A New Integrated FQFD Approach for Improving Quality and Reliability of Solar Drying Systems

Saffron is the most expensive spice and is significantly valuable in non-oil export. Drying process of saffron is considered as a critical control point with major effects on quality and safety parameters. A suitable drying method covering standards and market requirements while it is costlty benefitial and saves energy is desirable. Solar drying could be introduced as an appropriate procedure in rural and collecting sites of saffron since major micorobial and chemical factors of saffron can be preserved and achieved by using a renewable energy source. So, a precise system taking advantage of management, engineering and food technology sciences could be developed. Since there was no published record of integrated methods of Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Fuzzy Quality Function Deployment (FQFD) applied to solar energy drying systems, in this paper, Fuzzy Quality Function Deployment as a quality management tool by emphasizing technical and customer requirements has been implemented in order to improve quality parameters, optimizing technological expenses and market expansion strategy. Subsequently, Analytical Hierarchy Process based on survey from customers and logical pair-wise comparison are employed to decrease costs and increase the efficiency and the effectiveness of economic indicators. Using the integrated approach of AHP and FQFD in solar drying systems in saffron industry will result in cost benefit, quality improvement, the customer satisfaction enhancement, and the increase in saffron exports.