Local Food Culture Research Articles

Ethnobotany study on wild edible plants used by the Tujia ethnic group in Laifeng, southwest Hubei, China.

Wild edible plants hold a significant position in the lives of local residents, serving as a primary food source or supplement. Laifeng County, located in the hinterland of the central mountainous area of China, boasts abundant wild edible plant resources. The Tujia people, residing here for generations, have accumulated a wealth of traditional knowledge in the long-term practice of utilizing wild edible plants. The aim of this study is to document and organize the traditional utilization of wild edible plants by the Tujia ethnic group in Laifeng. An ethnobotanical investigation, comprising semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews, and participatory observations, was conducted in 26 traditional villages in Laifeng County from May 2023 to June 2024. A total of 252 informants were interviewed, from whom information about wild edible plants, including edible parts, food categories, consumption modes, and multiple uses was collected. The relative frequency of citation (RFC) and the cultural food significance index (CFSI) were calculated to identify the cultural importance of wild edible plants. A total of 163 species of wild edible plants consumed by the Tujia people in Laifeng, belonging to 64 families and 118 genera and related traditional knowledge were collected, including vegetables (78), fruits (52), wine-soaking plants (12), spices (11), food substitutes (9), tea substitutes (6), nuts (5), coagulants (2), and oil (1). The most frequently used families were Rosaceae, Asteraceae, and Poaceae, with 23, 10, and 10 species, respectively. The most commonly utilized plant parts were fruits, leaves, and stems. RFC and CFSI analyses identified 14 species of wild edible plants with high cultural importance in the local diet, such as Allium macrostemon, Houttuynia cordata, and Hovenia acerba. The Tujia ethnic group in Laifeng demonstrates extensive knowledge in their traditional usage of wild edible plants, offering unique and robust insights into the harvesting, processing, and consumption of these resources. Over time, this practice has become an integral part of the local food culture. These findings contribute to the preservation of the Tujia culture of wild edible plants in Laifeng and the conservation and development of wild edible plant resources.

Effectiveness of nutrition interventions targeting university-level student populations across the League of Arab States: a systematic scoping review.

The university setting is an ideal setting to implement nutrition education interventions. Because the transition to college life often overlaps with young adults' increase in independence in food choice and nutrition related behavior, this is an optimal time to target this population and several models exist to best utilize the college setting to support nutrition education interventions. This review aimed to examine the effectiveness of nutrition interventions in university student populations across the League of Arab States. A scoping review following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines was conducted across 14 databases for relevant publications published through May 2023 to find studies conducted across Arab countries. Quality assessment was conducted using the Effective Public Health Practice Project tool. Seven primary studies were included in this review. Although the interventions and outcome measures were disparate, there were positive impacts of the interventions, including improved nutrition knowledge and nutrition habits, knowledge of nutrient sources, and knowledge about the relationship between diet and disease. Recommendations to maximize the efficacy of nutrition interventions conducted across the League of Arab States include purposeful design of the intervention based on a theoretical framework, the use of a control group in the research design, and follow-up measures to examine post-intervention effects. Consideration should also be given to intervention duration and availability in college-students' schedules. Adaptation of intervention materials, measures and delivery methodologies should emphasize local foods, food culture and dietary practices.

Agriculture and Tourism: A Historical Perspective on Food Security Strategies in Rural Development

This article examines the historical relationship between agriculture and tourism and its implications for food security strategies in rural development. Food security is one of the foundational pillars for sustainable rural livelihoods. Integrating agriculture and tourism has enhanced resilience and food security in rural development. This study reviews the historical case studies of agriculture and tourism across various regions to trace the evolution of agriculture and tourism and their mutually dependent relationship, as well as the local food culture playing an essential role in a journey to attract visitors and to enhance local economy and employment. Results indicate that practical cooperation between these two sectors can result in resilient food security, heightening community identity, and strengthening environmental awareness. This article also studies rural areas' challenges and the opportunities for integrating agriculture and tourism to improve food security. Ultimately, it emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach incorporating historical insights, community engagement, and innovative strategies.

