Department of Economics and Social Sciences, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain.
INGENIO (CSIC-UPV), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Mar 24;18(7):3333. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18073333.
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.
尽管不同机构都在提倡多吃水果和蔬菜，将其作为公共健康的关键问题，但人们的水果摄入量仍在下降，浪费却在增加。针对这种情况，我们建议零售商在供应商选择过程中纳入消费者对水果（特别是瓦伦西亚橙子）质量的感知（从感官角度）。为此，我们使用消费者和经过培训的感官小组以及层次分析法（AHP）的组合。这种方法在文献中是完全新颖的。根据专家小组的意见，评估橙子质量时最重要的标准是果香、多汁、甜度和酸度。这些标准与橙子的新鲜度和口感有关。消费者认为所提出的方法既有用又易于实施。AHP 方法的应用有助于促进消费者对橙子质量概念的参与性讨论。所提出的方法可以以多种方式帮助农业食品部门在供应链的上下游运作。特别是，它可以有助于更好地满足消费者的需求，增加水果和蔬菜的消费，减少浪费。
