Immigrants, Food Insecurity and Sustainable Society: The Changing Foodscapes between Culture, Health, and Diet

Dear Colleagues,

Since the 1990s, the emergence of foodscape research has increased spatial perspectives on food production, transportation, and consumption. To date, little research has been carried out on the relationship between foodscapes and migration.

The number of immigrants is growing worldwide, reshaping societies and contributing to the social and cultural diversity of the communities in which they live. At the same time, immigrants face diverse challenges and barriers, having limited or unreliable access to healthy and affordable food.

Immigrants may be more exposed to food insecurity due to the difficulties of adaptation to a new culture, unfamiliarity with local food systems, limited financial resources, language barriers, and limited social networks.  

Ethnic deserts, limited availability or lack of access to affordable and culturally appropriate foods (as a special case of food deserts), the adoption of new dietary patterns and increased reliance on low-cost, processed foods are associated with poor health outcomes and high risks of chronic diseases among immigrants.

Moreover, these public health concerns can place a burden on healthcare systems and hinder the sustainability of society.

Disparities in food availability, affordability and access also impact the ability of immigrants to maintain their traditional diets and culinary practices, affecting their cultural identity and sense of belonging.

To alleviate the health impacts of food insecurity, initiatives that address food waste, such as food recovery programs, redistribution networks or community programs such urban gardening, community-supported agriculture, or food co-operatives that promote access to healthy and locally sourced food represent potential solutions for both the community and policy levels.

Preserving and integrating immigrants’ traditional food practices can enhance food security while promoting biodiversity, local farming, and sustainable food production.

On the other hand, migrants change the dietary habits of the host society. Formerly allochthonous dishes and ingredients are integrated into the autochthonous cuisine, new hybrid dishes are created, and new dishes are conceived in exchange for new contexts (such as the use of the wok in the United States or the invention of the doner kebab in Berlin).

This Special Issue explores the complex interplay between immigrants, food insecurity, culture, diet, health, and their role in building a sustainable society. It provides new evidence or insights that generate more informative responses and fill the knowledge gap regarding food insecurity and health outcomes.

The Special Issue also questions how processes of migration transform foodscapes. The aim is to examine how migrants' foodscapes change, how they transform the foodscapes of autochthonous societies, and how food extraction, transport and use due to migration generate new foodscapes.

For this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• The reciprocal influence of foodscapes of allochthonous and autochthonous populations;
• The importance of food in the construction of culture;
• Food-related health inequities among immigrants;
• Access, availability, and utilization of culturally appropriate foods;
• Food insecurity among immigrants and the potential impact on their health outcomes; 
• Ethnic disparities in food insecurity;
• Prevalence and predictors of food insecurity in immigrant communities;
• Food insecurity interventions and policies;
• Food Waste and Food Recovery;
• Culinary practices and dietary acculturation among immigrants;
• Evolution of foodscapes of migration: ethnic desserts and food shortages and their impact on immigrant communities;
• Cultural diversity, food practices and sustainable diets.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Liliana Dumitrache
Prof. Dr. Olaf Kühne
Dr. Mariana Nae
Guest Editors

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• migration
• foodscapes
• food insecurity
• ethnic deserts
• immigrant communities
• food practices
• cultural diversity, health
• diet
• sustainable society