Effect of Culinary Tourism on Local Economic Development in South Africa

Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the effect of culinary tourism on local economic development in South Africa. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: The study revealed this form of tourism, centered around experiencing local cuisine and food-related activities, contributes to the economic vitality of a region by attracting visitors who spend on dining, food tours, cooking classes, and local food markets. These expenditures generate revenue for local businesses, including restaurants, farmers, food producers, and hospitality services, thereby creating job opportunities and stimulating economic growth. Additionally, culinary tourism fosters the preservation and promotion of local food culture and heritage, which can enhance a destination's unique appeal and competitiveness. This tourism niche often leads to increased demand for local ingredients, thereby supporting agricultural sectors and encouraging sustainable farming practices. Furthermore, the development of food festivals and culinary events can boost off-season tourism, providing a steadier stream of income for local economies. Overall, culinary tourism not only enhances the economic landscape but also reinforces community identity and pride, making it a valuable component of regional development strategies. Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Social exchange theory, multiplier effect theory and sustainable tourism development theory may be used to anchor future studies on assessing the effect of culinary tourism on local economic development in South Africa. To mitigate local governments, businesses, and community organizations should work together to create cohesive culinary tourism strategies. Policymakers should create frameworks that encourage sustainable culinary tourism practices.

Exploring Post-Experience Evaluation of Gastronomy Tourism Experiences Through Airbnb

ABSTRACT This research delves into factors impacting the post-evaluation of Airbnb gastronomic experiences based on expectation disconfirmation theory. Utilizing big data techniques, including topic modeling, sentiment analysis, image analysis, and conventional OLS regression methods, the study scrutinized 196,265 online reviews and 1,331 images from Airbnb Experiences Website. The findings reveal that review sentiments, image vibrancy, host credibility, and the count of reviews play pivotal roles in determining gastronomy experience ratings. Furthermore, Using Latent Dirichlet Allocation, the reviews revealed six main topics in order of importance: food city tours, social interactions, host, local food culture, beverage appreciation, and hands-on learning. These results illuminate the primary considerations of gastronomy tourists, providing guidance for hosts to better design their experiences and offering insights for other stakeholders in this sector.

A participatory approach for sustainable local food development: Evidence and digital perspectives from a rural area in Italy

The main objective of the study is to discuss the application of a participatory approach that involves the community of a small rural area in Italy to develop and maintain a sustainable local food system based on a very ancient and high-quality typical local bean. The efficacy of the approach in terms of the active involvement of local actors (farming communities, local administration, social associations, and civil society) and knowledge transfer for preserving the local food culture has been demonstrated. Possible improvements to the approach through digital technologies for stimulating the effective engagement of teenagers have also been discussed.

Mexican indigenous schoolchildren’s healthy eating knowledge

ABSTRACT Nutrition education in school settings is effective in addressing poor nutrition. Mexican indigenous people are the most vulnerable population with the highest prevalence of malnutrition in the country. The objective was to analyze the healthy eating knowledge of indigenous schoolchildren in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. One hundred eighty-two schoolchildren participated and answered two questions about healthy eating. Answers were analyzed by content analysis; Pearson correlations and redundancy analysis were performed. Indigenous children have basic knowledge about healthy eating and receive food knowledge in school education. Healthy eating knowledge depends on school grade, developmental stage, and gender. The drawings of the first-grade group correspond to the pre-operational phase, showing a deficiency in cognitive development. Children do not relate healthy eating to the traditional foods of their community. We suggest creating food guides adapted to the local food culture that generates food appropriation and food identity in indigenous children.

