Characterization of pitahaya consumption in five cities in Costa Rica
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The objective of the study was to characterize the consumption of pitahaya in five cities in Costa Rica. The research was conducted in the cities of San José, Alajuela, Heredia, Cartago, and Liberia between April and June 2019. 693 personal interviews were conducted on various topics related to knowledge about this fruit and its consumption. In San José, Alajuela, Heredia and Cartago, a lower level of knowledge about pitahaya was found (44-61% of respondents) and a lower preference for consuming this fruit (26-39%), compared to Liberia (96% and 81%, respectively). In Liberia, 89% of women and 73% of men reported consuming pitahaya. In the five cities, most people who consumed pitahaya did so once or twice a year. The main characteristics associated with a quality pitahaya fruit were: color, firmness, large size, and softness. In Alajuela, Heredia, Cartago, and Liberia, pitahaya was primarily consumed as a soft drink, while in San José, it is mostly consumed as fresh fruit. It is concluded that there is a significant level of pitahaya consumption in the five cities included in this study, with a very notable result in the case of the city of Liberia, but with a relatively low frequency of consumption in all five cities, with a slightly higher frequency in Liberia. This work constitutes the first study on the characterization of pitahaya consumption in Costa Rica.
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