What makes the food heritage?: An empirical analysis of determinants

Abstract

Unlike other intangible components of culture, food heritage has been the part and parcel of everyday life connecting the people with their culture, tradition, history, and helping in identity and image formation. Hence, the recognition and preservation of food heritage are of prime importance. The purpose is not only to maintain the dishes, products, or processes because of their unique value but also to indentify the determinants/factors responsible for making it. This present study analyzes how food is transformed into heritage, what we call them ultimately “heritage food”. The process of making heritage food is triggered by various determinants/factors solely responsible for it. To fulfill the aim of the study, a sample of 696 respondents has been collected through a self-constructed standardized questionnaire via online mode (Google form). On the basis of nature, association, and significance of studied variables following statistical tools have been used; Path analysis along with PLS-SEM (partial least square-structural equation modelling) for identifying the determinants of food heritage and multiple regression for measuring impacts of food heritage on identity. The study revealed that all the selected determinants (18 nos) of food heritage have significant determinacy power in making food heritage, which has a high impact on identity.