TOURISTS’ ATTITUDE TOWARDS DESTINATION FOOD IMAGE DETERMINANTS

The aim of this research article is to analyze the various dimensions which impact the destination food image in the state of Odisha, India. The framework of the study espoused five independent variables – attitude, social media, local food experience, food culture and advertisement and the dependent variable – destination food image, which studied the associations between them. A sample of 270 respondents were obtained via convenient sampling method. The study applied descriptive statistics, factor analysis, correlation analysis and regression analysis to run the data by using SPSS 23.0 and to examine the relationships between the constructs. It was found that all the dimensions had a positive and significant impact on destination food image. Practical implications in food tourism, destination image & food image are discussed. Recognising the value of regional delicacies and their market would help the hospitality and tourism sector. The study's conclusions are thought to be helpful to marketers who see that travellers are becoming pickier and more demanding in their quest for distinctive experiences provided by travel locations.

Local Food Culture Festival Management Model in Papua

This research is a continuation of research and service as well as articles presented in international seminars and Bapenas FGDs. Research, PkM, International Seminars and FGDs from BAPENAS that have been carried out provide an illustration that Papua has great potential in local food, especially those made from sago. This is supported by the availability of sago forests and people who are starting to understand the preservation of sago forests and people who are creative in processing sago food in various preparations. However, the community has not yet found the right form to promote local food well and have a big impact. Conditions like this provide an opportunity for the government and academics to play a role in formulating the right strategy and realizing it in a major activity that can be known by many people nationally and internationally. One of the activities that can support the condition of people who are in this position is the government implementing a Local Food Culture Festival which is held on a scheduled schedule every year. This research aims to create a management model for local food culture festivals which is carried out in 2 (two) stages, namely Phase I (2023) sharing knowledge of the research team with festival management experts at UNY as well as concocting a suitable or appropriate form for festival management in Merauke Regency, as well as Benchmarking at several Cultural Festivals organized by the Yogyakarta Special Region Government (DIY) in September 2023, and Phase II (2024) the research team will carry out education and FGDs for 3 days for the Tourism and Culture Offices of Merauke Regency and South Papua Province as well as the candidates festival participants from the local food business community. The results of this research found that organizing a festival requires high synergy from the organizing team itself and from the government and sponsors. The most important thing is that it is necessary to carry out a survey or initial analysis of the festival theme which can describe the vision of the activities, potential and targets to be achieved by the festival. The budget and activity plan must be determined well in advance so that it can be included in the annual expenditure of sponsors or local governments. The selection of the organizing team must also be a professional team or a combination of a professional team and the sponsor, so that the implementation can go according to plan. Apart from that, the community must also be involved or empowered to participate. What is different about festivals held in the Papua region is the very dominant role of local communities involved in helping to improve the economy of the local population and promoting existing Papuan culture, apart from that there is still a lack of third parties who are willing to sponsor festival activities in Papua, especially Papuan cultural and local food festival.

The Thai Chinese-Malaysian Bonding Story of Baba Nyonya’s Cuisine in Phuket to Contemporary Jewelry

As a researcher who was born and raised in the culture of the Phuket Baba clan and is familiar with traditional Phuket local food, I understand how the past and present interweave seamlessly and harmoniously. I, therefore, would like to present the identity of Phuket’s local gastronomy or Pun Teh cuisine through contemporary jewelry design with the purpose 1. To design contemporary jewelry that can be applied to create a commercial prototype from studying the history, significance, meaning, and beliefs of Phuket local food. 2. To search for substitute materials from raw materials used in cooking Phuket local cuisine with a production process that is friendly to the environment to substitute the use of consumables in the jewelry industry. 3. To design jewelry through Phuket local food cultural capital that can be used as a commercial prototype in the future. This research uses a mixed research approach consisting of quantitative research at the beginning and qualitative research with surveys primary and secondary data collections. The research utilizes the principle of cultural capital management for local food in Phuket, analysis, and experimental materials as a research framework. Research Area is the old town area known as Thalang Road in Phuket Province. The research model focuses on studying the history and significance of Phuket local food culture, raw materials for food preparation, meaning, beliefs, Nyonya wares, Siannah, and Toei Panan woven baskets. The study found that Phuket local foods that are in line with the objectives of the jewelry design include crispy sticky rice, Hokkien noodle, O-aew or Aiyu, Moo Hong, and Tumi curry, by interpreting the identity of Phuket local food through the processing of raw materials used in food

