Study of Latin American consumption of local fruit and vegetables "0 Km”

Horticulture, with its different disciplines (Horticulture/Olericulture, Fruit-growing, Aromatic-Medicinal and Floriculture), has become more relevant, since the Covid-19 pandemic, with a greater appreciation of products from short chains. The objective was to evaluate the degree of knowledge, behavior and preferences of Latin American consumers, regarding the safety, quality and origin of local fruits and vegetables (F&H) produced and consumed within a radius of no more than 100 km, differentiated with the "Km 0” logo. An online survey was generated (GoogleForms): Study on the Latin American production and consumption of "Km 0" fruits and vegetables, within the framework of inter-institutional links (UNCPBA, UNMDP, UNSL, UCA and INTA CERBAS Area, from Argentina;UdelaR, Uruguay;UNAL and UniSalle, Colombia;BUAP, Mexico;UFRRJ, Brazil), from 03/09/2022 to 07/12/2022. The main topics were: Degree of knowledge of the F&H category "Km 0”;Perceived benefits;Predisposition to consume and acquire them;Degree of evaluation of the "Km 0” labelling;and dissemination campaigns;Places of purchase and changes since the pandemic;Valuation of having lists of local producers of F&H "Km 0”;Knowledge of the place of production of the F&H and assessment of the promotion of local productions;Knowledge of GAP;Acquired food and Assessment of the origin of F&H consumed. The surveys answered were 1127. Ignorance of the "Km 0” category was detected (60%), low consumption of F&H (17% consume 5 ≥ portions/day) although there is a high assessment of F&H in the diet (80%). The need for permanent training and dissemination, of the production and consumption of safe and quality F&H, in quantity and diversity, was evidenced. The pandemic was a turning point from which consumers became aware of the importance of the origin of the products consumed, preferring local F&H. © 2022, Asociacion Argentina de Horticultura - ASAHO. All rights reserved.

Microgreens and sprouts, two innovative functional foods for a healthy diet in Km 0

The production of micro vegetables or microgreens and of sprouts is an interesting alternative for the optimization of vegetable consumption admitting great diversity and feasibility at a family as well as a commercial level, and whose consumption provides multiple benefits. Both options have productive potential for entrepreneurs, especially in the Km 0 due to immediate consumption. These productive alternatives contain several times more nutrients than their adult counterparts and can be obtained by sustainable production means, as in the case of microgreens in the presence of light or sprouts in darkness. Both foster greater nutrient bioavailability which helps to increase immunity, decrease vulnerability to diseases and contribute to a better physical and mental development of the population. In this sense, in the current global and national socioeconomical and sanitary context due to Covid-19 pandemics where the optimization of consumption of food which promotes optimal nutrition becomes a challenge, this review article is carried out in order to show a panorama of the peculiarities and benefits of consumption as well as the potential market, especially as Km 0 products, of two innovative alternatives of production (microgreens and sprouts) which admit great biodiversity and to contribute to promote their production and consumption.

Latin American reality of 2020 vegetable production and consumption, in COVID-19 times

Vegetable consumption has become relevant in the present global socio-economical and sanitary context. Consequently, the need to have a dynamic diagnosis in Latin American countries arises in order to guide actions of spreading vegetable and fruit production and consumption. Therefore, a survey was carried out in 12 Latin American countries with 518 respondents. This survey was driven by the Horticulture teams of the Latin American universities: Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (UNCPBA), Argentina, Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla (BUAP), Mexico, Universidad Nacional de Colombia (UNAL) and Universidad Nacional de San Luis (UNSL) Argentina, within the framework of their projects and interinstitutional bonds. The survey aimed at having an updated panorama about the reality of vegetable production and consumption, preferences, habits of consumption and changes produced in the Latin American population's diet due to the COVID-19 global pandemics. The results obtained show the existence of differences between perception and the reality of the population's consumption generating the need to drive actions to produce coincidence of what the population believes it consumes with what it actually does, so as to have a diet rich in quantity, quality and diversity of vegetables that benefits its health and life quality and reduces the risk of developing potential illnesses.