SOME ASPECTS REGARDING THE DIVERSITY OF FOOD CULTURE AND ITS INFLUENCE ON CONSUMERS’ ATTITUDES

Abstract

Our main aim in this paper is to explore how food consumption leads to a deeper understanding of societies, its culture and beliefs. The significance of “diversity” of the food products refers to social, cultural and spatial variability and variety as major characteristics of food globalization.  The great diversity of food and beverage products forms a part of regional or national cultural identity. When it comes to the diversity of food culture, one should take into consideration some of the following important aspects: a). consumption of food, including gastronomic habits, determined by cultural and social conditions as well as by political and historical contexts; b).  food identity markers in terms of ethnic, religious and class identification factors; c). globalization of food, seen as an economic and cultural process; d). highly processed food as against genuine home made food; and the list of enumeration remains open. Depending on locale, multiple food producers may specialize in specific types of food characteristic of a given cultural or ethnic tradition. As a product of globalisation we commonly consumme nowadays some kinds of products like coffee and tea. Food products have played a major part in the social and religious life of human groups, beeing much more than a source of nutrition.