Objective:

Identify the knowledge on the characteristics related to the consumption of faba beans considered by housewives and the frequency of consumption, the most consumed dishes and the cooking appliances used in the preparation in the households of Puebla and Tlaxcala, Mexico.

Methodology:

In order to generate information a survey was used by applying a questionnaire to 50 housewives questionnaire to 50 housewives who prepare dishes with faba bean. The data was analyzed using frequencies, principal components and clusters, using SPSS program.

Results:

The characteristics considered by the housewives were divided into six principal components: Component I: Integrated characters related to dishes for preparing, major seasonal consumption and grain characteristics. Component II: Considered attributes related to fuel source and discomfort stomach. Component III: Related to the form of consumption, the amount of water to be used and the hardness of the testa. Component IV: Showed the type of cooking appliances used for cooking. Component V: Included the cooking time of the grain. Component VI: Was related to the frequency of consumption. As a result, of the use of the characters, significant diversity of varieties of faba bean has been generated with different expressions of the characters used to cook the different dishes, this resulted in 11 groups of varieties with differentiated characters. A 56% of the interviewed housewives consume faba beans once a month and only 2% consume them twice a week. The season of major consumption is during the Lent. The most used fuel for faba bean cooking is propane gas, the most used cooking appliance is the mud pot and the most consumed dishes are shrimp cakes with beans and faba bean soup.

Limitations:

No more agronomic and crop management characteristics were identified that could be considered in faba bean consumption, because housewives have a limited participation in these aspects.

Conclusions:

Housewives have developed knowledge to prepare and consume faba beans in different ways, contributing to their diet and this have influenced the culinary diversity expressed by the different cultivated varieties of faba bean.

        · resumen en Español     · texto en Español     · Español ( pdf )