Food Quality and Preference 40 (2015) 180–190

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Food Quality and Preference

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/foodqual

Application of Quality Function Deployment for the development

of an organic product
Jaqueline de Fátima Cardoso a, Nelson Casarotto Filho b, Paulo Augusto Cauchick Miguel b,⇑
a
Post-graduate Program in Production Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina – UFSC, Brazil
b
Department of Production and Systems Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina – UFSC, Brazil

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: The application of the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method to develop food products has been
Received 24 September 2013 reported in a number of studies. Nevertheless, QFD was originally designed for other industrial sectors,
Received in revised form 14 September 2014 and as such, certain adjustments are necessary for an effective application in the food sector. In this con-
Accepted 29 September 2014
text, this study aims at demonstrating an application of QFD in the development of an organic product.
Available online 18 October 2014
There has been growing global demand for this type of product in recent years. This type of QFD appli-
cation is not empirically consolidated in the literature. Thus, this study might be considered a pilot work.
Keywords:
A QFD conceptual model consisting of four matrices was constructed to develop an organic fruit jelly. The
Quality Function Deployment
QFD
main adaptation is in the first matrix, which includes the key players in the supply chain. As food’s ingre-
Product development dients have natural variations in composition, the interactions among the ingredients are to be consid-
Organic food ered. In addition, the influence of the production processes on the product’s functional properties and
the effects of the supply chain on the ingredients ensure that this type of product development has dif-
ferent variables compared to other QFD applications for non-food products. Therefore, the conceptual
model used in this study may serve in the development of other food products. This study asserts that
the element of socio-environmental responsibility is essential for developing an organic product because
this dimension comprised one-third of the relative weight of the planned quality.
Ó 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Introduction
In the 1960s, companies in Japan exhibited strong growth, par-
ticularly in the automotive sector, with constant changes to existing
vehicle models and new product launches (Akao, 1990, 1996;
Carnevalli, Sassi, & Cauchick Miguel, 2004). This growth generated
the need for a method that would assure product quality in all
phases of the new product development process. Studies
performed in Japan to meet this need resulted in a method called
Quality Function Deployment – QFD (Akao, 1996). The purpose of
QFD is to translate the quality requirements from customers into
the attributes of a product; however, it can also be used to develop
services (Carnevalli & Cauchick Miguel, 2008). The application
of QFD improves product reliability, reduces design time
(Devadasan, Kathiravan, & Thirunavukkarasu, 2006), and increases
customer satisfaction (Carnevalli, Cauchick Miguel, & Calarge,
2010; Lager, 2005).
⇑ Corresponding author at: Campus Universitário Trindade, Caixa Postal 476 –
88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil. Tel.: +55 48 3721 7039.
E-mail addresses: jaquelinecardoso@yahoo.com.br (J. de Fátima Cardoso),
casarotto@deps.ufsc.br (N. Casarotto Filho), paulo.cauchick@ufsc.br (P.A. Cauchick
Miguel).
Seeing the benefits of its application, QFD was adopted by sev-
eral other countries and was introduced in the USA and Europe in
the 1980s. Although QFD has been used in the food industry since
1987, the published examples are relatively limited (Benner,
Linnemann, Jongen, & Folstar, 2003; Hofmeister, 1991). In Brazil,
the method was only just introduced in the 1990s (Carnevalli
et al., 2004). At that time, the method was introduced in a food
and packaging company (Sadia S.A.), and there are reports of QFD
applications in the industrial sector in Brazil since 1995 (Cheng,
2003).
It is worth mentioning that the production of and market for
organic foods have expanded internationally and in Brazil since
the 1990s (Guivant, 2003). The global demand for organic food
has risen because people are more aware of the health impacts
of chemical residues in foods (Arbos, de Freitas, Stertz, &
Carvalho, 2010). Similarly, other researchers (e.g., Lobley, Butler,
& Reed, 2009; Louden & Macrae, 2010; Maxey, 2006; Retamales,
2011; Trauger, 2007) argue that the demand for organic foods is
growing fast. Moreover, Demiryurek (2010) highlights that the
growing consumer demand for organic foods has led to the devel-
opment of international trade in organic agricultural products.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2014.09.012
0950-3293/Ó 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
 J. de Fátima Cardoso et al. / Food Quality and Preference 40 (2015) 180–190
Organic food production is aimed at producing ecologically sus-
tainable, economically viable, and socially equitable food capable
of integrating mankind into the environment (dos Santos &
Monteiro, 2004). Moreover, the previous authors argue that the
production of organic food has grown in both land areas under cul-
tivation and in the number of producers and consumer markets,
even though organic food represents a small portion of agriculture.
The growth of organic agriculture is observed because conven-
tional agriculture is based on the intensive use of chemicals. Con-
sumers regard the conventional production system as a possible
risk to their health and the environment and seek contamina-
tion-free products (dos Santos & Monteiro, 2004). Organic agricul-
ture is a production system that aims at achieving a better quality
of life for those who produce and consume food. Considering the
demand and market for this type of product, further growth is pro-
jected in this market segment (dos Santos & Monteiro, 2004).
Considering the increased demand for organic foods and the
variety of food choices, producers seek to differentiate their prod-
ucts to gain consumers. The QFD method fulfils this purpose
because it captures the voice of customers (VoC) and transforms
it into the quality characteristics and attributes of the product.
Although there have been publications on this subject in the food
