THE ECOLOGICAL DIMENSION OF GASTRONOMIC TOURISM.

RISKS & GLOBAL TRENDS IN THE AGE OF CRISIS

PhD stud. Codrin CHIRU
The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, Romania
E-mail: icchiru@yahoo.com
PhD stud. Stela Georgiana CIUCHETE
The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, Romania
E-mail: georgiana_ciuchete@yahoo.com
Univ. Lecturer Liviu Catalin MORARU
The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, Romania
E-mail: lmoraru@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Lifestyle changes accompanied by the economic crisis caused health, environmental and
alimentary chain disruptions across the world. Regarding gastronomic tourism through its
ecological dimensions (e.g. environmental impact minimization, environmental and cultural
awareness and respect, positive cultural experiences driver for visitors and hosts, financial
benefits enhancer for local communities, environmental and social cohesion builder) this paper
investigates the actual trends in tourism and gastronomy seen through the risks and uncertainties
of the actual economic crisis. The new global nutrition and lifestyle trends have exerted an
increasing pressure on traditional values, including the old dietary patterns. In this context,
traditional gastronomy needs to be re-invented and, through its functional capabilities, has to be
re-launched in order to add value for the final consumers. This study explores the possible links
between sustainable tourism and healthy food in the context of the new economic realities and
aims at finding the right ballance among some of todays dichotomies: local vs. global,
traditionalism vs. fast change and peculiarity vs. standardization.
KEY WORDS
Gastronomic tourism, Multiculturalism, Organic food, Risk management, Global lifestyle,
Romanian cuisine

1. INTRODUCTION
Foodways (defined as the beliefs and behaviours related to food production, distribution
and consumption) have always been perceived as a central pillar in the study of cultural,
social and economic aspects of life. The link between food customs and
environmental/ecological conditions have been emphasised as a principal driver of cultural
and social change worldwide (Mennell, 2000; Bentley, 2004). Nowadays, when the modern
lifestyle augmented by crisis effects started to change consumers daily life and their
dietary behaviour, food patterns have become a real benchmark for life quality and general
welfare. Varied culinary cultures and customs have seldom been linked to gastronomic
tourism activities, being the core of dialectics between the local and the global, between
traditions and standardization.
The culinary tourist/gourmet traveller, once identified as the tourist who was eager to
purchase local food specialities, consume local rare beverages and spend large amounts of
money in high-class restaurants now has become more concerned about the value for
money aspects of his journeys, although remained the same high-educated, variety-seeking
and culturally involved person.
The last developments of international tour operators have generated various culinary
forms of tourism, including: cooking school holidays, visits to local famous restaurants,

food markets visits or local food producers tours to renowned destinations like Provence
(France), Piemont, Sicily, Tuscany, Venice (Italy) or Malaga (Spain). Product related tours
like cheese tasting (France, Italy), chocolate (Belgium and Switzerland), tea (Sri Lanka and
Japan), coffee (Costa Rica, Brazil, Panama and Ethiopia) are mixing the tourists love for
food, travel and learning.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
The food chain includes critical activities like production, transport and distribution that are
high energy consumption processes. Consumers food choices also may have effects on the
environment (Jones, 2002; Lea, 2005). Other issues are coming from agricultural exploitations
that excessively use pesticides or fertilisers while the food transport might increase energy
consumption and gas emissions (Jones, 2002). Recent research (Lock, 2010) showed that
consumers are increasingly concerned about ecological aspects of food, preferring to buy
aliments that use less packaging (perceived as the most important attribute to help the
environment), closely followed by buying eco-food or, if too expensive, locally grown food.
Understanding historical trajectories of old and new social relations is required in order
to manage the processes which either drive or hinder the commoditization of knowledge at
local level in many parts of the world, including Romania. Rural areas have become more
and more a set of traditional signs and symbols which may be attached to particular places,
peoples, products, and lifestyles (Moya Kneafsey, 2008).
Marketing and branding literature proved that a tourist destination becomes more
attractive mainly because of the way it is presented although its touristic attractions have an
important but not decisive weight. Any small progress recorded on touristic plan creates
multiple special positive effects, also from the point of view of the economic, cultural,
educational, social, standard of living, environment and regional identity. In the case of the
traditions marketization, emotional communication has an important role in promoting
ecotourism. A few recent breakthroughs in psychology show that mainly emotions drive
outcomes. It has been concluded that emotion drives reason more than reason drives
emotion. (Dan Hill, 2007)
Eco-tourism, according to the International Ecotourism Society, is defined as a
responsible form of travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the
well-being of local people. Another widely accepted definition is that ecotourism represents
the practice of low-impact, educational, ecologically and culturally sensitive travel that
benefits local communities and host countries (Honey, 1999). Tourism sustainability requires
the simultaneous fulfilment of its environmental, social and economic dimensions and the
mitigation of negative effects. Sustainability concept is also linked to economic success on a
long term balance with the social and ecological needs of tourist destinations. Also, the
touristic mix have become more sensitive to actual consumers complex spiritual needs like a
combination of religious, cultural and recreational activities. (Stanciulescu et al, 2010)
3. ROMANIAN TRADITIONAL HERITAGE IN THE LIGHT OF NEW FOOD
SCIENCES
In Romania, a country with a large rural population (45% of the total, although the
youth migration towards large cities or abroad has significantly increased in the last decade),
the rural side presents very high economic opportunities. It has remained underdeveloped in
terms of GDP (only 12% of the country total) and exports (only 9% of the Romanias total).
Yet, the rural employed population is estimated at about 32% (INSSE, 2010), representing
a huge developing base for ecotourism. The main setback is the quality of life in this area,
which is very low, in general, with only one third of the rural population connected to the
water supply network and only 10% to the sewerage systems. Infrastructure is also a weak

