STUDY CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY CONSUMERS AND TRADERS FOR PINEAPPLE PURCHASE

The consumption of fruit in natura has been intensified in the last years as a result of changes in the food habits of consumers who attribute to fruit an important nutritional value. For the fruit in natura market, the visual aspect of the fruit is very important. Knowing consumers´ profile also helps fruit co-ops and producers to adjust their offer to the specific needs and desires of the public. The objective of this study was to identify the criteria established by different groups of consumers for pineapple purchase using the Focus Group technique. Four focus group sessions were conducted with a total of 42 participants (five nutritionists, 12 fruit and vegetable wholesalers and retailers, 11 students and 14 housewives). Appearance ranked first as the criterion chosen by consumers for pineapple purchase, with color (88%), shape (71,5%), size (57%), texture (54,8%)  and aroma (50%) following as the most cited. Wholesalers and retailers presented different criteria such as skin (called a shell), weight, place of origin and fruit characteristics at the moment of purchase. For most consumers, the fruit market presented (40%), the best attributes for pineapple purchase , followed by the supermarket (38%) and central market (5%).