose activit ies and how people organized them on a daily basis. W hat we w ould

poral trends including shifts of social organization as w ell as changes in land-u se,

The d ifficulty w ith reconstructing ancient processing activities from archaeolog ical contexts is that the

ical record is patchy and inco m plete. Therefore i t is not easy to discern the seque nces of the

hich tools and facilities were used, and during wh ich stage, and for what end.

ong the m ore useful m ethods of address ing such problems are e thnographic sh d ies of t rad i t ional

ng techniques by modern non-m echanised) societies as well as experimental food processing. Su ch

ow us to assess the feasM itv and plrvsical effects of various p rocessing techniques and evaluate

pretation. For ex am ple, recent work o n the potential tuber foods of

s of processing only a sequ ence of techniqu es, e.g. pulverizing and/or grinding, as well as

ing, wil l t ransform this w ise inedible tuber into a form that is suitable to eat W olls tonecroft et al.

Ou r pilot study on the eqperim ental detoxification of prunoid seeds was designed to assess wh ether

ng techniques can be obsa ved with microscopy) on modern, and possibly ancient, seed remains, and

on o f M ethods for the plot s tudy

Th e ex per iment d i scussed here i s a p i lo t s tudy to de termine w hether the s tages of apr icot /peach

-term study to exam ine the effectiveness of pru ssic acid

ion on peach / apricot seeds using techniqu es that were available during the C hinese N eolithic.

resent paper describes a pilot study for the

irsi

stage of a two stage analysis: i) observations, using

nification microscopy, of the microstructure of the raw and processed seeds to observe how the tissue

es; in particular, how steam ing / boiling / pulveriaing / grinding / fermentation

odify the cell walls cw) and cell contents, because if the cell does not rupture or separate, the contents may

t without becoming available for digestion and absorption see Ellis et al. 200 4); the

s very im portant because, if the cell contents are not available for absorption it may m ean that the toxins

es in prussic acid con centrations.


6/10


7/10


8/10

including those of Chinese indigenous species. Moreov er , in the long term, other wild plants known to have

been used by Chinese ear ly farmers, including toxic species, wil l be invest igated, e .g. some species of n uts

such as

Lithocarpus

and Cyclobalanopsis

acorns. Th is experim ental study, then, w ill contribute one part of

mu ltiple approache s for understanding the actual state of Chinese early farmers' broad spectrum sub sistence

strategy and discussion on social transformations towards establishment of agricultural society.

Ac knowle dge me n t

The e xperim ental s tudy p resented in this paper w as carr ied out wi th the support of the Bri ti sh Cou nci l

Darw in Researchers Exchan ge Program m e grant (2009) . This s tudy wil l be cont inued w ith the support of

Japan Soc iety for the Promotion of Science, Grant-in-Aid for Scientif ic Research (C) Discussion on Chinese

early rice agriculture and society from the interdisciplinary view of archaeology and genetics (2009-2011 ).

P h o t o 1 : Ap r i c o t se e d s f r o m Lo n d o n

hinatown

P ho t o 2 : SE M obse rva t ion o f b o i led

apricot seed (from a food shop)

Photo 3: SEM observat ion of steamed

apricot seed (from a food shop)

Table

1: Finds of peach apricot kernel rem ains from C hinese Neolithic and historical s i tes

Site Period

mygdatus

persica/cf

persica

Anneniaca

vulg rlil

Armeniaea

Reference

Bashidang, H unan

7000-6000 BC

X Gu 2007

Chengtoushan, H unan

4500-4000 BC X Liu and Gu 2007

Kualmq iao, Zhejiang 6000-5400 BC X X

ZPIAC 2004; see Fuller et al. 2007:

T a b l e

Hemudu, Zhejiang Hem udu (4900-4600 BC) X

ZPIAC 2003; see Fuller et al. 2007:

Table 1; Q in et al. 2006

Tianluoshan, Zhejiang Hem udu (4900-4600 BC) X

Fuller et al, unpublished; d Fu ller

e t

al.

2009

Puanqiao, Zhejiang

Late Songze (3500-3300

BC)

X

-

in Sz F uller, unpublished data

Bianjiashan, Zhe jiang Liangzhu (3300-2200 BC)

