A Structured Approach for Product-Driven Process Synthesis in Foods Manufacture

Aiming at a more structured approach toward the synthesis of product and processes in the food and drink sector, we proposed a methodology that exploits the synergy of combining product and process synthesis work streams. It is supported by decomposing the problem into a hierarchy of design levels of increasing refinement, where complex and emerging decisions are made to proceed from one level to another. Our proposed methodology consists of nine levels and five activities in each level. In this work, we describe in detail the current methodology, with emphasis on the scope of each design level and on a comprehensive description of the activities at each level. By applying it to one industrial case study, we stress the opportunities and benefits of the approach, which can result in a huge financial benefit in the fast-moving consumer goods industry and lead to novel and differentiating alternatives to current manufacture practices.