Paper short abstract:

Maize was transplanted from the Americas to 16th Europe lacking fundamental culinary knowledge. This led to the pellagra disease centuries later following maize’s increasing monocultural cultivation. This paper provides a wider panorama on plant transfer and the pitfalls of monoculture agriculture.

Paper long abstract:

In the late 18th century, a scourge of unknown origins struck parts of Southern Europe: the disease soon to be called pellagra. Shortly debates started that linked it to the strong monocultural consumption of maize, particularly in poorer regions of Northern Italy and Spain. The real culprit, deficiency of vitamin B3, would only be discovered in the early 20th century. Yet these discussions among scholars, writers and scientists reveal much about the impact that one American foodstuff could have in Europe, centuries after its first introduction.

In particular, it shows how oftentimes plants would be transplanted starting in the 16th century, but lacking fundamental agricultural knowledge and culinary practices. Maize was and still is of major cultural and spiritual importance to many Mesoamerican indigenous peoples, playing a major role in creation myths. Its preparation includes what the Nahua call nixtamalization, alkali preparation methods that ensured the added nutrition necessary to prevent the aforementioned deficiencies.

This paper first discusses the transposition of maize to Europe, with emphasis on this cultural heritage. In a second step it will focus on debates surrounding maize and pellagra in 19th century Northern Italy to provide a wider panorama on plant transfer and the pitfalls of monoculture agriculture; as well as on their implications for ecology and politics. Political measures, including a focus on a more varied diet for poorer people, helped eradicate pellagra in Italy by the 1920s. This story has particular resonance in our time, when the oftentimes disastrous health impact of industrial agriculture on humans and non-humans alike is becoming ever more evident.