Proposal of a New Orange Selection Process Using Sensory Panels and AHP

Amparo Baviera-Puig, Mónica García-Melón, María Dolores Ortolá and Isabel López-Cortés
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Amparo Baviera-Puig: Department of Economics and Social Sciences, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Mónica García-Melón: INGENIO (CSIC-UPV), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
María Dolores Ortolá: Institute of Food Engineering for Development, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Isabel López-Cortés: COMAV, Department of Plant Production, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 7, 1-17

Abstract: Although the consumption of fruits and vegetables is being promoted by different institutions as a key question of public health, their consumption is decreasing and their waste is increasing. To address this situation, we propose to include the consumer’s perception of the quality (from a sensory point of view) of a fruit, in particular Valencian oranges, in the supplier’s selection process by retailers. To do so, we use a combination of consumer and trained sensory panels and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). This approach is completely novel in the literature. According to the expert panel, the most important criteria when evaluating the quality of an orange are fruity smell, juiciness, sweetness and acidity. These criteria are related to the freshness and taste of the oranges. Consumers found the methodology proposed useful and easy to develop. The application of the AHP methodology has helped to facilitate a participatory discussion among consumers on the concept of the quality of the oranges. The methodology proposed can help the agrifood sector in different ways up and down the supply chain. Specially, it can contribute to better meet consumer’s demands, increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables and reducing its waste.

Keywords: retailing; supplier selection process; consumer behavior; healthy diet; multicriteria decision making; food waste; aroma; juiciness; sweetness; acidity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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