A Survey on Fish Consumption and Consumer Preference in Erzurum and Van Provinces

Abstract

Aquatic products which contain proteins, minerals and essential fatty acids have an important place in human nutrition. It is supposed that, unfortunately, in our country the awareness of the importance of aquatic products in human nutrition is not enough. In this study, the survey is supplied to 370 people in Van, 400 people in Erzurum and 770 people in total to reveal the fish consumption behavior in public. In the result of the survey it is figured out that in Erzurum red meat is preferred on the first rank by the participants and white meat on the second. While in Van it is vice versa. Both in Erzurum and in Van, fish comes third and mutton comes fourth. While the per capita consumption of aquatic products is 6.3 kg in Erzurum, in Van it is 6.8 kg. The most preferred fish species in Erzurum are anchovy, trout and bonito while they are anchovy, trout and pearl mullet respectively in Van. The survey shows that 97.5 percent of the participants in Erzurum and 97.6 percent in Van consume fresh fish; 5.3 percent in Erzurum and 8.1 in Van consume canned fish. Frying is the most preferred consuming type for the results (80.5 percent in Erzurum, 78.4 in Van). At the end of the study, it is obtained some results relevant to participant's average monthly income, occupation, educational background, marital status, annual fish consumption, types of supplying and consuming fish, thought about fish prices, fish species they consume, type of stewing, knowledge of organic fish, seasonal change of fish consumption and attitude towards fish consumption.