Biodiversity or ultra-processed food: an analysis of school meals offered in a riverside school in the Brazilian Amazon

BackgroundRural schools in Amazonas, Brazil, often offer ultra-processed foods in school meals for students, which can lead to health problems and loss of regional food culture. We show an analysis of the menu offered in a riverside school in the Brazilian Amazon and the acceptability of students regarding the consumption of the food they are served with. MethodsData were collected in situ, in a riverside school in southern Amazonas, through the analysis of the school menu and the application of an investigative questionnaire to 37 students in the 9th grade of Junior High School. FindingsThe research revealed that the foods most consumed by students in school meals are canned beef, canned meatballs, canned sardines, sausage, biscuits, juice, rice porridge, corn porridge, pasta, meat soup, and rice with beans. In the questionnaire that was applied to students, there is a wide variation in the acceptability of the foods offered. However, 57% of students reported not liking the lunch offered at the educational institution. InterpretationTo tackle this problem, it is essential that, local food culture and biodiversity food can be more valued, elements that are often excluded from school menus. This work showed that is also essential to fully adhere to the National School Meal Program (PNAE) in Brazil, which recommends that at least 30% of food intended for school meals must come from family farming, highlighting that quality food is crucial for cognitive development of students. Therefore, the meals offered in the chosen riverside school not only do not meet the PNAE guidelines but are also not well accepted by students. This study shows a significant need to consider the direct relationship between planetary health, school meals food security, and food sovereignty, given the various negative effects of foods that are rich in fat, sodium, preservatives, and other substances. Furthermore, it is imperative to integrate food into the students' context, valuing regional products from the Amazon region. FundingFAPEAM (Amazonas State Research Foundation).

PERCEPTION OF FACULTY OF TOURISM AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT STUDENTS ON SLOW FOOD CONCEPT

The Slow Food movement, originated in Italy in 1989, is a movement that defines a respectful attitude towards food. It includes the protection of local food, food culture and traditions. The movement advocates the cultivation of food that is carefully prepared and consumed with pleasure. It encourages the improvement of relations between producers of ecologically produced food, cooks and consumers. Slow Food represents resistance to fast food and modern fast consumption, which has led to the abandonment of local gastronomic traditions and a decrease in people's interest in authentic food.The aim of this paper was to investigate the attitudes of students of the Faculty of tourism and rural development in Požega about Slow Food. Using the online survey method, the research has been conducted on a sample of 38 students of Enogastronomy and Tourism. The results of the research showed that theSlow Foodconcept is not recognizable among students because only 30% have heard about it. Enjoying the food they consume is extremely important for almost all students. Half of the respondents had heard of Slow Food, while only a quarter declared that they had consumed food presented as Slow Food. According to the respondents, Slow Food is best described by the attributes "natural", "ecological", "healthy", "conscious food consumption" and "enjoying eating". KEYWORDS:Slow Food, student, organic food, perception, consumption

Online Content Analysis Focusing on Local Ingredients and Food Culture: A Study of Selected Food Festival Websites

The rising popularity of food tourism is fueled by a growing interest in destination-specific culinary experiences, with food festivals playing a crucial role in this trend. This article conducts a qualitative online content analysis of European and North American food festival websites to explore how these events promote local ingredients and preserve food culture through communication. The analysis reveals an increasing commitment by these festivals to showcase local food and traditions, supporting local producers and service providers. Additionally, the study categorizes food festivals based on their online representation’s connection to local ingredients and food culture. Its significance lies in contributing to the understanding of communication patterns of local food culture, offering insights to support festival organizers in fostering local economies and communities.