industry, outlets concerning the use of QFD in the development
of organic food, which is the focus of this paper, are scarce.
This work is aimed at demonstrating a QFD application in the
development of an organic product, that is, an organic fruit jelly.
The following sections present the concept of QFD and its use in
food product development. The subsequent section describes the
research methods and procedures used to conduct this work. The
following section presents a proposal for the application of QFD
for the development of organic products. Finally, the conclusions
of this work are drawn.
Related literature regarding Quality Function Deployment
Cheng and de Melo Filho (2007) define QFD as a way to system-
atically communicate information related to the level of quality
and explain the work related to achieving quality, thereby aiming
to reach the level of quality during product development. To
achieve this, QFD uses matrices to deploy customer demanded
quality throughout the product development process. There are
two theoretical lines in the application of QFD. The first line, pro-
posed by Akao (1990), is as follows: there are a number of matrices
with an emphasis on quality, technology, reliability and cost. The
other line is the four stages model proposed by Hauser and
Clausing (1988), which is a simplified model in which four matri-
ces are drawn, one for each stage of product development: the
house of quality, component planning, the planning process and
production planning. The set of matrices should be in place regard-
less of the theoretical line. This set is called the QFD conceptual
model. It can be defined as a set of deployment tables and matrices
of a given product development, in which the matrices are estab-
lished considering cause and effect relationships (Cheng & de
Melo Filho, 2007).
The use of QFD has benefits and drawbacks. There are tangible
benefits, such as improved reliability, reduction in the number of
changes during product development, design time and costs, and
complaints, as well as increased revenues (Carnevalli & Cauchick
Miguel, 2008). The intangible benefits are a flexible method, with
communication improvement, assistance in decision-making and
priority setting, and increased company knowledge preservation
and customer satisfaction (Carnevalli & Cauchick Miguel, 2008).
There are difficulties in using QFD, including interpreting cus-
tomer desires, defining the relationships between demanded qual-
ity and quality characteristics, developing teamwork and general
181
lack of knowledge of how to use the method (Carnevalli &
Cauchick Miguel, 2008). Such difficulties have decreased the use
of QFD. The authors of this study have proposed a way to reduce
these difficulties. The difficulties and the proposal to reduce them
are complemented by the studies of Benner, Geerts, et al. (2003)
and Benner, Linnemann, et al. (2003), all of which are specifically
focused on the development of food products.
QFD in the development of food products
The QFD method can be used in the development of different
types of products (Benner, Linnemann, et al., 2003). Cauchick
Miguel (2005) conducted a multiple-case study in seven compa-
nies operating in Brazil to identify the best practices in the devel-
opment of products using QFD. It was observed that the application
of QFD in the food sector is one of the method’s best in the country.
Benner, Linnemann, et al. (2003) discuss whether QFD can be
fully applied in the development of food products, taking into
account that the method was developed for other industrial sec-
tors. Publications on QFD in the development of food products typ-
ically present general information, and the focus is on the first
matrix and related to quality (demanded quality versus quality
characteristics). The previous authors add that, after a thorough
analysis of the published examples, it is clear that the information
is not as useful as it first seemed. The applications are quite lim-
ited, especially with regard to the four phases conceptual model;
some publications show the four stages approach, but a large
majority do not go beyond the first matrix.
The QFD is better suited to the improvement of food products
that already exist than to developing new products (Benner,
Linnemann, et al., 2003). One of the major disadvantages of the
method is the difficulty in using the four stages model for the
improvement of food products. This disadvantage occurs because
of the complexity of food products, the many interactions between
the ingredients and the influence of the productive processes on
the product’s functional properties. It is difficult to specify the
product requirement values (Benner, Linnemann, et al., 2003).
There is a natural variation in the composition of food ingredients
generating a higher standard deviation in comparison to the value
obtained in other industrial sectors.
Benner, Linnemann, et al. (2003) claim that the matrices are
very useful in visualizing the data and information necessary to
improve and develop a new product. Even when applying QFD as
presented by other researchers with expert experience, the method
may not be applied in the food sector without changes. The final
quality of food products depends not only on the quality of ingre-
dients but also on the processes that are applied by those involved
in the production chain. Benner, Linnemann, et al. (2003) suggest
some simplifications of the product in terms of its characteristics
and interactions to retain manageable matrices. These simplifica-
tions must rely on research and development (R&D) knowledge
and those involved throughout the entire production chain.
Another adjustment to the QFD method to make it applicable to
food products is the replacement of objective values with inter-
vals-objectives because ingredients are often physiologically active
and subject to change.
Some proposals for modifying the QFD to apply it to the devel-
opment of food products have been made. Hofmeister (1991) pro-
posed that the ‘QFD Food Industry Roadmap’, in which two
alternative paths are defined from the voice of customer, be used
throughout the new product development process in the develop-
ment of packaging or food. Bech, Engelund, Juhl, Kristensen, and
Poulsen (1994) divide the engineering features (‘hows’) into tech-
niques and sense. Holmen and Kristensen (1996) divided the attri-
butes of customer needs into those of the intermediary user and
182 J. de Fátima Cardoso et al. / Food Quality and Preference 40 (2015) 180–190

