The pea (Pisum sativum L.) is an annual leguminous temperate climate, belonging to the family Fabaceae, domesticated in the Middle East from wild populations of Pisum sp. (including forms close to P. sativum subsp. elatius). It is one of the classic pulses of the neolithic agricultural systems of southwest Asia, cultivated along with lentice, bitter veza and garbanzo as an important source of plant protein. In Çatalhöyük, excavations since the 1960s have recovered so much from Pisum sativum subsp. sativum as generic specimens attributed to Pisum sp., which indicates continued cultivation and consumption of peas throughout the occupation.
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Distribution and Biomas: The wild forms of Pisum (e.g. P. sativum subsp. elatius) are distributed on rocky slopes, field margins and shrubs of Mediterranean and steppe climate of the Levant, Anatolia and northern Mesopotamia. The cultivated pea is well adapted to temperate climates with fresh winters and enough humidity in spring; it is now widely grown in Eurasia, from the Mediterranean basin to cold regions in northern Europe and Asia.
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Major Producers (modern forms): Currently, important producers of dry and green peas include Canada, Russia, China, India and several European countries, where it is used for human consumption, feed and, increasingly, as raw material for processed vegetable proteins.
Fast sources:
Guindon et al. 2020, "Population genetic structure and classification of cultivated and wild pea (Pisum sp.) based on morphological trains and SSR markers. "
Species & Culture
Use: Food (grown pulse, consumed alone or combined with cereals in potages, dense breads and other preparations, and stored in the form of dry seeds in domestic spaces).
Evidence:
In the 1995 file report, Butler notes that the recovered plant remains include "several species of grain legumes (pulses), mainly pea (Pisum sativum), with lentil (Lens culinaris), a kind of Lathyrus and one Vice sp.; "; also mentions" small deposits of identified seeds in situ "composed of peas, lentils and fruits of Celtis (hackberries) A small 125 ml vegetable remains lens documents a concentration of pulses (pea, lentice, veza, garbanzo) mixed with cereals and acorn fragments, interpreted as a stored food tank or concentrated waste. Subsequent studies of macrorestos have confirmed that "pulses, bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia), lentil (Lens culinaris) and probably pea (Pisum sativum) were cultivated "in Çatalhöyük, being part of the agricultural package along with barley and tribos.
The analysis of carbonised food remains from vessels and cooking surfaces has shown that, in the preparations studied, three pulses —Pisum sativum, Lens culinaris and Vicia ervilia— are regularly combined with cereals (mainly Hordeum vulgare and Triticum spp.), so "these four legumes and cereals were the main ingredients of the food remains of Çatalhöyük." The 1999 and 2013 file reports also document carbonized seeds identified as Pisum sativum and fragments of Pisum sp., from storage and dump spaces ("middens") with high density of plant remains.
For olfactory reconstruction, this evidence indicates that the interior of the houses and certain discarding spaces had to be filled with odors of cooked legumes, flour and mixed masses of cereal-pulse, in which the pea played a recurring role as a protein-rich component.
Fast sources:
Çatalhöyük Archive Report 1995 - Ann Butler, "The Plant Remains, Preliminary Report 1995" (detailed mention of Pisum sativum and peas deposits)
Stop Pisum sativum no existe, en perfumería, un aceite esencial clásico ni un absoluto de uso extendido comparable a los de resinas o flores; sin embargo, se han desarrollado acordes y extractos alimentarios que exploran sus facetas verdes, herbales y ligeramente harinosas. En la industria alimentaria, los extractos y harinas de proteína de guisante se utilizan como ingredientes de sabor “vegetal” o “leguminoso” en productos procesados, y ocasionalmente pueden aportar matices olfativos que inspiran acordes perfumísticos de guisante‑vaina.
- Acordes verdes de guisante (“pea pod accords”): En perfumería, el efecto “vaina de guisante fresca” suele lograrse mediante combinaciones de aldehídos verdes (por ejemplo cis‑3‑hexenal, cis‑3‑hexenol) y moléculas de tipo ionona/verduras verdes, más que a partir de un extracto natural de guisante; estos acordes se emplean para añadir frescor vegetal y notas de huerto.
Main Aromatic Molecules
Perfil olfativo asociado a Pisum (enfoque conceptual)
Los estudios específicos sobre la composición volátil del guisante se sitúan principalmente en el ámbito de la ciencia de alimentos, pero convergen en la importancia de compuestos verdes, herbales y ligeramente terrosos derivados de lípidos y aminoácidos de las semillas y vainas. Entre las familias de moléculas relevantes para recrear el olor de guisantes frescos y cocidos se incluyen:
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Aldehídos de cadena corta y media (por ejemplo hexanal, nonanal), con notas verdes, herbales y grasas propias de vegetales y legumbres recién cortadas.
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Alcoholes “verdes” como cis‑3‑hexen‑1‑ol, responsables de facetas de hoja verde y pasto húmedo, usados en perfumería para acordes de vaina de guisante y vegetales.
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Compuestos azufrados ligeros y pirazinas en productos cocidos o tostados de legumbres, que aportan notas de caldo, nuez y tostado cuando las semillas se someten a cocción prolongada o tostado.
En práctica perfumística, un “acorde Pisum” se construiría combinando estos materiales (especialmente aldehídos y alcoholes verdes) con notas de cereal/almidón suave para evocar tanto la vaina fresca como el guiso de legumbres secas.
Fast sources:
The Good Scents Company – listados de descriptores y moléculas de olor “vegetable, green, legume, cereal”, incluyendo aldehídos C6–C9, alcoholes verdes y pirazinas.
IFRA: sin estándar específico para “pea extract/pea aroma”; se aplica la evaluación general de sensibilización en función de las moléculas volátiles presentes (aldehídos, ácidos, etc.), que en guisante se han caracterizado para aplicaciones alimentarias pero no con restricciones IFRA propias.
UE: el guisante no está en la lista clásica de alérgenos alimentarios mayores en la UE, y la proteína de guisante (incluida la hidrolizada) se considera en general segura en cosmética; se utiliza en muchos productos sin restricciones especiales más allá de la evaluación de seguridad.
Space under construction by collaborators.
The section Technical information and has a general arguative character. It is presented for information purposes to promote responsible knowledge. Because of the risks associated with the incorrect use of botanical extracts, aromatic molecules and the increase in unregulated practices in the production of aromatic products, Myrodia Khartes has chosen not to disclose complete extraction methodologies or specific concentrations that may compromise public safety. Health, ethics and scientific integrity guide our decision to limit the exposure of certain technical data.
- European Commission. (2009). Regulation (EC) No 1223 / 2009 on Cosmetic Products. Official Journal of the European Union, L 342, 59-209.
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IFRA (International Fragrance Association). (2023). IFRA Standards Library: 52nd Amendment.
- The Good Scens Company. (2025). Fragrance Raw Materials Database
