A study highlights the historical relevance of marine products in the Mediterranean

Through the analysis of publications and records from ancient times to the present, the URJC and UCA researchers have concluded, among other things, that the consumption of seafood has been an indicator of social status.

Raul Garcia Hemonnet

The teacher and researcher at the URJC (Unesco Chair in Communication Research), Yanet Acosta is the author, together with José Lucas Pérez-Lloréns and Fernando G.Brun, both researchers at the University of Cádiz (UCA), of the article 'Seafood in Mediterranean countries: A culinary journey through history', published in the 'International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science'. A work in which they have analyzed the importance of marine food products in Mediterranean countries throughout history.

The objective, explains Yanet Acosta, “was to review everything published on the subject and obtain a series of conclusions based on how it had been collected in the gastronomic literature and in scientific articles. We work from ancient documents to current documents looking for references to marine products”.

To carry out their study, the researchers have delved into sources such as 'The Yale Tablets', 'The Scholars' Banquet' or 'El Liber de Arte Coquinaria', among many others. After this analysis, Acosta explains, “we identified some patterns: for example, the fact that marine products have been used as indicators of social status, from ancient times to the present day. We have found references to sea products in cookbooks made for nobles and important personalities”. Likewise, the researcher points out, "we have detected an importance of marine products as a source of survival for coastal populations in times of famine."

The relevance of these products is explained in the article, it has to do with the nuances of flavors found in foods from the sea. There is a study, indicates the FCCOM professor, "that indicates that the nuances of flavors among marine products are much broader than among, for example, meat products."

The article also points out the importance of today's gastronomes knowing the history of food and more specifically that of marine products. In this sense, the research work carried out by Ferrán Adriá stands out, as Yanet Acosta explains, "in the new life of El Bulli, they are working with the 100 most important bibliographical references on gastronomy".

The work is the result of the collaboration of the URJC researcher with scientists from the University of Cádiz, who have been working together for several years on training programs.

Reference: Pérez-Lloréns JL, Acosta Y. and Brun FGSeafood in the Mediterranean countries: A culinary journey through history. International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science