Traditional Grass Pea-Based Foods. Authenticity and Traceability Concerns

Abstract

The production of certain recipes based on both cereals and grain legumes may be supposed to be a good deal when speaking of authenticity and traceability issues. Apparently, grain legumes—and specifically Lathyrus sativus—may be included in these discussions when speaking of economically motivated adulteration. Actually, safety and health concerns related to grass pea should be good arguments against food frauds linked with the commerce of L. sativus. However, the Italian perspective suggests some counterargument. Several cultivars are well known and considered ‘Traditional Agricultural Food Products’ in Italy, meaning that the historical tradition should be correlated with the geographical importance. Anyway, two different viewpoints have to be considered when speaking of authenticity and traceability issues in connection with grass pea: first of all, the birth or growth of ‘market niches’ with a strong interest in grass pea, in countries with high income; and secondly, the possible use of this grain legume, with the intention of adulterating other flours, in some Asian country above all. For these reasons, grass pea can have some important role when speaking of food frauds.