Analytic Hierarchy Process Applied to the Choice of a Long-Life Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) Drying System

Abstract

Drying processes are widely employed to add quality and preserve and concentrate high-value foods and pharmaceutical products. However, most drying processes are highly energy and time consuming, which makes them costly, and also cause numerous changes in the product that may impair its quality. Several aspects must be considered in the choice of the type of dryer, because different parameters may imply different purchase costs, energy consumption, and effects on quality. In this study, to simplify the decision-making process, the application of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was tested and proved to be satisfactory.

Keywords:

• Analytic hierarchy process (AHP)
• Food drying
• Processing cost
• Tomato