point, only 10% of the rural roads being considered at an adequate level. Also other life
quality factors like education, health, financial systems are well below national average,
encouraging the emigration to urban areas or abroad.
In this context, the opportunities come only from the rich and diverse traditional
heritage. In terms of gastronomy, Romania can be characterized in general as having a
unitary cuisine, but if we analyse the structure of the traditional food in terms of detailed
assortment, the methods of cooking, spices, the combinations of different ingredients, we
find that there are regional peculiarities. Each historical province of Romania has a
particular culinary tradition, which was enriched in terms of assortment, taste and quality
and continuously upgraded. A general characteristic of the Romanian traditional cuisine is
that the same dishes can be found in different parts of the country, but each area has its own
specifics regarding doses of raw materials used, methods of seasoning, cooking and serving.
Adapting the richness of the Romanian traditional cuisine to todays alimentary needs and
consumer trends is a challenging goal, but also a crucial activity. Hence a multidisciplinary
approach needs to be done to thoroughly encompass all the relevant aspects. This part of the
study aimed at investigating the most frequent used vegetal ingredients that are proved to
have bio-active properties. Following the Romanian gastronomic literature review (Roman,
2005) were listed the most frequently used vegetables and aromatic plants in Romania. The
first most used 10 are: onions, garlic, tomatoes, dill, cabbage, potatoes, parsley, thyme, lovage
and horseradish. From the aromatic plants category that have high nutritive value and are also
used in the traditional gastronomy specific to some regions, we identified: basil, tarragon and
sage. Note: this investigation was based on the number of mentions (please see the graph
below). This method might not reveal the total quantity of the plants consumed (e.g. corn is
used mainly for preparation of mamaliga, but because this dish is consumed very frequently
and in large quantities, the total quantity of corn consumed in Romania is higher than the
quantities of other mentioned ingredients). It was considered the number of dishes in which
the vegetal ingredient was used.

(Source: Authors own research)

Figure 1. The most frequently used vegetables and condimentary plants in the
Romanian traditional cuisine.
For methodological reasons, we analysed two categories of condimentary plants, both
having high alimentary value:
1. Condimentary Vegetables that, besides being rich in nutrients and vitamins, have a
pronounced spicy character. This group includes: onion, garlic, horseradish, celery, parsley,

parsnips, cress, leeks, etc. Like spices, they impart flavour and odour producing excitation
of gastric and intestinal secretion and increasing appetite.
2. Aromatic herbs - condimentary plants that include a series of intensive aromatic
herbs, like: basil, sage, tarragon, lovage, dill, savoury, thyme, marjoram and others.
To identify the main functional characteristics, we analysed the bio-active profile of
some of them, which present very high nutritional values (amounts of bio-active
constituents per 100 grams of product). A few key health benefits of the consumption of
bioactive substances identified in the condimentary plants and aromatic herbs used in the
Romanian traditional cuisine are presented in the table below.
Table 1. Key health benefits of the consumption of some of the most frequently
used condimentary plants and aromatic herbs in Romania.
KEY-COMPOUND
(PLANTS THAT HAVE
BENEFITS
HIGH CONCENTRATIONS)
Vitamin A (high amounts
Contributes to adapting night vision
identified in: Basil, Parsley,
Anticancer effect:
Oregano, Thyme, Sage)
- Negative correlations between the amount of betacarotene and evolution of cancer cells in humans;
- The retinoid inhibit the growth of malignant cells;
- Regression of malignant tumours in human skin.
Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid)
- Antioxidant activity against free radicals;
(high amounts identified in:
- An essential element in the collagen synthesis;
Parsley, Thyme, Basil,
- Facilitates the carnitine synthesis in the human
Oregano)
liver;
- Facilitates catecholamines biosynthesis.
B vitamins (high amounts
- Helps to maintain healthy skin and muscle tone;
identified in: Parsley (folate,
- Helps to improve the immune system;
niacin), Basil (folate), Thyme
- Reduces the risk of pancreatic cancer when
(folate, niacin), Horseradish
ingested in food (and not when ingested in tablet
(folate), Sage (folate,
form);
pyridoxine), Oregano (folate,
- Prevents anaemia by regulating the metabolism of
pyridoxine)
the red blood cells;
Vitamin E (-tocopherol)
- Antioxidant effects on lipid levels;
(high amounts identified in
- Membrane lipids stabilization;
Oregano and Thyme)
- Platelets aggregation;
- Haemoglobin synthesis.
- Calcium
(Ca)

