Sustaining the Authenticity of Malaysian Food Heritage: Towards Malay Local Food

Type: Conceptual paperAuthor(s): Humairah HamzahInstitution(s): School of Graduate Studies, Universiti Putra MalaysiaTelephone: (603) 8946 4225 or +0162151996Fax: (603) 8946 4232Email address: irarb@yahoo.com

Abstract

Purpose – There is an increasing demand and growing concern among local and foreign consumers on the authenticity of food (Beer, 2008). Some academic scholars often raised many issues on the definition of authenticity. As a result, the meaning of authenticity has always been convoluted and contradictory. Therefore, the consumers and society perspectives on the nature of Malay local food and the role it plays in the national heritage is crucial. This paper attempts to analyze the definition of authenticity of Malay local food in Malaysian food heritage perspective. Increasingly, Malay local food in Malaysia has been exploited commercially and effort has to be taken to sustain the Malay local food from losing its originality. Food plays a major role in many aspects of our life such as political, economical, social/culture, technological and environmental. New generations have little knowledge about traditional Malay food and sooner they will not even recognize the national food heritage.

Design/methodology/approach – The paper delineates a conceptual framework, which illustrates the significant components in the nature relationships that define authenticity.

Findings – The paper addresses issues in definition of authenticity of Malay local food in the context of Malaysian food heritage, the relationship of Malay local food and consumers, the relationship of Malay local food and society and to evaluate the authenticity of Malay food heritage perspective among the consumers and society. It will suggest that a new descriptive model would be an enormous value to Malaysian food heritage: towards Malay local food, to consumers and to society.

Originality/value – This paper ends with an expected that this research will discover the meaning and the magnitude of authenticity of Malaysia food heritage towards Malay local food for future generations.