Aspects of trade and consumption of fish in Porto Real do Colégio - Alagoas street market, Brazil

Abstract

One hundred and five consumers were interviewed through semi-structured questionnaires in order to characterize personal preferences towards purchase and consumption of fish at the street market of Porto Real do Colégio city, Alagoas state, Brazil. The majority of the interviewed were men aging 48.8 years old in average. Poor scholarity and low family income were common features. The preferred and most consumed meats, in this order, were bovine (47.62 and 45.71%), fish (25.71 and 26.67%) and chicken (18.10 and 24.76%). Consumers presented a high consumption of fishes, with a preference for freshwater species, in the following order: Colossoma macropomum, Prochilodus argenteus and Oreochromis niloticus (28.42; 28.42 and 24.21% of consumers). The purchase of live fish in the market is common and the preferred practice, however, the price was considered high and ten Real (Reais) per kilo was considered a threshold for affordability to most consumers. Local market is heated by the high frequency of fish consumption, but momentarily only feasible for whole fishes, due the low income of the population and their feeding habits.