Opportunities for Interdisciplinary Research on School Catering

AbstractIn Hungary, about half of the 3–18 age group has regularly used school food service. This paper focuses on the operation and social embeddedness of school canteens and the at-home eating habits of the families involved. My conclusions are based on the findings of my interdisciplinary research group. Ethnographers from the RCH Institute of Ethnology and dietitians from the National Institute of Pharmacy and Nutrition have been studying school food from 2018 to 2023. We selected a few model settlements: in addition to the capital, Budapest, three smaller towns, and two villages. Through questionnaires, interviews, and fieldwork observations, we investigated cooking, serving, meal courses, meal time, eating habits, preferences, as well as the nutritional knowledge of students, teachers, kitchen staff, and parents. Our goal, among other things, is to collect best practices and facilitate communication between participants. Some examples from our research highlight the special role of the centrally regulated school food in local food culture, and difficulties with social and historical roots can occasionally hamper school lunches in becoming a socially accepted model of a healthy diet. The school canteen works best at sites where cooking takes place within the school premises. There is a strong connection between the kitchen staff and the teachers, and they work together in the interest of the children. The value of food and its appreciation is demonstrated by how it is treated and how it is talked about. Communication about food in the canteen should be based on food preparation at home, where parents and children work together. The operation of canteens has become particularly problematic following the measures introduced during the coronavirus pandemic. A sustainable, enjoyable canteen can only be realized through the regular communication of schools and school kitchens, as well as children and their parents. Our findings are presented to our respondents, along with providing them with a comparison of different examples.

Food miles on the shelves: the share of local food products in the Hungarian retail sector

Share of national food products in retail is a frequent subject of policy debates. Local food is often associated with national security, sustainability, and support of local economy, contributing to value-added production, employment, rural development, and preservation of local food culture. Despite its importance, relevant academic literature about the proportion of national food in retail is basically non-existent. This paper presents a unique study that fills this gap and gives an account of the proportion of the main national food products in the Hungarian retail sector. The study presents a comprehensive picture of the food supply situation of the 10 largest retail chains in Hungary in the second half of 2020 for 16 key product categories (representing 67% of total food sales in value in the country), based on the experience of research that covered the physical examination of nearly 40 thousand individual food products. The study found that 70.85% of the analysed food products were supplied by domestic companies. Proportion of national products was higher for fresh food (meat, milk, perishable meat and milk products, eggs, fruits, and vegetables) and honey, while imports were dominant in higher value-added categories. Domestic chains had 15.37% points more local products in stock than international ones. The exact results can be used for benchmarking between companies and sectors, indicating comparative advantages and disadvantages, and provide solid basis for economic development plans.

Social-Cultural Relationship with Stunting Incidence in Children Aged 24-59 Months

Stunting is a chronic condition of poor linear growth in children. The prevalence of stunting in Indonesia in 2018 reached 30.8%. With the complexity of the causes of stunting, one of the efforts being campaigned by the government is using local food. This study aimed to determine and analyze the influence of local food culture on preventing and overcoming stunting in toddlers (6-59 months) in Indonesia. The method used in this study is a systematic review based on the PRISMA guidelines. The results of this study show that a review of the seven selected journals shows that local food culture influences improving the nutritional status of toddlers, especially during the stunting prevention phase. Whereas in the prevention phase, local food culture by utilizing processed food forms has not improved the nutritional status of toddlers already suffering from stunting. Local food for toddlers who suffer from stunting must be accompanied by other supplements to have a significant effect. Food and eating in the community have cultural and social values, so the utilization of local food culture for toddler food will be easily accepted, easy to obtain, and affordable, significantly influencing stunting prevention in the regions. This research has implications for the importance of remembering that the results of this research can make a valuable contribution to the health and development of children in Indonesia and inspire concrete action to prevent funds from overcoming stunting.

