TY  - JOUR
AB  - Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the appropriateness of the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to measure consumers’ acceptance and preference for eggs enriched with omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids as a health claim and to compare its results with the traditional nine-point hedonic scale.Design/methodology/approach The AHP was used as a multi-criteria decision analysis. Data were obtained from a face-to-face questionnaire completed by 122 consumers in a controlled environment in Cataluña (Spain).Findings Results showed the capacity of the AHP to analyse consumers’ acceptance and preferences. An agreement between the AHP and the nine-point scale was found showing that n-3 enriched eggs had lower flavour acceptance, conventional eggs had higher yolk colour acceptance, and conventional and the free-range eggs had similar and higher odour acceptance than the other egg types. The most important attributes that determine preferences for egg purchase were the type and the egg price followed by the origin and the egg size.Research limitations/implications The AHP approach seems to be a reliable tool to evaluate consumers’ hedonic preferences. However, further testing on other food products with larger sample size is needed.Originality/value The AHP methodology has been widely used in many fields in the last decades, but to the knowledge, not in the sensory field. In the Spanish market, studies that analyse consumers’ preferences and acceptance of eggs are scarce, and new insights are needed particularly regarding n-3 enriched eggs.
VL  - 119
IS  - 7
SN  - 0007-070X
DO  - 10.1108/BFJ-06-2016-0261
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-06-2016-0261
AU  - Baba Yasmina
AU  - Kallas Zein
AU  - Realini Carolina
PY  - 2017
Y1  - 2017/01/01
TI  - Application of the analytical hierarchy process to evaluate consumer acceptance and preferences for omega-3 enriched eggs
T2  - British Food Journal
PB  - Emerald Publishing Limited
SP  - 1459
EP  - 1472
Y2  - 2024/04/25
ER  -