HONEY CONSUMER IN RIO DE JANEIRO

Abstract

This study evaluated the profile of honey consumers in the state of Rio de Janeiro. The addition of different methodological steps, from the bibliographic review to the creation of institutional material was carried out after the research ethics committee approval. For the data collection, an online questionnaire with 26 questions was applied. The socioeconomic profile provided a clear view of the demographics of the 77 participants, with 62.3% aged between 30 and 49 years, 76.3% being women and 69.7% had a family income of more than R$3,000.00. Concerning product identification, it was visible their lack of knowledge regarding the label information, the inspection seals, the possibility of adulteration, the process of crystallization, recrystallization, and fermentation. Most respondents preferred to obtain honey directly from the producer and in a glass bottle. Concerning the honey benefits, they identified that this product is healthy and used for medicinal purposes. More than 60% of the respondents stated that the price of honey is high, influencing the quantity and frequency of consumption. The development of interactive material seemed to be effective in increasing consumer awareness about the quality of the honey they are obtaining and promoting market transparency.