What is a "Traditional Food Product"?

As defined by Vanhonacker et al (2010) a traditional food product is "a product frequently consumed or associated to specific celebrations and/or seasons, transmitted from one generation to another, made in a specific way according to gastronomic heritage, naturally processed, and distinguished and known because of its sensory properties and associated to a certain local area, region of country." ...Which bears all the hallmarks of a definition created by a committee.

Basically there is a category of food that are an integral part of local culture and festivities.  Exactly what this involves varies between countries and regions, but this is the kind of food that is important to people, it has meaning for them.  As such, a wide definition that includes many elements that make a particular food meaningful seems appropriate.

References:

• Vanhonacker et la (2010). How European consumers define the concept of traditional food: evidence from a survey of six countries. Agrobusiness, 26, 453-476.