This book reviews the authenticity of certain Street Food specialties
from the viewpoint of food chemists. At present, the food market clearly
shows the predominance of fast-food operators in many Western countries.
However, the concomitant presence of the traditional lifestyle model
known as the Mediterranean Diet in Europe has also been increasingly
adopted in many countries, in some cases with unforeseen effects such as
offering Mediterranean-like foods for out-of-home consumption. This
commercial strategy also includes the so-called Street Food, which is
marketed as a variation on Mediterranean foods. One of the best known
versions of Street Food products can be found in Sicily, Italy, and
particularly in its largest city, Palermo. Because of certain
authenticity issues, the Italian National Council of Research Chemists
has issued four procedural guidelines for various Palermo specialties
with the aim of attaining the traditional specialty guaranteed status in
accordance with European Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. The first chapter
of the book provides a brief introduction to the general concept of
Street Foods. The remaining four chapters describe four food
specialties - Arancina, Sfincionello, Pane ca meusa, and Pane e
panelle - typically produced in Palermo, with particular reference to
their chemical composition, identification of raw materials from a
chemical viewpoint, permissible cooking and preparation procedures (with
chemical explanations), preservation, and storage. The book offers a
unique guide to Street Food authenticity, and can also serve as a
reference work for other traditional/historical products.