those of the final user. Modifications of the first matrix are found in
the literature (e.g., in Benner, 2005; Benner, Geerts, et al., 2003).
Considering the benefits of QFD and the difficulties presented
by Benner, Linnemann, et al. (2003), the method has been applied
in the development of food products such as chocolate (Viaene &
Januszewska, 1999), fruits (Miguel, Spoto, Abrahão & da Silva,
2007), pasta (Pinto & Paiva, 2010; Waisarayutt & Tutiyapak,
2006), wheat flour (Kristianto, Ajmal, & Sandhu, 2012), meat
(Park, Ham, & Lee, 2012; Rosado Junior et al., 2011), and olive oil
(Bevilacqua, Ciarapica, & Marchetti, 2012). Table 1 summarizes a
selection of publications and their goals, methods and tools, prod-
uct and key results (for more details refer to the Appendix).
It is observed in Table 1 that the use of QFD in the development
of food products involves interviews with and administering ques-
tionnaires to consumers, the opinion of experts, and sensorial anal-
ysis. It also enables investigating the qualities required by
consumers and prioritizing them according to customers’ views.
One of the methods used in conjunction with the QFD is the Anal-
ysis of Cross Cultural Consumer Characterization (4Cs). The QFD
focuses on different types of customers, and different qualities
are required by distinct groups. The 4C method establishes that
although customers have the same age or income level, they do
not necessarily have the same buying behaviour because of differ-
ent attitudes and levels of value awareness.

Table 1
Use of QFD in the development of food products.

