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Tuesday 25 August 2015

Fermented Foods for Food Security and Food Sovereignty in the Balkans: A Case Study of the Gorani People of Northeastern Albania

Journal of Ethnobiology 34(1):28-43. 2014
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.2993/0278-0771-34.1.28
Fermented Foods for Food Security and Food Sovereignty in the Balkans: A Case Study of the Gorani People of Northeastern Albania
No Access
Cassandra L. Quave 1, 2 and Andrea Pieroni 3
  Corresponding author. Department of Dermatology, Emory University School of Medicine, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, CNR Bldg. Room #5000, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA ( )
  Center for the Study of Human Health, Emory College of Arts and Sciences, 550 Asbury Circle, Candler Library 107, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
 University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele 9, 12060 Bra/Pollenzo, Italy ( )

Abstract

Traditional foodways are critical not only to food sovereignty in emerging and developing countries, but also to food security, eco-touristic development, small-scale food specialty markets, and local health strategies. We explore traditional knowledge concerning the fermentation of local plants (ethnozymology) for the production of medicinal and folk-functional foods perceived to have general health benefits. Field research was conducted in two Gorani communities in the mountains of NE Albania, located near the Kosovar border. Interviews were conducted with 44 study participants, and the fermentation of 15 plants for health purposes concerning disease prevention and health promotion was recorded. We discuss the role of fermentation in the production of local foods for health and its connections to community vitality and food security generally.

Resumen

Tradicionalni načini ishrane su ključni ne samo za suverenost hrane u novostvorenim i nerazvijenim zemljama, nego i za bezbednost hrane, eko-turistički razvoj, mala specijalzovana tržišta hrane, kao i lokalne strategije zaštite zdravlja, takodje. Mi smo ispitivali tradicionalno znanje o fermentaciji lokalnih biljaka koje se koriste u proizvodnji funkcionalne hrane i hrane sa lekovitim svojstvima za koju se smatra da može da ima uticaj na poboljšanje opšteg zdravstvenog stanja. Istraživanja na terenu su sprovedena na dve zajednice Goranaca planinskih područja u severoistočnoj Albaniji, blizu granice sa Kosovom. Intervjui su obavljeni na 44 ispitanika i obuhvatili su studije fermentacije kod 15 biljnih vrsta u vezi sa njihovim uticajem na sprečavanje bolesti i blagotvornim dejstvom na zdravlje ljudi. Mi smo razmatrali ulogu njihove fermentacije u proizvodnji lokalne hrane radi zdravstvene dobrobiti ljudi, kao i njihove veze sa vitalnošću lokalne zajednice i opštom bezbednošću hrane.
Keywords: lactic acid fermentation, functional foods, probiotics, Balkans, ethnobotany, ethnozymology

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