Do Consumers Adhere to a Sustainable Mediterranean Food Pattern? An Analysis of Southern Italian Consumer Practices

The Mediterranean diet (MD) concept has evolved in recent decades, moving from the perception of a healthy diet model to the awareness that it is also a sustainable food model. This dietary model, in fact, brings benefits in terms of nutrition, health, and maintenance of local traditions and food culture, but it also has a better impact in terms of the emission of greenhouse gasses, water and land use, energy consumption, and environment contamination. The aim of this study is to analyze the knowledge of and the adherence to the Mediterranean diet in a sample of adults in southern Italy during 2022, as well as their orientation towards the social dimension of sustainability (in terms of human health and animal welfare) and towards environmental sustainability. To collect information, a questionnaire was prepared for a population of 570 Italian consumers. Using the data from the questionnaires, a multivariate analysis was developed by performing a principal component analysis and a cluster analysis. The results of the empirical analysis proposed by the present study confirm the fact that the analyzed sample lacks adequate knowledge of the MD and, as a result, does not satisfactorily adhere to a healthier lifestyle marked by the criteria of this diet. Most of the clusters derived from the empirical analysis demonstrate low-to-moderate adherence to the MD. There is a need to generate renewed interest in the general population in a sustainable dietary pattern that provides nutritional, environmental, and social benefits. This requires effective health promotion and national interventions to promote the health benefits of the MD.

京都市鞍馬における住民のサンショウの採集利用と継続要因

Local people living in Kurama, located in the northern part of Kyoto City, collect Japanese pepper (Zanthoxylum piperitum) from the surroundings and eat them as preserved food. This relationship is still sustained, even with the decrease of other natural resources use. In this research, we conducted field work and an interview survey to clarify the collecting and utilizing activities, and how the relationship between the locals and Japanese pepper has been sustained. What we found was that residents make use of wild Japanese pepper and keep the area suitable for collection by transplanting the sprouts and cutting the grass. The problems of an aging society and the decreasing presence of wild Japanese pepper has fostered the change of the collection site location from mountain to residential areas. After collecting Japanese pepper, residents usually make Tsukudani, with each family having their own recipe. Through these activities, the locals not only enjoy the seasonal flavors of the area but can also realize several values including communication tools or local food culture. Thus, we can say that within the Kurama area, Japanese pepper is utilized in the form of semi-domestication and that the values which residents prioritize help to maintain this relationship.

관광 특산물의 선택속성이 관광상품 개발 필요성과 지역 이미지 및 제품 만족에 미치는 영향

The purpose of In order to examine the effect of the perception of the need to develop tourism products using the attributes of local tourism products on the local image, this study attempted to analyze the relationship between the perception of the need to develop tourism products using the attributes of local tourism products. The investigation period was conducted for 30 days from August 1, 2022 to September 1, 2022. The analysis method was based on demographic characteristics, factor analysis, reliability analysis, and multiple regression analysis using statistics from SPSS 21.0, and based on the verification results, tourists these days tend to select various products based on local image, tourism characteristics, tradition, history, and food culture. Using the attributes of these local specialties, it is necessary to improve the level of new quality products with tradition and history, which are characteristics of the region, and to ensure that many sales are made at the same time in the brand.

Test Instrument Based on Critical Thinking Skills Integrated Javanese Cultural Tradition in Islamic Context

The purpose of this study was to describe the theoretical and empirical feasibility of a test instrument based on integrated critical thinking skills of Javanese local food culture in the Islamic context. This research is a development research with the ADDIE development model. This type of research is descriptive to get the quality of instruments that are valid and reliable theoretically and empirically as a measuring tool for students' critical thinking skills. Data collection uses validation instruments to analyze products carried out by expert validators as data on theoretical validity and reliability. Limited trial data were analyze using the Rasch model as empirical validity and reliability data. The results of the study stated that all the items developed as test instrument products belonged to the theoretically and empirically valid and reliable categories. This result implies that the integrated test instrument for the meaning of Javanese culture in the Islamic context can be used in learning activities to measure students' critical thinking skills.