References Objective Methods and tools Product Main results

Viaene and Januszews Build a structured approach for food
(1999) development through the ‘house of
quality’ applying to chocolate couverture
Waisarayutt and Assess the potential of using Quality
Tutiyapak (2006) Function Deployment in the process of
new product development
Miguel, Spoto, Abrahão Establish the consumer purchasing
and da Silva (2007) behavior concerning pineapple through
the QFD method
Pinto and Paiva (2010) Development of pasta using QFD
Rosado Junior et al. Determination of the main quality
(2011) characteristics required by the buyers of
the bulls in terms of the products and
services associated with using the method
of splitting the quality function
Kristianto, Ajmal and Search for the customer satisfaction by
Sandhu (2012) taking into account the strategy of total
quality management adopted in a
company for the grinding of wheat flour
Park, Ham, and Lee Use the QFD to identify the needs of North
(2012) American customers for a popular Korean
food
Bevilacqua, Ciarapica Test the evaluation technique based on
and Marchetti QFD and fuzzy logic. This enable to assess
(2012) the main characteristics of olive oil, which
are determining factors for customers and
influence product acceptance
Consumer segmentation; analyses of
consumer needs; technical and sensory
specifications, instrumental and sensory
specifications. Data evaluation by
statistical methods (ANOVA and factor
analysis)
Choice of three types of macaroni by
listening to consumers; use of analysis of
cross cultural consumer characterization
(4Cs); sensorial analysis; construction of
arrays for product planning and process
control
Interview with consumers in addition to
taste tests
Interview with costumers; quality table of
cleavage; extraction of characteristics of
final product; sensory evaluation;
definition of the target quality and
characteristics of the raw material
Application of QFD considering the
products and services together – the
model proposed by Ribeiro, Echeveste,
and Danilevicz (2000)
Customer satisfaction survey;
competition benchmarking; construction
of a production matrix; development of
an action plan; QFD assessment
Use of QFD in four stages; research with
customers and specialists
Application of fuzzy logic to handle data
from subjective evaluations expressed
verbally. Construction of a first matrix
(‘house of quality’)
Chocola-te The ‘house of quality’ can be
couvertu-re developed for more products in a
certain experiment. Each of the
matrices show significant
differences between the designed
variables, i.e. the particular
preferences and real sensorial
perceptions
Macaroni The use of the 4Cs in conjunction
with the QFD allowed greater
detailing of the needs of the
different types of customers
Pineapple The method was considered
effective in the evaluation of the
product. Dissatisfaction was
identified in consumers with regard
to the quality of the product
Pasta ready The construction of matrices and
to consume the discussions inherent to this
with pre- activity provided a better
biotic perception of the relationship
function between the quality characteristics
of the final product and the
parameters for quality control of the
raw materials
Bull The adaptation of QFD for the
combined analysis (product and
service) interferes with the results,
particularly those related to the
priority of services and can be used
for other studies about this product
Wheat flour The method should be applied at the
lower levels of operation to
encourage people to apply the
program to improve the quality in a
proactive way. This method trims
the life cycle of analysis between a
QFD and another and the company
becomes more competitive
Bulgogi Use of QFD as a tool for product
(bovine improvement, focusing on the first
meat) matrix (‘house of quality’ – HOQ).
The model in four stages involves
successive applications of HOQ in
the phases of planning of the
product and production. It enables
to suggest more systematic
methods to increase consumption of
Bulgogi in the international market
Olive oil Allowed to grade the quality of 7
different brands of olive oil in
relation to customer preferences.
The proposed technique can be used
both for new products and for
testing the quality of existing ones
 J. de Fátima Cardoso et al. / Food Quality and Preference 40 (2015) 180–190
New food products often do not succeed because they are not
designed in accordance with consumers’ wishes or are not effi-
ciently produced (Benner, Geerts, et al., 2003). The information
required for an efficient product development process is often
not relayed to the appropriate party in the production chain. In this
sense, Benner, Geerts, et al. (2003) and Benner (2005) propose a
conceptual model to gather and disseminate essential information
focused on the development of products, with consideration for the
productive chain. The model is based on QFD and includes some
adjustments to make it applicable to the development of food
products. The proposal is called the ‘Chain Information Model’
(CIM) and suggests changes to the first matrix (Fig. 1).
According to the authors (Benner, Geerts, et al., 2003; Benner,
Linnemann, et al., 2003), it is not possible to set accurate target val-
ues to the quality requirements in the matrices for the following
reasons: (i) the complex and diverse composition of food products;
(ii) the interactions between many ingredients, such as chemical
reactions; and (iii) the influence of the productive chain and pro-
duction processes on the properties of the products. Thus, all the
