picture-alliance/AP/A. Barte Telin. A sheep's eye in tomato juice (Mongolia)
It is precisely this idea that forms the basis of Berlin’s Disgusting Food Museum, where foods with unusual smells, textures, or preparation methods are viewed not as gastronomic curiosities, but as part of cultural heritage and the city’s tourism offerings, according to Euronews.
The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism, formerly UNWTO) notes that gastronomy is becoming an important element of the tourist experience and can contribute to the development of local economies by supporting cultural heritage and promoting regions.
The museum, which opened in Berlin in 2021 following a successful project in Malmö, Sweden, showcases about 100 foods from around the world. Its goal is not only to surprise visitors but also to show why attitudes toward food are shaped by history, culture, and social customs.
Disgust Is Shaped by Culture
According to museum director Alexandra Bernsteiner, the feeling of disgust has not only a biological basis but also depends on cultural context. What is considered repulsive in one country may be regarded as a traditional dish and an important element of national identity in another.
This is precisely why gastronomy is becoming part of the tourism strategy for many regions. Local products, festivals, and culinary tours help create a unique image for the region and support small businesses—from farms to the restaurant industry.
Germany: Home Cooking with the Potential to Cause Disgust
German cuisine also offers dishes that may surprise foreign guests. These include bread soup made from stale bread, Seltz, and tick cheese from Saxony-Anhalt, which is aged with the help of cheese mites.
Another well-known regional specialty is Palatinate Saumagen. The dish consists of a mixture of meat, potatoes, and spices cooked in a pig’s stomach. Despite its unusual appearance, it remains part of the region’s culinary heritage.
Italy: Cheese That Lives
One of the most famous products in the exhibition is Sardinian Casu Marzu—a cheese whose fermentation continues thanks to cheese fly larvae. Outside of Italy, it is viewed as an extreme culinary experience, but in Sardinia, it remains a traditional food.
Sea urchins from southern Italy attract no less interest among tourists; they are often eaten fresh immediately after being harvested.
Sweden: A Smell as a Tourist Icon
Fermented herring, known as surströmming, has long been one of Sweden’s most recognizable culinary specialties. The product gained international fame for its pungent smell, yet within the country it remains a staple of traditional cuisine.
A Berlin museum regularly hosts surströmming tastings, turning this unusual product into a unique tourist attraction.
France: Sausage with Character
French cuisine is represented by andouillette—a sausage made from pork offal, known for its distinctive aroma. Despite mixed reactions from foreigners, the dish remains an important part of regional cuisine, especially in Troyes and Lyon.
Poland: Blood, Broth, and Sour Dishes
Polish cuisine is represented by kaszanka—a blood sausage with groats, czernina—a soup made from duck blood, and żurek—a traditional sour rye soup.
These dishes reflect a historical feature of European cuisine, where a key principle was the efficient use of food and the creation of nutritious meals from readily available ingredients.
Iceland and Asia: Fermented, Dried, and Unusual
Outside of Europe, Icelandic hákarl—fermented Greenland shark meat with a distinctive ammonia-like odor—has gained fame, as have Asian foods with strong aromas, such as durian and stinky tofu.
For locals, these foods are part of their cultural tradition, while for tourists they often pose a challenge and, at the same time, serve as an opportunity to explore a new cuisine.
Food as Part of the Experience Economy
The history of unusual delicacies shows that gastronomy is becoming not only a cultural phenomenon but also an economic resource. Regional products help areas stand out from the competition, build tourism brands, and create additional business opportunities.
The Disgusting Food Museum employs this approach, transforming unusual foods into an interactive tourist attraction. Visitors are invited not only to explore the exhibits but also to sample certain foods, including edible insects.
As a result, dishes that were once viewed solely as local specialties are becoming part of the global experience economy. For regions, this means new opportunities to develop tourism, support producers, and preserve their gastronomic heritage.
