Abstract
Per capita consumption of potatoes has risen approximately 10 percent over the past decade. Fresh potato usage, however, has declined dramatically during this period while more potatoes have been consumed after being frozen, dehydrated, canned, or chipped. This shifting consumption pattern has had a great impact on those associated with fresh potato production and distribution. Those involved in the production, marketing and retailing of fresh potatoes must be aware of consumer preferences and the problems they encountered with the product that reaches the marketplace.
This study was designed to: (1) examine the type of fresh potato packaging, purchased and preferred, (2) where fresh potatoes are stored in the home, and (3) how these factors relate to quality problems encountered by Northeast fresh potato consumers. In general, it was found that the predominant problems consumers experienced were related to the home storage location but not to the type of packaging. Sprouting, which was the major problem indicated, appeared to have the greatest incidence in potatoes stored in a garage and the least in those stored in the kitchen cabinet.
Resumen
El consumo per cápita de papas se ha incrementado aproximadamente un 10 por ciento en la última década. Sin embargo el consumo fresco de papas ha declinado dramaticamente durante este período mientras que más papa se ha consumido después de haber sido congelada, deshidratada, envasada ó laminada (chips). Este cambio en el patrón de consumo, ha tenido un gran impacto en aquellos asociados a la producción de papa fresca y su distribución. Aquellos dedicados a la producción, comercialización y reventa de papa fresca deben estar al tanto con las preferencias del consumidor y los problemas que éste encuentre con el producto que llega al mercado.
Este estudio fue diseñado para: (1) examinar el tipo de empaque de papa fresca comprada y preferido; (2) donde son almacenadas las papas en los hogares y (3) como esos factores se relacionan a problemas de calidad encontrada por consumidores de papa fresca del Noreste. En general, se encontró que los problemas predominantes experimentados por los consumidores estuvieron relacionadas con la localizatión del almacenaje en el hogar y no con el tipo de empaque. El brotamiento, que fue el problema mayormente indicado, parecía tener una mayor incidencia en papas almacenadas en el garge que aquellas almacenadas en algún gabinete de cocina.
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Literature Cited
Cecil Andrus, New York Times, November 11, 1976, p. 48.
United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Statistics, 1977. p. 180.
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Kezis, A.S., Johnston, E.F. & Faunce, R. Preferred packaging and storage location in relation to quality problems encountered by Northeast fresh potato consumers. American Potato Journal 56, 265–272 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02854310
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02854310