actors in the production chain are initially included in the first
matrix instead of the quality characteristics. This is known as a
‘matrix of information’ (Fig. 1). Demanded quality versus produc-
tive chain actors is shown in the central part of the matrix with
the following relationship indicators: ‘strong’, ‘weak’ or ‘non-
existent’.
The proposed conceptual model consists of the following
phases: (i) data and information collection; (ii) data and informa-
tion processing; and (iii) dissemination of data and information.
First, the consumer data (demanded quality) must be gathered.
The productive chain and manufacturing processes must be
mapped to determine how the actors (or processes) influence the
quality characteristics of the production process. It is possible to
identify the influence of each member of the productive chain in
the quality demanded by consumers. To systematize the influence
of the actors in the productive chain, Benner, Geerts, et al. (2003)
use the ‘Quality Dependence Diagrams’ (QDD), a type of map able
to make connections between the required features and actors.
The scenarios are then determined for the realization of the
desired product. These scenarios are formulated sequentially by
means of a systematic analysis of the options for each actor in
the productive chain. For each possible change made by an actor,
the consequences for the other quality features and actors must
be identified. To do this, decision trees are developed and targets
Productive
chain actors
Demanded
quality
Relationship
Fig. 1. Matrix of information (Benner, Linnemann, et al., 2003; 2007).
183
are established for the members of the productive chain with a
focus on demanded quality. A suitable scenario is determined in
addition to the targets. The necessary information is distributed
to the production chain actors.
The previous work’s proposal was developed through an appli-
cation for the production of healthy food. To simplify this, the con-
struction of the conceptual model focused on improving an
existing product. In this application, two agents of the chain were
used: the broccoli cultivator and the plant processor.
The conceptual model proposed by Benner, Geerts, et al. (2003)
as well as the studies presented in Table 1, were used as the basis
for developing a proposal for the development of organic products
using the QFD.
Research methods
This work was conducted within the context of organic agri-
culture. Organic agriculture is based on improving soil fertility
through a biological process of using organic matter, which is
essential to plant health. This type of agriculture is opposed to
the use of soluble chemical fertilizers and genetically modified
organisms. Organic agriculture presents a set of well-defined
standards for production and marketing that are accepted both
nationally and internationally. Currently, the term ‘organic farm-
ing’ is used in countries with Anglo-Saxon, Germanic and Latin
language origins. ‘Organic farming’ can be considered a synonym
for biological agriculture and includes the agricultural practices of
biodynamic and natural agriculture (Darolt, 2010).
In Brazil, products of this type of agriculture are denoted as
‘organic products’. Since 2010, all Brazilian organic products,
except those sold directly by family farmers, are required to have
a seal from the Brazilian System of Organic Conformity Assessment
(SISORG). When designating ‘organic’ or ‘organic product’ on the
label, the product must contain no more than 5% of non-organic
ingredients, which must be listed individually (Ministry of
Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, 2009).
The research procedures were divided into three steps. Step 1
comprised a bibliographic search to identify and select relevant
publications; in particular, specific articles related to the use of
QFD in the development of organic food, as presented in the previ-
ous section. The literature search was conducted by selecting pub-
lications from 2002 (a 10-year period aimed at having an updated
set of publications; nevertheless, other relevant articles published
prior to that time were also taken into consideration, e.g., Viaene &
Januszewska, 1999) in the following databases: Scopus, the ISI-
Web of Science, Science Direct, and Emerald. The term ‘Quality
Function Deployment’ was combined with the terms ‘agroecologic*
farming’, ‘agroecologic* product*’, ‘agriculture* product*’, ‘food
product*’, ‘agriculture*’; and ‘farming’. A Brazilian database (Scien-
tific Electronic Library Online – <www.scielo.br>) was also
searched, using the general terms ‘Quality Function Deployment’
and ‘QFD’, without a set time period. In total, 37 articles were
retrieved. After excluding duplicated articles and checking the
titles and abstracts, 13 articles associated with the main subject
remained. The main criterion for article selection was having a
clear development of food products using the QFD. Theoretical
studies on QFD related to the subject were considered by checking
the articles’ references.
Step 2 consisted of developing the QFD application by selecting
literature to form the basis for this work, as well as defining the
QFD conceptual model (set of matrices) suitable for product devel-
opment. From the publications identified in Step 1, the work of
Benner, Geerts, et al. (2003) was selected. This work is specific to
the development of food products using QFD, and the authors
adapted the method to be used in food products and emphasized
184 J. de Fátima Cardoso et al. / Food Quality and Preference 40 (2015) 180–190