X Zheng Y unfei, personal comm unication

Yangcun [ I/AC], Henan Yangshao X

Fuller and Zhang 2007


9/10

Shiya nruan [SY G], Henan

Late Yangshao X

Fuller and Zha ng 2007

W uwan [W UN V], Henan Late Longshan

X

Ful ler and Zhang 200 7

Youfangtou [YET ], Henan

Late Longshan

X


Xiaw u [XW ], Henan

I an- L o nAr in X


Jizha i [HZ], Henan

T a re L o i l la n

X

X

Ful ler and Zhang 2007

Sh idao [SID], Henan

Ed i t ou

X

Ful ler and Zhang 2007

Yinzhai., Henan

I ate

Longshan X

Zhao 2005

an

angzhu enan Erlitou

X X

Archaeology D epartment at Peking

Universi ty 1998

13a liDnu: Henan

Long shan

X X

Fuller Qin, unpublished data

Ka ngjia, Shaa nxi

La te Longshan X

Shaanxi Kangjia archaeology team

1992

Ehinhuang Xuanquanzhi ,

Gansu

W estern Han

X- ancient

text record

X- ancient

text record

Li and Xu 2007

Sam pula cemetery T tupan

Xinjiang

400-100 BC

X

J iang et al 200 8; 2009

Bib l i og r aphy

A L P A S L A N , M

HAYTA, M. (2006 ) Apricot K ernel: Phy sical

and Chem ical Propert ies . In SAOC S 82

Ard3aeo logy apa r tm eg a t P ek ing U n iver si t y (1988)Zhirmadian

Yangthvargsire(e.mat icnreixi t ) . Scieneeptm,Beij ing 192-193

EL -A D A W Y, TA EL -K A D O U SY. SA ( 1 9 9 5 ) Ch a n g e s i n

chemical com posi t ion , nuni ticnal qual i ty ; ph ys ic-chemical and

functional properties of peach kernel meal during detoxifica tion.

In Food Chem is t ry 52

E L L I S , P R ; K E N D A L L , C .W . C .; R E N , Y .; P A R K E R , C ;

P AC Y , IF . ; W ALD R O N , K W . an d JE N K IN S , D L

2004)

Role o f ce l l wa l ls i n t he b i oacce s s i b i l it y o f l i p i d s i n a lm ond

seeds. In American Journal of Clinical Nutrit ion 80: 604-613.

FU L L ER, D . Q QI N , L i n g ( 2 0 0 9 ) W a t er m a n a g em e nt a n d

l abo ur in the o r i g in s and d i sp ersa l o f As i an r ice . In W or ld

Archaeolog y 41(1): 88-111,

F U L L E R , D . Q . a nd R O W L A N D S , M i k e ( 2 0 0 9 ) T o w a rd s a

Lo ng-Tenn M acro-Geography o f C u l tu ra l Sub s t ances : Foo d

and S acrifice Tradi t ion in East , West and South Asia. In Chinese

Review of AntbropoIogi 12: 1-37.

FU LL ER, D . Q ZHAN G FL (2007 ) A p re limina ry repor t o f

t he su rvey a r chaeob o t any o f t he uppe r Ying V a l l ey (Henan

ProN ince) Fm Chinese and Eng l i sh]. In Scho o l o f Archaeo logy

and

useo log y , Pek ing U n ivers i ty and Henan Prov inc i a l

Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeo logy (eds.) Dengfeng

w a n g c h e n g g a n g y i z h i d e f u ri a n y u y a n j iu ( 2 0 0 2 - 2 0 0 5 )

[Archaeo log ica l Discov ery and Research a t t he W angchenggang

Si te i n E l eng feng (200 2-2005 ) ] . Zhengzho u : Grea t E l ephan t

Publisher: 916-958.

F U L L E R , D . Q ; H A RV E Y , E m m a a n d Q IN , L i n g (2 0 0 7 )

Presumed do m est icat ion?: Evidence for wild r ice cul t ivat ion and

dom est icat ion in the f i f th mil lennium BC o f the Lo w er Yangtze

region. In Antiquity 81: 316-331.

FU L L ER, D . ; QI N

L ; Z H A N G Y . ; Z H A O , Z . ; C H E N , X . ;

HOS OYA, LA. SU N , G ( 2009 ) The Dom es ti c a ti on P roce s s

and Do m est ica t ion Rate in rice : Spike le t bases f rom the Lo w er

Yano2 e. In Science 323: 160 7-1610 .

GU , H . ( 2007 ) F rom the p l ant rema ins o f Cheng toushan s i te t o

inrl sti

t he environm enta l ba ckground of Dax i . cu l t ti re [in

Ch inese] . In Hunan Prov incia l Ins t i tute of Archaeo logy and

International Japanese Culture Celine eds.) Lixian

Chengtoushan. Beij ing: W enwu Press: 107-114.

HANG HE. ; LI , X. ; LIU, C .-J . ; W ANG Y.-F . LI , C . -S . (200 8)

A considerat ion of the involucre remains of Co ix lacrym a-jobi L

( P o a c e a e ) i n t h e S a m p u l a C e m e te ry ( 2 0 0 0 y e a r s B P ) ,

Xin j iang , C h ina In Journa l o f Archaeo log i ca l Sc ience 35 :

1311-1316.


