Food Control 29 (2013) 32e41 Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Food Control journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/foodcont Review Types of traditional Greek foods and their safety Efstathios Z. Panagou a, George-John E. Nychas a,*, John N. Sofos b a Laboratory of Microbiology and Biotechnology of Foods, Department of Food Science and Technology, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos str., Athens GR-11855, Greece b Center for Meat Safety & Quality and Food Safety Cluster, Department of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1171, USA article info abstract Article history: Greek traditional foods have been evolved over centuries in the country according to local culture and Received 27 February 2012 artisanal practices in small scale family-owned installations and constitute a major part of the so-called Received in revised form Mediterranean diet. Consumer concern for food safety and high demand for traditional food products is 13 May 2012 becoming an important challenge for the food industry. To this end, safety issues about the hygienic Accepted 22 May 2012 condition and the prevalence of foodborne pathogens for a diversity of popular traditional Greek foods including fermented meat products, cheese, table olives, and emulsion-type appetizers is being reported. Keywords: Until recently, the production of these food commodities presented heterogeneity from area to area and Cheese fi Emulsion-type appetizers practice to practice resulting in a nal product with diverse microbiological, physicochemical and Fermented meats sensory characteristics. The condition has drastically changed over the last years where the production Food safety has shifted from artisanal practice to industrial level under strict processing and hygienic conditions. Food pathogens Nowadays, it can be considered that Greek traditional foods have a good safety record. Table olives Ó 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Traditional Greek foods Contents 1. Introduction . ........................ 32 2. Definition and basics of traditional Greek foods . .........................33 3. Traditional Greek foods . .........................33 3.1. Traditional fermented meats . ...........................................33 3.2. Greek cheeses . ...................................................34 3.3. Fermented fruits and vegetables . ...........................................35 3.4. Emulsion-type Greek appetizers or salads . .......................................36 4. How safe are the Greek foods? . ........................ 36 4.1. Fermented meats . ....................................................36 4.2. Cheese products . ...................................................37 4.3. Table olives . ...................................................37 4.4. Emulsion-type appetizers or salads . ...........................................38 5. Conclusions . ........................ 39 References . ...................................................40 1. Introduction geography, climate, agriculture, and lifestyle. Needed ingredients or recipes of methods for the preparation of such foods have been There are many different cultures within Europe and each one passed from one generation to the other and become finally a part has its own distinct dietary habits. Traditional foods are those that of the folklore of the country (Trichopoulou, Soukara, & have been consumed locally or regionally for an extensive period of Vasilopoulou, 2007). Traditional foods, apart of being vehicles of time and could be considered as an expression of culture, history, culture, could also possess health qualities, since tradition hardly supports foods which are not palatable and healthy. A typical * Corresponding author. Tel./fax: þ30 210 5294938. example of a dietary pattern with positive health aspects is the E-mail addresses: [email protected], [email protected] (G.-J.E. Nychas). Mediterranean diet which is characterized by six components, 0956-7135/$ e see front matter Ó 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2012.05.050 E.Z. Panagou et al. / Food Control 29 (2013) 32e41 33 namely, high intake of vegetables, pulses, fruits, olive oil, nuts and benefited from Constantinople’s position as a global hub of the cereals; low intake of saturated lipids; low to moderate intake of spice trade (Balatsouras, 2004). dairy products mainly in the form of cheese and yogurt; low intake The most characteristic and ancient element of Greek cuisine is of meat and poultry; moderately high intake of fish; and moderate olive oil, which is frequently used in the dishes. It is produced from intake of ethanol mostly in the form of wine (Trichopoulou, the olive trees prominent throughout the region, and adds to the Costacou, Bamia, & Trichopoulos, 2003). distinctive taste of Greek food. The basic grain in Greece is wheat, For the production of traditional foods, local agricultural though barley is also grown. Important vegetables include tomato, commodities are generally used as raw materials, contributing to aubergine (eggplant), potato, green beans, okra, green peppers, and a sustainable environment and employment of rural population. onions. Honey in Greece is mainly derived from the nectar of fruit Currently, the combination of healthy and palatable aspects is very trees such as the citrus trees of lemon, orange, bigarade (bitter attractive for the food industry and consumers, and consequently orange), and from thyme and pine from conifer trees. The aromatic, traditional foods could potentially be mass produced and exported. ivory colored resin, mastic, is characteristic of the region as it is This highlights the necessity for traditional food standardization grown on the Aegean island of Chios (Dalby, 2001), and is common and protection of origin and quality through appropriate legisla- in the Greek diet. tion. This is necessary for the producers and consumers, in order to Greek cuisine uses some flavorings more often than other protect the quality and identity of the products. Moreover, the Mediterranean cuisines do, namely oregano, mint, garlic, onion, country of origin registration of these foods could motivate their and bay laurel leaves. Other common herbs and spices include basil, small-scale production in family-owned installations and expand thyme and fennel seed. Many Greek recipes, especially in the their export potential (Tregear, Arfini, Belleti, & Marescotti, 2007). northern parts of the country, use “sweet” spices in combination However, the combination of artisan practices employed in with meat, for example cinnamon and cloves in stews (Hanlidou, traditional food manufacturing and the potential for poor hygienic Karousou, Kleftoyanni, & Kokkini, 2004). conditions, prevailing especially in small-scale family-owned pro- The climate and terrain has tended to favor the breeding of goats cessing installations, may result in the contamination and survival and sheep over cattle, and thus traditional beef dishes are of foodborne pathogens that may be present throughout the uncommon, although this trend has changed in the last years, as distribution chain until the time of consumption. The incidence of beef has become the main meat item for many Greeks. Fish dishes foodborne disease in many countries across Europe is increasing, are mostly common in coastal regions and on the islands, but also according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional throughout Greece, especially in major cities. A great variety of Director for Europe (WHO, 2003). For instance, foodborne intoxi- traditional cheese types are also used in Greek cuisine, including cations such as botulism remain frequent in Eastern Europe and in Feta, Kasseri, Kefalotyri, Graviera, Anthotyros, Manouri, Metsovone, most cases are related to traditional ways of preserving foods at Mizithra, etc (Balatsouras, 2004). home. The highest incidence of botulism was reported in the Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia) and is attributed to the 3. Traditional Greek foods consumption of home-canned vegetables. WHO data also show that although the incidence of salmonellosis is decreasing in 3.1. Traditional fermented meats several countries in Western Europe, the pathogen is still the most frequently reported cause of outbreaks in the WHO European The origin of fermented foods is lost in antiquity. Fermentation Region, responsible for around 75% of the outbreaks. Most of these became popular with the dawn of civilization because it not only are due to the consumption of foods of animal origin, particularly preserved food but also gave it a variety of tastes, forms, and other insufficiently cooked eggs or foods containing raw eggs, such as sensory attributes (Campbell-Platt, 1994; Caplice & Fitzgerald, mayonnaise, ice cream or cream-filled pastries. 1999; Prajapati & Nair, 2003). Traditional sausages are the most The aim of the review paper is to provide information about the commonly produced fermented meat products in Greece. In the hygienic condition and the prevalence of foodborne pathogens in past, most Greek rural families prepared them shortly before a diversity of popular traditional Greek foods including fermented Christmas, when they slaughtered their home-grown pig(s), from meat products, cheese, table olives, and emulsion-type appetizers. pork meat and fat, chopped and mixed together with salt and Safety issues with these products are also discussed. seasonings. The first document referring to meat curing is consid- ered to be that of Homer. In Odyssey