The need of the food industry to develop products for the cuban elderly

Abstract

The work analyzes the need to face the development of processed foods designed for the Cuban elderly, which take into account tastes and preferences. A documentary analysis of demographic data, publications referring to the nutritional status of the Cuban population and health statistics was carried out. A survey was carried out on 100 older adults from the provinces of Havana and Artemisa. It was shown that there is, and will grow, a high demand for products for the elderly, demonstrating the need to take into account the contribution of certain nutrients and the nutritional requirements of this age group. When designing these foods, the diseases with the highest incidence in Cuba, the need for food for breakfast and snacks, the variability in preferences and the importance that the elderly give to aspects such as taste, price and ease of elaboration must be taken into account.