Application of Different Multi-criteria Decision Techniques to Determine Optimum Flavour of Prebiotic Pudding Based on Sensory Analyses

The selection of optimum aroma among vanilla, strawberry and cacao for prebiotic pudding was aimed based on sensory analyses by performing multi-criteria decision techniques [analytic hierarchy process (AHP), simple additive weighting (SAW), technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) and elimination et choix traduisant la realite-elimination and choice translating reality (ELECTRE)]. In the first part of the study, the physicochemical (pH, viscosity, dry matter and ash content) and functional properties (bulk density, water-holding capacity and oil-holding capacity) of the dietary fibres (lemon, inulin, apple and wheat) were determined. According to our results, there are significant differences between the fibres (P < 0.05). In the second part of the study, the INU/OLI dietary fibre was added to the different flavoured pudding samples (cacao, strawberry and vanilla). Some of their physicochemical (bulk density, dry matter and viscosity) and sensorial properties (appearance, consistency of appearance, consistency in the mouth, taste and smell, adhesiveness and general acceptability) were identified. In the last part of the study, multi-criteria decision techniques (AHP, SAW, ELECTRE and TOPSIS) were applied to obtain the ranking of the pudding samples based on the sensorial scores. According to the results of this study, strawberry-flavoured pudding (not including fibre) was mostly preferred. By considering the ranking of the puddings, it was seen that strawberry flavour was the most appropriate for prebiotic pudding. As a result of this study, it was found that multi-criteria decision techniques may be performed to sensorial scores in the food industry to reduce many results to one result thus facilitating the comparison of samples and the explication of results obtained from sensory analysis