Food heritage

Food heritage is a term that encompasses the origins of plants and animals and their dispersal, the sites where people first cultivated plants and domesticated animals, as well as the earliest locations around the world where people first processed, prepared, sold and ate foods. These locations include farms, all types of mill, dairies, orchards, vineyards, breweries, restaurants and cafes, markets and groceries, hotels and inns. Food museums help to preserve global and local food heritage. Agropolis Museum in Montpellier, France is an example of a Food museum.

Building on the role of food museums in preserving culinary heritage, it's worth noting that tourism plays a significant role in enhancing food culture and heritage as well. According to a study published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, "Tourist interest in different food cultures is a factor for local development in the fields of agro-food and crafts, whilst also contributing to the enhancement of food culture and heritage." This highlights the symbiotic relationship between food heritage and tourism, where the latter not only serves as a platform for cultural exchange but also as a catalyst for local economic development. Eating local cuisine becomes a transformative experience for tourists, taking them into unknown culinary realms and thereby enriching both the visitor and the host community