Use of Allium scorodoprasum L. subsp. rotundum as Food

Abstract

Allium scorodoprosum L. subsp. rotundum is a perennial and herbaceous plant which has a diameter of 1-2 cm bulb and it grows in East Anatolia and Northern Anatolia. It has a length of 25-90 cm and it has 2-5 leaves, each of which has a diameter of 2-8 mm. Its flowers are dark red and purple. Its blooming period is between 5th and 6th months of the year. This plant usually grows up in the calcareous areas, clayey slopes, lawns, rural areas, beaches and sands between 0 and 1400 m in height above sea level. In Turkey, it can be seen in Adana, Osmaniye, Bolu, Istanbul, Mardin, Çankiri, Adiyaman, Aǧri, Ankara, Antalya, Artvin, Çorum, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskişehir, Hatay, Izmir, Kayseri, Kirklareli, Konya, Kütahya, Kahramanmaraş, Muǧla, Sivas and Trabzon provinces. It is called wild garlic, wild leek, körmen, sirmo and çatlangus. Both the leaves and the bulb of this plant can be eaten cooked or raw and used as spices for meals. In our country, it is consumed in a lot of places such as Bodrum, Fethiye, Sivas- Zara, Milas and Van. It is used as a main ingredient of Van herby cheese in East Anatolia, körmen salad, roasted körmen, körmen mücver, körmen börek and körmen halva in Aegean region and körmen pilav in Sivas. It includes much flavonoid such as quarcetin, luteolin, apigenin and hyperon. It is known that the tubers of this plant have antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant and antiviral affects. Its various pharmacological activities like antimicrobial, antihypercholesterolemic, antihyperlipidemic, antihyperpertansive, hepato protective, diuretic and antitumor have been reported. In folk medicine, it is used to combat diabetes and in order to increase visual accuracy. This paper discusses the traditional consumption of Allium scorodoprosum L. subsp. rotundum in Turkey and its impacts on health.