Neglected and underutilized crop species (NUCS/NUS) are claimed to contribute to sustainable development. However, many scholars argue that enabling policies and appropriate governance are needed to operationalize such a potential contribution. Therefore, this systematic review analyzes the literature dealing with the relationships between policy and governance aspects and the promotion of NUS in West Africa. It draws upon 45 eligible articles identified through a search conducted on the Web of Science in December 2023. The existing literature focuses on Nigeria and a few NUS, especially cassava. The addressed policy domains include biodiversity conservation; subsidies; seed systems; food security, self-sufficiency and sovereignty; trade and import substitution; food safety and health; climate change and energy; land use; research, innovation and development; and support and assistance systems. Meanwhile, the main governance domains are (1) inclusiveness and participation and (2) institutional capacity. The analysis suggests that NUS development is also affected by sectoral policy coherence and consistency as well as the policy–governance interplay. Future studies should widen the scope in terms of geographical coverage in West Africa and NUS addressed to allow for more comparisons. Furthermore, there is a need for further research to understand the synergies and trade-offs between sectoral policies affecting NUS promotion and development.

A comprehensive lexicon is a necessary communication tool between the panel leader and panelists to describe each sensory stimulus potentially evoked by a product. In the current scientific breeding and trading scenario, a multilingual sensory lexicon is necessary to ensure the consistency of sensory evaluations when tests are conducted across countries and/or with international panelists. This study aimed to develop a reference multilingual lexicon for raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) and blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) to perform comparative sensory tests through panels operating in different countries using their native language. Attributes were collected from state-of-the-art literature and integrated with a detailed description of the sensory stimulus associated with each term. A panel of sensory judges was trained to test lexicon efficacy. After training, panelists evaluated three cultivars of blueberry and raspberry through RATA (Rate All That Apply), which allowed missing attributes to be excluded while rating those actually present. Results showed the discerning efficacy of the lexicon developed can be a valuable tool for planning sensory evaluations held in different countries, opening up further possibilities to enrich blueberry and raspberry descriptor lists with emerging terms from local experience and evaluations of berry genotypes with peculiar traits.

For fruit quality evaluation, sensory characterisation is necessary, to satisfy the needs in both research and along the value chain. Garden strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) is globally the most important small fruit, with numerous varieties and intense breeding strategies. In this study, we introduce a multilingual lexicon of 36 sensory attributes, to provide a tool for consistent and comparative sensory evaluations of strawberries across different countries. The attributes were based on scientific literature, selected by a multicultural group of scientists and berry industry actors, and supplied with attribute descriptions in seven languages (English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Turkish). The lexicon was applied by trained sensory panels for validation of attributes related to eating acceptance across three countries, applying the Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA) test, an intensity-based sensory analysis method. We highlight the lexicon’s efficiency and potential to define the fruit quality of different strawberry varieties, and discriminate between them. To identify the most relevant terms in defining the sensory profile of strawberries, the cross-region comparison revealed the importance of the flavours ‘strawberry’, ‘berry’, ‘fruity’, ‘floral’, ‘peach’ and ‘watery’, as well as ‘sweet’ and ‘sour’ tastes, the mouthfeel attributes ‘juicy’, ‘firm’, ‘fibrous’, ‘crunchy’, and the metadescriptor ‘fresh’. Further attributes distinguished between varieties or had local importance. The introduced sensory lexicon can be a key tool for harmonised communication among actors in the strawberry sector, not only sensory professionals, horticultural scientists, and breeders, but also product developers and market stakeholders, despite different cultural backgrounds or native languages, sharing the sensory knowledge of strawberry.

For fruit quality evaluation, sensory characterisation is necessary, to satisfy the needs in both research and along the value chain. Garden strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) is globally the most important small fruit, with numerous varieties and intense breeding strategies. In this study, we introduce a multilingual lexicon of 36 sensory attributes, to provide a tool for consistent and comparative sensory evaluations of strawberries across different countries. The attributes were based on scientific literature, selected by a multicultural group of scientists and berry industry actors, and supplied with attribute descriptions in seven languages (English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Turkish). The lexicon was applied by trained sensory panels for validation of attributes related to eating acceptance across three countries, applying the Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA) test, an intensity-based sensory analysis method. We highlight the lexicon’s efficiency and potential to define the fruit quality of different strawberry varieties, and discriminate between them. To identify the most relevant terms in defining the sensory profile of strawberries, the cross-region comparison revealed the importance of the flavours ‘strawberry’, ‘berry’, ‘fruity’, ‘floral’, ‘peach’ and ‘watery’, as well as ‘sweet’ and ‘sour’ tastes, the mouthfeel attributes ‘juicy’, ‘firm’, ‘fibrous’, ‘crunchy’, and the metadescriptor ‘fresh’. Further attributes distinguished between varieties or had local importance. The introduced sensory lexicon can be a key tool for harmonised communication among actors in the strawberry sector, not only sensory professionals, horticultural scientists, and breeders, but also product developers and market stakeholders, despite different cultural backgrounds or native languages, sharing the sensory knowledge of strawberry.