the difficulties encountered in doing so. Their proposal was the
basis for the development of organic food; specifically, an organic
jelly.
Step 3 comprised the development of the QFD proposal. The
application of QFD began by appraising the level of quality
demanded by a small sample group of organic product consumers
by means of a questionnaire composed of two open-ended ques-
tions: one question was related to the product (jelly), and the
other was related to the packaging. The sample was intentional
as it was previously identified that members were confirmed
consumers of organic products. The respondents were contacted
in advance and confirmed that they were jelly consumers. The
study’s goals were presented to them, and they agreed to partic-
ipate. From the demanded level of quality extracted from the
answers, a two-level tree diagram was drawn (Table 2) to detail
those qualities. The quality levels were evaluated by the consum-
ers who attributed a degree of importance from 1 to 5, with 1
being the least important, and 5 being the most important. Next,
the quality characteristics were extracted from the demanded
quality, and the quality elements were defined, e.g., the physical
and chemical properties, the flavour, the environmental responsi-
bility, the weight and the appearance. A two-level tree diagram
was drawn to group the quality characteristics. Based on the pre-
vious data, a preliminary matrix of the QFD conceptual model
was built by linking the main elements of the supply chain with
the demanded quality. In addition to consumers, subject experts
were consulted to collect information on the process of manufac-
turing fruit jelly and the production supply chain. The degree of
influence of each actor was indicated by assigning 9 for ‘strong
relationship’, 3 for ‘poor relationship’, and blank for ‘no relation-
ship’. The other matrices were built using the following:
demanded quality versus characteristics of quality; production
process versus quality characteristics; and raw materials versus
quality characteristics. For the relationships in those matrices, a
scale of 9 (strong), 3 (moderate), 1 (weak), and blank (non-exis-
tent) was used.

