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The Journal of the Royal Institute of Thailand Volume IV - 2012 147  Food culture Food literature largely agrees that humans do not eat just to fi ll their stomachs (Gabaccia, 1998; Harris et al., 2005). The virtue of food is far beyond a source of nutrition and sensory preference, it involves personal and social value creation (Mintz, Du Bois, 2002: 22-33), such as lifestyles, relationships, and rituals, as well as celebrations, and personal, ethnic, regional, and national identities (Lind, Barham, 2004: 47-60). In that way, it is a basis of civilisation, and contains profound, multidimensional meanings (Bentley, 2001: 179-183). Food symbolises a power to in fl uence lives through its meanings (Bryant et al., 2003), for example, family memory or foreign adventure, reward or punishment, preference or repulsion, and so on. As functional and symbolic good (Korthals, 2002: 313), food can provide functional bene fi ts (nutrients), emotional pleasures (challenges in trying ethnic foods), socially-desirable activities (trendy cuisines), and self-expression (fancy restaurants), as well as political statement (identity) (Lefferts, 2005:247-258). Itdetermineshowyoulookorwhatyoufeel (Harriset al., 2005). The acquisition, consumption, disposal, and thought, as well as feeling related to the food, de fi ne the self-identity or who you are (Gabaccia, 1998). There are two fundamental elements of food culture: (1) humans eat what they can fi nd from their environment; and (2) they eat what their ancestors ate (Pillsbury, 1998). Besides those elements, what they eat is determined by preference. In addition, when they are older, they interact with other cultures and acquire new tastes. Their daily choices vary widely. Though the concept of a proper meal is culturally different, its symbolic meaning is equally valued (Holm, 2003: 531). That is, a good meal is marked as a happy and healthy meal. The meaning of a food varies with the contexts in which the experiences occur. Whenever consumers hear a food name, their memories recall a meaningful past (e.g. images, thoughts, feelings), and then they process a meaning for such food. The meaning represents attitudes towards the food, as well as the self, sensory experience, and contexts when and with whom the associated experiences occur (Lyman, 1989). To understand the true meaning of a particular food requires historical exploration of the persons and their culture (Lind, Barham, 2004: 47-60). Symbolic consumption gains interest among marketers since it can enhance consumers’ self-concept, personality, and social development (Khalil, 2000: 53); in so doing, it encourages affective consumers to buy. Ratiwan Watanasin