Valorization of Foods: From Tradition to Innovation

In western countries, modern consumers hold dual attitudes about food: on one hand, they have a genuine interest in food innovation, and on the other hand, they have a growing mistrust of industrial foods produced with cutting-edge technologies, which goes hand in hand with a desire to return to traditional food. Nevertheless, typical and traditional foods constitute a starting point for innovation and represent a legacy of inestimable value that must be preserved. Among traditional foods, those produced through fermentation processes represent the core of the human daily diet. In addition to these traditional foods, novel foods are emerging, including edible insects that are expected to attract a growing number of western consumers in the near future. Whether produced with innovative or traditional technologies, the full characterization of foods, including the compositional, microbiological, technological and marketing aspects, is a key element for either their valorization or their quality assurance.