Food, Culture, and the Stories We Share (Yuni Kartika)

 

When this course started, I thought it would simply be an assignment.
But along the way, it became something more meaningful.

Through writing about food and culture, I realized that food is never just about taste. It carries history, identity, science, and emotion. A simple dish can reflect geography, climate, tradition, and even technology.

Living in Japan has made this even clearer to me. Every season brings different ingredients, different colors, and different stories. From local persimmons in autumn to carefully prepared traditional meals, food here reflects balance and respect for nature.

Throughout our discussions, I enjoyed seeing how food connects different cultures.
Even when ingredients differ, the meaning is often the same. Family, celebration, comfort, and community.

As someone studying postharvest and food science at Gifu University, I often view food from a scientific perspective: texture, color change, enzyme activity, preservation methods. But this class reminded me that behind every scientific concept, there is also culture and human experience.

Science explains how food changes.
Culture explains why it matters.

Recently, I began a new experiment studying the effect of ozone treatment on strawberries. Compared to persimmons, strawberries are softer, more delicate, and highly perishable. Their bright red color and fragile texture make them loved, but also challenging to preserve.

This new research makes me reflect again on the connection between science and daily life. Strawberries are often associated with happiness including desserts, celebrations, seasonal gifts.

If postharvest technology can help maintain their quality longer, it is not just about extending shelf life. It is about preserving moments, reducing food loss, and supporting sustainable food systems. Even in the laboratory, I still see culture inside the fruit.

This may be the last post for this class, but I hope the curiosity continues, and I hope we keep noticing the stories behind what we eat.

Thank you for reading, sharing, and reflecting together.
It was a pleasure exploring food and culture with all of you.

See you in the next story, perhaps around another table, another dish, another season.

Warm regards,
Yuni Kartika