In Brazil, arracacha is usually commercialized in open, non-refrigerated stands at the retail market, and consumers select and pick up the roots themselves. Recently the arracacha market underwent significant changes and new forms and product types were identified. The objective of this paper is to make a survey of arracacha packing and types of product commercialized at the Brazilian retail market, and a preliminary study of the consumer perception of the product in São Paulo. Data were collected through visits to supermarkets, grocery shops and other retail markets in the metropolitan areas of São Paulo and Brasília from 2001 to 2003. Arracacha is sold at the retail market in ten distinct forms and product types, three of them organic and seven grown in the conventional system. The two most common ways of selling arracacha is displaying the roots on open market stands without wrapping and in Styrofoam trays wrapped with PVC films. Organic arracacha had higher average retail prices when compared to the traditional product, reaching R$ 5.80/kg for non-packed roots, R$ 9.95/kg for PVC-wrapped roots and R$ 11.54/kg for precooked and vacuum-packed roots. For the conventionally cultivated arracacha, prepacked forms (PVC film), minimally processed roots (peeled; slices; rods; whole roots packed in vacuum-sealed bags) and precooked roots in vacuum-sealed bags had higher prices at the retail market, ranging from R$ 4.16/kg (peeled roots) to R$ 8.60/kg (slices). The new arracacha forms and product types at the Brazilian retail market had higher added value and fulfill specific market demands.
Arracacia xanthorrhiza; Peruvian carrot; packing; prices; commercialization
