Demographic changes in contemporary societies has promoted sectors of consumers aware of the food they buy for health reasons, as functional foods, whose demand has grown in diverse countries as Mexico, recognized as one of the emergent market with the highest consumption of these products in Latin America. However, there is little knowledge on the attitudes of Mexican consumers toward functional foods. The objective was to explore the perception of functional foods by Mexican urban consumers using the free word association technique. A total of 610 persons were asked the three first words that came to their minds with the stimulus “functional food.” Twenty‐three categories were grouped in nine dimensions, the most important were: Health, Nutrition, and Foods and Nutrients. Differences due to age and schooling level were found in dimensions and categories. Consumers have a clear idea of “functional food” that explains growth in this market. The promotion of functional foods should take into consideration the demands that specific groups of consumers have for these products. Practical applications This work is a first approach on the study of the perception of Mexican urban consumers toward functional foods, with results that may be useful for public or private entities. As mentioned in works conducted in other areas of the world, demographic and socio‐economic characteristics are identified as significant determinants; the perception toward functional foods is positively associated with educational achievement, age and women. Taking into consideration the diabetes and overweight problems of the Mexican population, research results indicate an opportunity for producers of functional foods for an adequate development, improvement, and promotion of these products to meet specific perceptions of each target group of consumers.

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Social and urban transformations have changed the ways of elaboration of traditional foods. Maize tortilla, the base of the Mexican diet, has experienced these transformations; nevertheless, in spite of being an emblematic food in Mexico, little is known about the perceptions by urban consumers. The aim was to analyze the perceptions about tortilla in urban consumers from three contrasting socioeconomic regions. A questionnaire was applied in some cities of northern, central, and southern Mexico to 1,156 consumers. A free word association technique was used as response to the word “tortilla”. Nineteen categories were grouped in 10 dimensions. Results showed there is a sense of national identity regarding maize tortilla; however, coexistence of postmodern and traditional perception is observed. Perception differed by zone according to sociocultural, historical and economic development. In the face of modernizing changes, consumers adopt new perceptions on traditional foods as is happening in many societies in developing countries. Practical applications Perceptions are related to sociocultural, historic and economic aspects. In modernizing processes, consumers adapt new perceptions about traditional foods. The associations with the maize tortilla, staple in the Mexican diet, showed several symbolic elements of the daily life of Mexicans. There is a sense of national identity towards tortilla, differentiated by zone. Understanding the perceptions by age and gender and zone of study, can be used to generate marketing strategies and public policy that favoring the development of rural areas and local economies towards traditional foods, as elements that enhance regional or local development.

Purpose Demographic and socioeconomic changes, and health issues, promote interest in emerging countries for healthy foods, taking traditional foods under the perspective of functional foods. Amaranth has moved from local to a wider consumption as a functional food. The purpose of this paper is to identify consumers’ perception about amaranth and its relation to consumption motives. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was applied to 610 respondents, and free word association determined their perception about amaranth through categories. Cluster analysis identified groups of consumers according to their motives for consumption. Global χ2 and correspondence analysis related consumers’ perceptions in the groups were identified. Findings A total of 16 word categories reflected consumers’ perception about amaranth. Most mentioned were: Traditional product, Hedonism and Health and well-being. Three groups showed significant differences regarding motives of consumption. It is concluded that perceptions about amaranth are closely linked to the motives of consumption. Perceptions of health benefits are related to motives for health issues and taste. There is a group that still consumes amaranth perceived as a traditional food. Practical implications As a functional food, these results could be useful to promote amaranth from its perception as healthy. Producers might develop products based on amaranth that meet perceptions considering gender and age in Mexico and other emergent countries. Originality/value This work contributes knowledge to international research that analyses traditional foods as functional foods and consumer perceptions on these. It is a first approach to identify perceptions of Mexican consumers towards amaranth as a traditional and a functional food.

El presente artículo discute los cambios sociales, culturales y económicos que propiciaron que la población de San Francisco Tepeyanco, Tlaxcala, México transformara su agricultura, en particular el sistema agrícola de huertos. El andamiaje teórico-metodológico que se utiliza es el de la ecología cultural, perteneciente a la antropología ecológica. Se contrastan las principales fuentes que describen a la comunidad y sus huertos durante las décadas de 1970 y 1980, con una descripción del estado actual de los huertos. El análisis del sistema agrícola huerto permite entender las transformaciones producidas en la alimentación de la población. En este trabajo se concluye que para analizar el sistema alimenticio de una población rural es necesario partir del estudio de sus sistemas agrícolas y del contexto social, político y económico. En el caso que se presenta, se observan nuevas prácticas asociadas a los huertos en los cuales las plantas de ornato tienen mayor presencia que las alimenticias y medicinales.