Characterizing Consumers’ Preference for an Iron-Biofortified Bean Variety in Northwest Guatemala: A Sensory Evaluation

Abstract

The process of generating new crops varieties with higher micronutrient content or biofortification, could be a complementary strategy to fight against micronutrient deficiencies mainly in rural areas. Its success depends on whether those biofortified cultivars are accepted and consumed by target populations. Consumer behavior economics argues that consumer preferences for specific product characteristics are determined by socioeconomic, cultural and biological aspects. Based on that, this study aims to establish which socioeconomic and demographic characteristics predict respondents’ preferences for the sensory attributes in an iron bean variety compared to a traditional one, and the role that information and repetition on nutritional characteristics plays on forming those preferences. In August 2013, 360 rural families were surveyed in northwest Guatemala for this purpose. We found that the iron-fortified variety is slightly preferred compared to the conventional one regarding major significant factors as color, size, taste, and cooking time. While there is no homogeneity in socioeconomic characteristics defining the preferences for these attributes characteristics related to bean consumption, bean production status and market orientation of the respondents or households plays an important role on defining those preferences. Characteristics as age, education level, and poverty level do not influence those preferences, indicating that the beliefs and revealed preferences are mostly culturally formed and market related more than influenced by socio-demographic characteristics. Cluster analysis shows three clusters: fully accepters, slightly accepters and indifferent. Fully accepters are mainly wealthier women less related with bean activities. Slightly accepters are mainly men with higher education and traditionally not purchasing beans in the market. The indifferent are bean consumers and producers with less education and a higher probability of being under the poverty line Nutritional information does not seem to play an important role in consumer preference formation, however its repetition does, especially when repeated trice to men.