Abstract
The paper looks into the intersection of food and cultural eating habits, sustainability, the Indian diaspora in the United States, and its relation to globalization. The Indian diaspora makes up over 5% of the American population, making it the country’s second largest immigrant group. Despite adaptations to local taste and an upsurge in transnational Indian cuisine, a focus on cultural identity, rituals and social eating demands an increased reliance on imported ingredients, adoption of processed foods and a subsequent increase in food miles. This raises some important questions about the sustainability of food systems within diasporic communities due to their dependency on global food supply chains. The paper looks at how the Indian diaspora negotiates the challenges of sourcing culturally significant foods, balancing the use of local produce with the importation of specialty ingredients. It also reviews the environmental implications of such food choices in terms of measurable carbon footprint related to food imports and the sustainability of maintaining culturally specific diets in a foreign context. Through this, the paper considers the larger implications of such cultural eating practices in a globalized world. Eventually, the research should underscore the need to go more towards sustainable and locally sourced solutions in diaspora communities while still preserving cultural food heritage.
Presenters
Tanushree KulkarniAdvisor, Marketing & Communications, ALMA School for Italian Culinary Arts, Tennessee, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Food Production and Sustainability
KEYWORDS
Cultural Eating Habits, Diasporic Communities, Sustainability, Environmental Impact, Cultural Identity
