ROMANIAN TRADITIONAL FOOD HERITAGE IN THE CONTEXT OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT

In the space of traditional food more than in any other domain, each community has historically accumulated layers of popular knowledge, resulted from the interaction with the environment and the living conditions, many of them with a proven scientific foundation. All this heritage should be exploited, being in no contrast with the idea of progress but, on the contrary, including it. Food culture may constitute a relevant factor in the process of sustainable development, providing feasible economic models based on the resources of traditional food knowledge. In this context, the sector of traditional food culture may be a relevant tool for economic growth in a global economy based on services and the monetization of the rights of intellectual property. The traditional food patrimony is also a relevant tool in social cohesion and a social and community development factor, contributing to the elimination of tensions and social exclusion. It represents the expression of (individual, group, regional, national etc.) identity and, equally, of diversity and difference, essential values and fundamental rights. Promoting and preserving the traditional cultural food patrimony of a rural type represents an important way of regeneration and revitalization of urban cultural food.