Extending indigenous knowledge to unveil the evolutionary journey of food preferences and socio-cultural phenomena

Abstract

Food acceptance is substantially influenced by eating behavior and society norms in relation to preferences, lifestyles, and socio-cultural practices. Food innovation communities need to comprehend the impact of changing trends in eating behavior as a driving force. Meanwhile, many studies indicate that indigenous knowledge plays an important role in uncovering various social phenomena and interpreting local holistic views, cultural ecology, and behavior. However, it is not easy to employ this knowledge due to its fragmented form. This study aims to exhibit a systematic process for investigating scattered indigenous food knowledge and revealing the evolution of socio-cultural movement and food preferences. Initially, ontology-based indigenous food knowledge was structured for this study using the qualitative method, with data subsequently gathered from cookbooks and cremation festschrifts using the quantitative method to construct a knowledge-based system. A total of 2486 recipes recorded in cookbooks dating back to 1782 were retrospectively considered; the findings of which revealed the evolutionary journey of food preferences and its cultural culinary impact.

Keywords: Decoding; Eating behavior; Evolution; Indigenous knowledge; Thai Food; Traditional knowledge.