The INTAQT project: stakeholders’ opinions on future multicriteria scoring tools for animal products

Agri-food chain actors (AFAs) lack reliable information to meet consumer expectations in relation to multiple facets of intrinsic quality of chicken meat, beef, and dairy products from the various European livestock systems. One of the challenges of the INTAQT project is to build, with AFAs, multi-criteria scoring tools related to products global quality. This tool should combine safety, sensory, and nutritional results obtained during the project-based on collection of poultry/beef/dairy samples and possibly other quality criteria. Multi-actor participatory approach was applied to present and discuss the concept of a multicriteria scoring tool, collecting opinions, fears, and expectations on this tool. On a consumer side, it was felt that such a multi-criteria score placed on products could be a clear and simple representation of a complex reality. However, some disadvantages were expressed about its reliability or implementation. For their part, AFAs had varying opinions on the tool’s target, mainly about its possible use as an internal tool or for consumer information, with different pros and cons expressed on both aims. Fears dealt with the building of the tool, and its relevance, representativeness, practical use, and the potential dangers, especially if safety aspects were included. However, both consumers and AFAs agree on the need to include in this tool extrinsic criteria such as farming system sustainability and animal welfare.