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.

Serves as a reference work for other traditional products seeking to attain recognition as 'traditional specialties' in accordance with the European regulation Provides readers with a better understanding of food authenticity and quality issues Analyses the chemical composition of some traditional Italian street foods Provides an overview of street food culture in Europe

Autorentext

Michele Barone is an experienced consultant working in the field of food science and technology. His work focuses mainly on food packaging and correlated failures and on selected food products with a dedicated tradition (for instance, the Mediterranean Diet). More recently, he has written about food traceability systems for European cheese products. Michele currently works at the Association 'Componiamo il Futuro' (CO.I.F.) in Palermo, Italy (sector: professional training). He has recently published 'Dietary Patterns, Food Chemistry and Human Health' and 'Quality Systems in the Food Industry' in the series SpringerBriefs in Chemistry of Foods. Rita Tulumello, a biologist with a degree in Industrial and Food Biotechnologies from the University of Palermo, Italy, chiefly works on chemical and microbiological analyses related to food and industrial (non-food) areas. Her past experience concerns the evaluation of microbiological and chemical profiles related to various food products, including cow milk cheeses and environmental samples. In this regard, she has co-authored articles on food chemistry that focus on the estimation of antioxidant properties ascribed to several polyphenols in vegetable tissues and their potential use in meat preparations.

Inhalt
The Street Food Culture in Europe.- The Authentic Arancina.- The Authentic Sfincionello.- The Authentic Pane ca Meusa and Pane e Panelle.- The Authentic Pane e Panelle.