10/10

J IANG . IL E_

; ZILA_NG Y-E12. 11 X . : - E : F E R G U S O N ,

D. K.; -G 11 C-S. tam Bidence for early

incline

in Gina:

proof of a w4inine (Y etis vinifera L .,

sae) it die Yarsbai Tombs, Kinjima. In Journal of

Ardraerio6cai Sk 36 1 -M-1 -165_

K A M E L B . S. & K A K L -

DA . Y . (199 2) C haracterization of the

Seed O E and M eni A pricot Cherry; N ectarine, Peach and

Pkui. b LAOCS

\iL69 Na

K0'1

.401 0. St (2 001 ) C hinese N eolithic Subsistence Strategy

and Came rot Japaiese]. Chug oku S hoten.

Birm±tem &

enfana (20 07) From D unhuangs records to

7 1 1 2

guecncn and usa..w of plant and animal resources by ancient

per* In D t.nharm Research, N a 6: 90-95 .

LIU_ CI and GL, H.B. (2007) Chengtoushan yi zhi de zhi wu yi

aat obotanical studies of the Chengtoushan Site [in

Ch inese]. He, J.J. & Y asuda, Y. (eds.) Chengtoushan in Lixian,

Sino-Japan Cooperative Research on Environmental

A rchaeology in the L iyang Plain. W enwu Press, Beijing:

98-106.

M _A KIBA Y A SIII , K. (2004) Classification and Regionality of

Stare Quem and M ortar in N eolithic C hina [in Japanese].

Fujin°, T. (ed.) Kok o-R onshu: E ssays on A rchaeology in

H onour of M asatoshi Kawase. C huh on Shogo Pub lications:

987-1002.

M A KIBA Y A SH I, K. (2 004) Classification and Regionality of

Stone Quern and M ortar in N eolithic Ch ina (in Japanese).

Fujino. I (ed.) Koko- Ronshu: Fqgays on A rchaeology in

H adar of M asatoshi Kawase, Chu hon Sh ogo Publications,

9r-1002.

LAKIII1AYASHI, K. (2005) Changes of Food Style in Neolithic

Chin

D iversification of Steamers. Ch inese A rchaeology 5:

149 -169

WAWA& S. (301E) rchaeology of Rice [in Japanese].

Dada

N I W ..

1

MAX S. 133101. The

ori& of rice cultivation in the

Lower

Villa= %Vial. Clica

In A rchaeological and

_ftilImpoimind Seisms 2). DOI: 10.1007 /

0 2 0 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 .4 1 - 4 L

NOCE NIL

7NCIEL G & BRMER. L

(1995 ) M icrobial

Capinier c ="earise af

eer apioci

seeds (Prunus

el ms

Jamal afFix NbL.

eibiciokry 24

IPOMIERt

ELD

131_ trEt) Ili Piaripol Chnese

Neffsabik Rods zsi Rae ?'.ate ail Mom= Ma-kers.

Eozocair Homy Val5 Na:

QIN, Ling; FUL LE R, D.Q & HA RV EY , E. (2006 ) . Subsistence

of H emudu Site, and reconsideration of issues in the study of

early rice from Low er Y anezte [m C hinese]. In D ongfang

Kaogu (Oriental Archaeology) 3: 307-350.

Shaanxi Kandia A rchaeology Team (199 2) Shaanxi Province linking

Cou nty Kane* S ite 1 987 E xcavaticn Brief Report Kaogu yu

W enwu (Arch eologyand Cuhural Relics), N a4.

T A N N O , K & W I L L C O X , G ( 2 0 0 6 ) H o w F a st W a s W ild

W heat Domesticated?. In Science Vol. 311

TUN CE L, 0; NO UT, M .J.R. & BRINIE R, L (1993) The effects

of grinding, soaking and cooking on the degradation of

amygdalin of bitter apricot seeds. In Food C hemistry 53

W O L L S T O N E CRO F T , M . ; E L L IS , PR. ; H IL L M AN , GC . an d

FU LL ER , D.Q (200 8) A dvances in plant food processing in the

Near Eastern Epipalaeolithic and implications for improved

edibility and nutrient bioaccessibility: an experimental

assessment of

olboschoenus maritimus

(L.) Palla (sea

club-rush). In Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 17

(supplement): 19-2 7. DO I 10.1 007/s00334-008-0162 -x

Z HA O, Ch arging (2005) X iadai Nargye G uankui: cong X inzhai he

ZOiaoshu Yizhi de Faxian Tanqi (A restricted view of agriculture in

X ia Dynasty: the new evidences from Site ofX inzhai and Zacjiaoshu).

In Nangye Kaogu (Agricultural Arehaeolou) (1): 2 15 -2 17 .

ZPIAC (Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Archaeology and

C ultural-relics) (20 03) H emudu: x inshiqi shidai yizhi kaogu

fajue baogao (Hemudu: an excavation report of the Neolithic

site) fin Ch inese]. W enwu Press, Beijing.

ZPIAC (Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Archaeology and

Cultural-relics) (2004) Kuahugiao (Kuahugiao site report) [in

Ch inese]. W enwu Press, Beijing.

experimental pilot study of peach apricot

Documents