Consumption of Quinoa in Peru

Abstract

Poverty is a serious problem in Perú, with more than half of the children suffering from malnutrition, indicating a lack of sufficient food in quantity and quality in order to live under satisfactory conditions, as defined by FAO/OMS/UNU de Expertos ([1985]). The socioeconomic differences in the Peruvian population creates a stratification of the society, based on income, nutrition, housing, and education. Forty five percent of the Peruvian population live in conditions of extreme poverty, suffering from malnutrition due to limited access to nutritious food and, paradoxically, as a result of excessive consumption of inferior food products, such as fast food and other poor-quality food, resulting in obesity, diabetes, and arteriosclerosis. For those living in extreme poverty, there are no effective nutritional recommendations available. Thus, the elements that contribute most to the poor nutritional level of a great part of the population are the aggressive campaigns of the fast food producers; a general ignorance regarding nutritional matters; and a lack of nutritional experts. This study evaluates the acceptance level of quinoa among Peruvians by determining consumption by different socioeconomic strata, determining consumption of various dishes, evaluating the awareness by the low economic groups of the different uses of quinoa.