Sensory experiences play an important role in consumer response, purchase decision, and fidelity towards food products. Consumer studies when launching new food products must incorporate physiological response assessment to be more precise and, thus, increase their chances of success in the market. This paper introduces a novel sensory analysis system that incorporates facial emotion recognition (FER), galvanic skin response (GSR), and cardiac pulse to determine consumer acceptance of food samples. Taste and smell experiments were conducted with 120 participants recording facial images, biometric signals, and reported liking when trying a set of pleasant and unpleasant flavors and odors. Data fusion and analysis by machine learning models allow predicting the acceptance elicited by the samples. Results confirm that FER alone is not sufficient to determine consumers’ acceptance. However, when combined with GSR and, to a lesser extent, with pulse signals, acceptance prediction can be improved. This research targets predicting consumer’s acceptance without the continuous use of liking scores. In addition, the findings of this work may be used to explore the relationships between facial expressions and physiological reactions for non-rational decision-making when interacting with new food products.

This study uses orange peel waste to create a biopolymer that can be used for different purposes. In order to achieve this, we evaluated various technologies for the production of the biopolymer, and tried to design the most environmentally friendly process possible. One of the reasons why this bioplastic should be manufactured is to participate in the replacement of common environmental hazardous plastic, which has been banned in many places. On the other hand, using orange peel as the main ingredient is an alternative and gives value to an organic waste that has limited use in circular economy solutions. In this research we present a methodology to create a bioplastic of orange peels. As a result, we obtained a biodegradable, flexible and resistant material to be used in the manufacture of containers, utensils, etc. In addition, it is a material that, given the raw materials used, is considered GRAS (Generally Recognized As Save), implying a non-toxic product that is safe for the consumer.

Mexico is considered one of the most critical countries contributing to food production worldwide. However, Mexico needs help in agricultural practices and the pressure to optimize water usage. Considering that food production worldwide, directly and indirectly, relates to Goals 2, 4, 6, 7, 11, 12, and 15 of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2015, it is essential to address the challenges and pressure Mexico faces in its agricultural practices to optimize technical irrigation, access to land extension, and crop rotation usage. Some productive zones within central Mexico are called the Bajío Region, where Aguascalientes is located and the main focus of the current case study. This study aims to collect information to understand the main factors and challenges in the primary sector in this region. This study used a survey instrument to assess the actions of 54 farmers during the pandemic, to detect farmers’ technical needs, level of preparedness, water conservation knowledge, technology adaptability, and knowledge of the current public policy in Aguascalientes State. The data analyzed included; socioeconomic aspects, water and energy conservation, food processing awareness, and public policy perception. The results showed that participants could adjust public policies and use more technical training to build sustainable agricultural growth to the SDGs, and look for increased productivity within the representative crops in the region. The significant challenges Aguascalientes face are, limited water resources, the incentive production mindset, and a more technology-intensive approach, as is needed in Northern Mexico as a region. The primary goal is to develop a more resilient agricultural system, and to find characteristics for small and medium-sized producers. The first step is to increase knowledge among the main actors in the primary sector regarding the potential technical barriers to increasing productivity. The study concluded that the socioeconomic background of agricultural entrepreneurs and their education level is essential to adopting technology for production to increase and strengthen food security for Aguascalientes. Key words: Aguascalientes, Agricultural Sector, Agricultural Entrepreneurs, Public Policy, Water