Perception of dehydrated products by Mexican consumers

Food loss and waste are well documented in Mexico and worldwide. Food insecurity is particularly common in developing countries. Regardless of available drying technologies, primary product dehydration can be an alternative to minimize the loss of highly perishable fresh food products (e.g., fruit a...

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Main Authors: Blanca Isabel Sánchez-Toledano, Mercedes Borja-Bravo, Jorge A. Zegbe, Silvia Xóchitl-Almeraya Quintero
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Future Foods
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666833524001953
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author Blanca Isabel Sánchez-Toledano
Mercedes Borja-Bravo
Jorge A. Zegbe
Silvia Xóchitl-Almeraya Quintero
author_facet Blanca Isabel Sánchez-Toledano
Mercedes Borja-Bravo
Jorge A. Zegbe
Silvia Xóchitl-Almeraya Quintero
author_sort Blanca Isabel Sánchez-Toledano
collection DOAJ
description Food loss and waste are well documented in Mexico and worldwide. Food insecurity is particularly common in developing countries. Regardless of available drying technologies, primary product dehydration can be an alternative to minimize the loss of highly perishable fresh food products (e.g., fruit and vegetables) and contribute to food security programs, mainly in rural regions where food conservation infrastructures are scarce. Through an online survey from a calculated sample of 885 participants, the Mexican consumers' perception of plant-based dehydrated products mainly was studied. Overall, the primary reasons for consuming dehydrated products were: practicality (22.2 %), flavor (20.4 %), nutritional value (18.0 %), and health benefits (14.0 %). Consumers were also interested in products made from fruit powders. In contrast, 21.1 % of non-consumers found dehydrated products hard to obtain, while 15.9 % were unfamiliar with these products. In conclusion, this study found that the major factors limiting the consumption of dehydrated foods are their low availability, a lack of global knowledge regarding these products, and misconceptions about their cost. This research explored only the consumption of plant-based dehydrated products in Mexico. Therefore, the next step must include animal-based dehydrated products and the socioeconomic stratification of the population.
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spelling doaj-art-063e6fac39f84f2c9f52b2f74fea87782024-12-18T08:53:54ZengElsevierFuture Foods2666-83352024-12-0110100491Perception of dehydrated products by Mexican consumersBlanca Isabel Sánchez-Toledano0Mercedes Borja-Bravo1Jorge A. Zegbe2Silvia Xóchitl-Almeraya Quintero3Campo Experimental Zacatecas, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, km 24.5 Carretera Zacatecas-Fresnillo, CP 9500, Calera de V.R., Zacatecas, México; Corresponding authors.Campo Experimental Pabellón, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, km 32.5 Carretera Aguas-calientes-Zacatecas, CP 20668, Pabellón de Arteaga, Aguascalientes, MéxicoCampo Experimental Pabellón, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, km 32.5 Carretera Aguas-calientes-Zacatecas, CP 20668, Pabellón de Arteaga, Aguascalientes, México; Corresponding authors.Campus Montecillos, Colegio de Postgraduados, km 36.5 Carretera México – Texcoco, CP 56230, Montecillo, Texcoco, Estado de México, MéxicoFood loss and waste are well documented in Mexico and worldwide. Food insecurity is particularly common in developing countries. Regardless of available drying technologies, primary product dehydration can be an alternative to minimize the loss of highly perishable fresh food products (e.g., fruit and vegetables) and contribute to food security programs, mainly in rural regions where food conservation infrastructures are scarce. Through an online survey from a calculated sample of 885 participants, the Mexican consumers' perception of plant-based dehydrated products mainly was studied. Overall, the primary reasons for consuming dehydrated products were: practicality (22.2 %), flavor (20.4 %), nutritional value (18.0 %), and health benefits (14.0 %). Consumers were also interested in products made from fruit powders. In contrast, 21.1 % of non-consumers found dehydrated products hard to obtain, while 15.9 % were unfamiliar with these products. In conclusion, this study found that the major factors limiting the consumption of dehydrated foods are their low availability, a lack of global knowledge regarding these products, and misconceptions about their cost. This research explored only the consumption of plant-based dehydrated products in Mexico. Therefore, the next step must include animal-based dehydrated products and the socioeconomic stratification of the population.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666833524001953FoodDehydrationConsumption factorsMarketing
spellingShingle Blanca Isabel Sánchez-Toledano
Mercedes Borja-Bravo
Jorge A. Zegbe
Silvia Xóchitl-Almeraya Quintero
Perception of dehydrated products by Mexican consumers
Future Foods
Food
Dehydration
Consumption factors
Marketing
title Perception of dehydrated products by Mexican consumers
title_full Perception of dehydrated products by Mexican consumers
title_fullStr Perception of dehydrated products by Mexican consumers
title_full_unstemmed Perception of dehydrated products by Mexican consumers
title_short Perception of dehydrated products by Mexican consumers
title_sort perception of dehydrated products by mexican consumers
topic Food
Dehydration
Consumption factors
Marketing
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666833524001953
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AT mercedesborjabravo perceptionofdehydratedproductsbymexicanconsumers
AT jorgeazegbe perceptionofdehydratedproductsbymexicanconsumers
AT silviaxochitlalmerayaquintero perceptionofdehydratedproductsbymexicanconsumers