Identifying Socioeconomic Characteristics Defining Consumers’ Acceptance for Main Organoleptic Attributes of an Iron-biofortified Bean Variety in Guatemala

Abstract

The success of biofortification, the process of generating new staple crops varieties with higher micronutrient content, depends on whether those biofortified cultivars are accepted by target populations. Consumer behavior economics argues that socioeconomic, cultural and biological characteristics define consumer preferences for specific product attribute. This study aims to establish which socio-demographic characteristics predict respondents’ preferences for the main sensory attributes of an iron bean variety. A home use testing approach and sensory evaluation was applied to 360 families in northwest Guatemala. We found that revealed preferences are mostly culturally formed and market related, more than influenced by socio-demographic characteristics.