In recent years, at international level, the consumption of wild edible mushrooms has increased in urban societies, producing economic benefits as well as impacts on natural production. Mexico is the second country with the most wild edible mushrooms species and has a great tradition of eating them. Their importance regarding food and incomes forest communities has been widely documented however, despite the importance of its consumption among urban consumers, there are no works that analyse the reasons for its consumption. The objective was to analyse the urban consumers' reasons to eat wild edible mushrooms in Mexico. An online questionnaire was applied to 241 consumers; it was based on the Food Choice Questionnaire. The information was analysed with factor analysis and cluster hierarchical analysis. The work found that the reasons consumption of wild edible mushrooms are Gastronomic, Traditional, Healthy, Social awareness, Ecologic awareness, Availability, Fashion and Economic aspects. These reasons are perceived differently, and thee consumer groups were identified: "Traditional and conscious gastronomic", "Hedonistic gastronomic" and "Opportunistic". Reasons to eat wild edible mushrooms are ambivalent, on one side there is gastronomic interest associated with an inherited taste and new ethical consumption values; and on the other, fashion and new forms of consumption. Proximity to harvesting areas influences a historic-cultural connection with wild edible mushrooms consumption.

Molina‑Castillo S., Espinoza‑Ortega A., Thomé‑Ortiz H., Moctezuma‑Pérez S., Martínez‑García C.G. (2025). Motivos de consumo de hongos comestibles silvestres en consumidores urbanos. ITEA‑Información Técnica Económica Agraria 121(1): 89-107. https://doi.org/10.12706/itea.2024.020

Consejo Nacional de Humanidades, Ciencias y Tecnologías (CONAHCYT)