New perspectives to present Italian traditional recipes rooted in gastronomic culture by including climate sustainability

Culture is an integral part of the social dimension that, together with environmental and economic spheres, defines sustainable food systems. This project aimed to investigate the Italian traditional recipes’ nutritional values and intrinsic elements associated with a lower climate impact, with a view to promoting healthy and sustainable meals rooted in local culture. With this approach, 1561 recipes were analyzed, considering their contribution to the daily carbon footprint value estimated according to the Planetary Health Diet recommendations. Sixty percent of the recipes have a low-to-medium environmental impact, offering a solid foundation for sustainable eating, although there remains potential for further improvement. Results emphasized the need to: rebalance the ratio between animal and plant-based ingredients, favoring olive oil and more sustainable protein foods such as legumes, poultry, certain fish species or dairy products; simplify the cooking process; reduce the use of specific ingredients and preparation methods, while maintaining - and even enhancing - sensory appeal and taste quality. In addition, starchy-based recipes should rely on whole grains to the greatest extent possible, and each dish should be combined with a serving of seasonal vegetables. This project has also led to the development of a digital version of the traditional Italian cookbook, serving as a starting point for the implementation of a new interactive platform. This tool will be designed to provide culinary professionals and students with a practical instrument for preparing traditional Italian recipes that are more nutritionally balanced and climate friendly.