Culinary evolution models for Indian cuisines

TL;DR

This paper models the evolution of eight Indian regional cuisines as complex dynamical systems, providing insights into their uniqueness, underlying processes, and potential health implications at the molecular level.

Contribution

It introduces a novel modeling approach for regional cuisines, analyzing their evolution and comparing them at the flavor compound level to uncover underlying patterns.

Findings

Distinctiveness of each cuisine highlighted

Comparison at flavor compound level reveals molecular differences

Potential links between cuisine profiles and health conditions

Abstract

Culinary systems, the practice of preparing a refined combination of ingredients that is palatable as well as socially acceptable, are examples of complex dynamical systems. They evolve over time and are affected by a large number of factors. Modeling the dynamic nature of evolution of regional cuisines may provide us a quantitative basis and exhibit underlying processes that have driven them into the present day status. This is especially important given that the potential culinary space is practically infinite because of possible number of ingredient combinations as recipes. Such studies also provide a means to compare and contrast cuisines and to unearth their therapeutic value. Herein we provide rigorous analysis of modeling eight diverse Indian regional cuisines, while also highlighting their uniqueness, and a comparison among those models at the level of flavor compounds which opens up molecular level studies associating them especially with non-communicable diseases such as diabetes.