bones
stiffening,
Minerals
(high amounts identified in:
neurotransmitter, muscles functionality;
Parsley, Lovage, Thyme, Basil, - Copper (Cu) anti-inflammatory, antiseptic,
Oregano, Horseradish, Onion,
ulcerous, stimulates collagen synthesis;
Garlic)
- Iron (Fe) transport of oxygen in the blood,
detoxifying agent;
- Magnesium (Mg) regulating neuromuscular
transmission;
- Phosphorus (P) role in biological molecules,
bones stiffening;
- Potassium (K) neuron function, osmotic
balance between cells;
- Zinc (Zn) immunity enhancer.
(Source: adaptation after Moreau, P., 1993)

Organic food segment (food grown without pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, antibiotics,
synthetic hormones, genetic engineering or irradiation as defined by the U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA)) have registered a considerable growth in the last decade, being
driven by the modern consumers concern on health issues driven by the dietary disruptions
of the modern lifestyle. Moreover the industrialization of agriculture, brought to the market
aliments reach in a food can claim to be organic if it contains 95% organic ingredients.
Foods with 70 to 95% organic ingredients can claim to be "made with organic ingredients".
(USDA, 2005).
The actual industrialization of the agri-food sector allowed the use of mineral and
organic fertilizers rich in nitrogen, nitrogen pesticides, alimentary preservatives, dyes,
nitrates and nitrites used in meat industry that are a risk factor to human health. In order to
avoid the ingestion of high intakes of contaminants (e.g. nitrates and nitrites) the modern
consumer has to adopt his diet to the most recent scientific evidence regarding food patterns.
(Stroia, Chiru, Costea, 2011) Scientific research (Santamaria, 2006) demonstrated that
vegetables frequently used in the Romanian traditional gastronomy like onions, garlic or
tomatoes contain lower quantities of nitrate compounds. Moreover the other base
ingredients being grown mainly by local farmers are judgmentally close to organic
ingredients. Therefore we assert that, at least in some cases, the Romanian traditional
gastronomy have not only bio-active/functional but also organic-like characteristics.
Romanian cuisine includes numberless customs, traditions, and culinary dishes from the
intersection of cultural heritages of various nations, with whom Romanian people came into
contact throughout history. A series of gastronomic traditions interfered with those of other
peoples have been modified, absorbed within the Romanian cuisine according to local tastes,
habits and preferences, giving them certain peculiarities which distinguish them from the
original. A few examples: 1) the Ukrainian borsch, originally soured with cabbage brine was
transformed into Romanian ciorba, soured with bor - a natural extract obtained by lactic
fermentation of wheat bran; 2) ciorba was flavoured with lovage, an aromatic plant very specific
across Romania; 3) the Mediterranean savory (Satureia hortensis) was replaced with wild thyme
(Thymus vulgaris), specific for the Romanian spontaneous flora (Stroia, Chiru, 2010). This
cultural permeability assures a universal character of the Romanian culinary heritage (Chiru,
2010), boosting the marketization potential of the Romanian gastronomic products.
4. ECOLOGICAL
TRADITIONAL
GASTRONOMY
&
TOURISM
DESTINATIONS DEVELOPMENT
In order to protect producers and encourage traditional food trade, the European Union
(EU) has created a legal framework of registration of the product names/marks,
geographical origins and traditional production methods. Sometimes food from a particular
region may acquire a reputation that extends beyond their region of origin, and thus might
compete with non-genuine products that can substitute the original product. This may
discourage producers and also mislead consumers.
Therefore, in 1992, by Council Regulation (EEC) no. 2081/92, the EU has created a
system to promote and protect the valuable brands of foods with specific regional /
traditional character, being updated and improved in 2006. According to Regulation (EC)
no. 510/2006 of 20 March 2006 on protection of geographical indications of agricultural
products and food there is a common Community approach for designations of origin and
geographical indications in all Member States. To qualify for protection in all Member
States, the geographical indications and designation of origin of a product previously
recognized in the Member State must be registered at Community level in a special register
of protected designations of origin or geographical indications. The framework dedicated to
the guaranteed traditional specialties is governed by Council Regulation no. 509/2006.

