Edible Flowers, Old Tradition or New Gastronomic Trend: A First Look at Consumption in Portugal versus Costa Rica

Abstract

This study investigated the knowledge and use of edible flowers (EF) in two countries, Portugal, in Europe, and Costa Rica, in Latin America, and aimed to evaluate the similarities and/or differences regarding the utilization of EF in gastronomy. This work consisted of a questionnaire survey, undertaken on a sample of 290 participants. The results indicate that most people surveyed (87%) have heard about EF but believe there is not enough information about them (96%). Only one third of participants consider there are risks associated with the consumption of EF, being those related to toxicity and pesticides. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found between participants from the two countries but not with different professional areas. About half (48%) of the participants had already consumed EF, mostly for decoration or confection of dishes (77% positive answers) and in salads (75%). The flowers consumed most frequently were chamomile and rose, respectively, in Costa Rica and Portugal. Reasons pointed out to consume EF include decoration, taste, novelty and aroma, while aspects such as nutritional value or antioxidant capacity are prized by fewer consumers. EF were mostly acquired in supermarkets, cultivated at home or collected in the wild. In general, most participants (85%) consider the use of EF in gastronomy interesting, but less than one third (27%) believe we should eat EF more often. Finally, discriminant function analysis revealed that country was the variable for which the differences in the consumption of EF was more pronounced, while education level and age group showed the lowest variability between groups.

Edible Insects: Preliminary Study about Perceptions, Attitudes, and Knowledge on a Sample of Portuguese Citizens

“…The questionnaire was applied to a convenience sample, chosen according to the facility of recruitment and willingness to participate. Convenience samples, although having some limitations, have also some advantages, like easiness of recruitment, and they can be a good tool for exploratory research [17,18].…”

Plastic Food Packaging: Perceptions and Attitudes of Portuguese Consumers about Environmental Impact and Recycling

“…The survey was applied on a convenience sample due to the recruitment facility and considered the disposition to participate. Although the use of convenience samples has some drawbacks, they are extremely useful for research with an exploratory nature [27,28]. The sample size calculation, although not being applied directly to convenience samples, is also a helpful indicator for this type of research.…”

Edible flowers: traditional and current use

“…The current habit of eating flowers is a legacy of cultures that have used them for centuries (Demasi et al, 2021). EF have been used in Asian, European, Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine, in connection with local traditions, festive occasions and banquets, as well as in natural medicine (Mlcek and Rop, 2011;Rop et al, 2012;Guarrera and Savo, 2013;Lauderdale and Bradley, 2014;Zheng et al, 2018;Drava et al, 2020;Guiné et al, 2020;Demasi et al, 2021;Kumari et al, 2021).…”