Analysis of Seasonal Trend in Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Consumption in Japan

The trend in seasonality in fresh vegetable and fresh fruit consumption was analyzed by the empirical Bayes smoothing method, using the data from Annual Reports on "The family income and expenditure survey" (1975-1995). The trend of yearly round consumption ceased or declined in many species of fresh vegetables, compared with the results obtained in the previous analysis (1963-1984). On the other hand, the trend of yearly round consumption was newly detected in some species of fresh fruits. The fact that peaches, persimmons and pears, which are the top three foods of the highest seasonality, showed the trend of year round consumption, characterizes the seasonal changes in fresh fruit consumption. Furthermore, as to three species of fresh vegetables, radishes, chinese cabbage and tomatoes, and three species of fresh fruits, mandarin oranges, apples and pears, features of the yearly trend of seasonality of their consumption were investigated in more detail by analyzing the yearly changes in monthly relative consumption, and the driving factors responsible for the changes of seasonality were discussed. (Received Oct. 28,1997; Accepted Jun. 8, 1998)