At the EU level there is a tendency to accelerate the process of vertical integration in food the
chain, thus the recording of the origin / region / recipe has become a condition for market success.
Table 2. PDO, PGI and TSG statistics for a few European countries that
represent culinary touristic destinations
COUNTRY
FOOD CATEGORY
PDO PGI TSG TOTAL
Italy
Cheese specialities
34
1
35
Meat specialities
20
10
30
Oils
37
1
38
Fruits, vegetables and cereals
12
45
57
Other categories
12
7
19
Total
115
63
1
179
France
Cheese specialities
41
4
45
Meat specialities
4
49
53
Fruits, vegetables and cereals
11
20
31
Other categories
20
16
36
Total
76
89
0
165
Spain
Cheese specialities
23
1
24
Oils
22
22
Fruits, vegetables and cereals
19
15
34
Other categories
12
27
3
42
Total
76
43
3
122
Portugal
Meat specialities
21
36
57
Fruits, vegetables and cereals
13
9
22
Other categories
28
2
30
Total
62
47
0
109
Greece
Cheese specialities
20
20
Oils
15
4
19
Fruits, vegetables and cereals
13
10
23
Other categories
15
2
17
Total
63
16
0
79
Czech Rep.
Fruits, vegetables and cereals
2
2
Pastry specialities
6
6
Other categories
4
1
5
Total
6
7
0
13
Poland
Cheese specialities
2
1
3
Pastry specialities
2
2
Other categories
3
1
4
Total
2
6
1
9
Hungary
Meat specialities
1
3
4
Fruits, vegetables and cereals
2
1
3
Other categories
1
1
Total
3
5
8
Romania
Other categories
1*
1
(Source: authors work with data from the EC database, link: http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality/door/list.html)

* Topoloveni magiun, registered on 8 April 2011 in the OJ of CE.

The previous table shows that there are many European countries having a significant
number of local and traditional foods specialities. Most of the European regions have
cultural traditions related to specific foods. Undoubtedly, due to specific climatic conditions,
there is a wide variety of products, especially in the Mediterranean countries. In the
Southern Europe, traditional products are of a higher economic significance; countries like
Italy, Spain, Greece or Portugal are leading in the number of foods registered with
protected geographical indications, protected designation of origin and traditional
specialities guaranteed. In addition, these products are part of a traditional diet (e.g. the
Mediterranean diet), which has evolved over the time (Pieniak, Z, et al, 2009).
Judgmentally, there is a direct determination between the number of the registered local
food specialities, traditional heritage and the intensity of the culinary tourism in these areas.
Moreover because of the functional and organic-like character of the Mediterranean
traditional cuisine, it is judgmentally believed that gastronomic tourism could drive the
development of eco-tourism through organic food.
CONCLUSIONS
The traditional gastronomy keeps the food diversity in place in an era of globalization.
Moreover, traditional food, through its functional bio-ingredients and, in some cases, by the
organic or organic-like characteristics, could be capable to address risks and uncertainties
that came-up with the new global nutrition and lifestyle trends.
In terms of economic opportunities, the gastronomic tourism could help local
communities rich in valuable culinary heritage to gain financial benefits and empowerment
and also to build environmental and cultural awareness. Rural areas, very often
disadvantaged in Romania, could be helped through regional development integrated
programs to increase the quality of life, raise the quality of supply services, extend the
sewerage systems, improve the infrastructure, develop education, health and financial
systems in order to be able to provide high quality touristic services.
The recent controversial trends (e.g. agriculture industrialization, proliferation of
biotechnologies) could be addressed through faster knowledge transfer and increased
transparency. The re-invention of traditional customs, affected by the global crisis has to
synergize with the economic growth based on sustainable practices. Gastronomic and
ecological tourism could be two solutions for diminishing barriers and rebuild trust among
stakeholders involved in the food chain.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This article is a result of the project POSDRU/88/1.5./S/55287 Doctoral Programme in
Economics at European Knowledge Standards (DOESEC)". This project is co-funded by
the European Social Fund through the Sectorial Operational Programme for Human
Resources Development 2007-2013, coordinated by The Bucharest Academy of Economic
Studies in partnership with The West University of Timisoara.
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