Caracterização de Carnes e Produtos Cárneos Adquiridos por Serviços de Alimentação Institucionais

Abstract

This study aims to discuss the institutional food market, focusing on the procurement of meat and meat products (MMP), through an evaluation of the items acquired via public tenders by the Federal Institutes of Education, Science and Technology of Rio Grande do Norte (IFRN). The research is an exploratory and descriptive case study based on the analysis of public documents related to food procurement processes for the 22 IFRN campuses. The study identified the types of MMPs, their level of processing, and the location and size of the supplying slaughterhouses. The results showed that most of the MMPs purchased by the IFRN consisted of chicken and beef, either unprocessed or minimally processed, mostly supplied by slaughterhouses located in southern Brazil. There was little participation of MMPs originating from the Northeast region, where the purchasing institutions are based. The findings suggest that, despite recent public policies aimed at strengthening regional food supply chains, regional inequalities persist in the institutional meat market, highlighting the need to diversify suppliers and promote the inclusion of food products from local and regional sources.