Table 2
Deployment of the quality elements and quality characteristics.

Demanded quality Quality element Quality characteristics (units –

variables or attributes)
Primary level – Jelly Secondary level – Jelly
Have good looking Have intense and vivid colour Physical properties Quantity of fruit pigments (%)
Quantity of fruit pieces (%)
Show natural fruit pigments Quantity of fruit pigments (%)
Have fruit pieces Quantity of fruit pieces (%)
Have a jelly consistency Concentration of pectin (%)
Be tasty Have little sugar Flavour Concentration of sugar (%)
Have low acidity Concentration of sugar (%)
Acidity (pH)
Have taste similar to original fruit Concentration of sugar (%)
Non-existence of chemical products and Have natural products without preservatives and Chemical properties Limit of non-organic ingredients
genetically modified products chemical additives (5%)
Use organic sugar Chemical properties Limit of non-organic ingredients
(5%)
Be household production Environmental responsibility Origin from agroecology
agriculture (yes/no)
Primary level – Package Secondary level – Package
Provide information on the origin of the Indicate the producer and its relationship with Environmental responsibility Origin from agroecology
product agroecological organizations agriculture (yes/no)
Demonstrate environmental Refer to the quality of life of the producer and Environmental responsibility Origin from agroecology
responsibility consumer agriculture (yes/no)
Indicate agroecological production Origin from agroecology
agriculture (yes/no)
Present organic certification in accordance with Certification stamp (yes/no)
the Brazilian rules
Enable to see the product Be in a transparent container (glass) Physical properties Recyclability and/or reuseabability
(yes/no)
Allow reuse Be possible to use after consumption Physical properties Recyclability and/or reuseabability
(yes/no)
Have the possibility to refill Physical properties Recyclability and/or reuseabability
Environmental responsibility (yes/no)
Have an appropriate cover for reuse Physical properties Recyclability and/or reuseabability
Environmental responsibility
Be recyclable Physical properties Recyclability and/or reuseabability
Environmental responsibility (yes/no)
Have appropriate size Have low weight (around 250 g) Weight Packing weight 300 g
Have low weight (around 250 g) Packing weight (g)
Have small packages (less than 100 g) Packing weight (g)
Show appearance of the package Have a label of recyclable paper Appearance Recyclable paper label (yes/no)
Have a printed label on the package itself Recyclable paper label (yes/no)
Have a colour label Colourful label (yes/no)
Have a label that refers to nature Informative label (yes/no)
Have a simple label Recyclable paper label (yes/no)
Possess a brand Brand label (yes/no)
Be easy to open Possess a specific system for opening Physical properties Sealing wax for opening the
package (yes/no)
 J. de Fátima Cardoso et al. / Food Quality and Preference 40 (2015) 180–190
Results and discussion
The proposed conceptual model of this work is composed of
four matrices, shown in Fig. 2. The product chosen to be developed
was an organic fruit jelly.
To construct Matrix 1 (Fig. 3), a questionnaire with two open-
ended questions was submitted to the consumers of organic prod-
ucts to inquire what characteristics an organic fruit jelly should
have in regards to the product itself and its packaging. From their
responses, a tree was drawn (with two levels) to detail the
demanded quality. The tree was later sent to consumers to assign
a degree of importance to the quality characteristics on a scale of
1–5 (1 being ‘not important’ and 5 being ‘very important’). It was
then possible to define the remaining matrices (quality planning,
sales points, and the relative absolute weight).
The relationships between demanded quality and the produc-
tive chain were evaluated using the following scale: 9 = ‘strong’,
3 = ‘weak’ and, blank = ‘non-existent’. The farmer and the producer,
followed by the suppliers of seeds and sugar, are the actors with
the greatest responsibility to meet the demanded quality. The
transportation of raw material is important because organic prod-
ucts cannot be mixed with non-organic products due to the risk of
contamination. As for the actors in the productive chain, the tar-
gets should be defined to achieve the target quality for the final
product.
PC
DQ 1 2
Matrix 1: DQ (demanded quality) x PC
(productive chain)
Matrix 2: DQ (demanded quality) x QCPP
(quality characteristics of the final product)
Matrix 3: QCPP (quality characteristics of
the final product) x PP (productive process)
Matrix 4: QCPP (quality characteristics of
the final product) x RM (raw material)
Fig. 2. Conceptual model for organic products.
185
To develop the quality demanded by consumers (on the pri-
mary and secondary level), the quality elements were created
and used to derive the quality characteristics of the final product
(Table 2). Matrix 2 was then built (Fig. 4). This matrix connects
the demanded quality to the quality characteristics using the fol-
lowing scale: 9 = ‘strong relationship’, 3 = ‘moderate’, 1 = ‘weak
relationship’ and blank = ‘non-existent’ or ‘zero’. The target quality
of the final product was defined based on this matrix.
Matrix 3 (Fig. 5) includes the quality characteristics and the
production process. The results of this matrix show that the grind-
ing and concentration (cooking) stages of the production process
are responsible for obtaining the quality characteristics of the jelly.
This finding indicates that for each 10 l of fruit, 3 min of grinding
are required. In the process of concentration (the method of pro-
cessing in a pen pan), the cooking time should be a maximum of
90 min, and the spoon test or another test should be used to ensure
an adequate cooking time.
Matrix 4 (Fig. 6) was related to the raw materials and quality
characteristics. The fruit and sugar are the elements with the great-
est influence on the characteristics of quality, followed by the pec-
tin and acid. With respect to the fruit, the degree of maturity is of
paramount importance. The suitable time (days) for maturing the
fruit is variable with the type of fruit and climatic conditions such
as temperature and rainfall. It is not possible to define an exact
time for this stage, and the farmer sets the harvest time based on
QCPP
PP
3
RM
4
186 J. de Fátima Cardoso et al. / Food Quality and Preference 40 (2015) 180–190

Fig. 3. Matrix 1 – Demanded quality versus productive chain.

 J. de Fátima Cardoso et al. / Food Quality and Preference 40 (2015) 180–190 187

Fig. 4. Matrix 2 – Demanded quality versus quality characteristics.

the type of fruit and climatic characteristics of the location in
which the fruit is cultivated. It was not possible to indicate the
quality characteristic units that are related to this aspect, such as
‘presence of pigments of the fruit’. The values of control were also
not listed. The sugar, pectin and acid in the jelly must be organic.
The label is also important in the quality characteristics.
The proposed conceptual model takes into consideration the
aspects of developing food products highlighted by Benner,
Linnemann, et al. (2003). Food is a product subject to the amend-
ments of productive chain players and the raw materials used. In
this sense, the QFD is a method that makes it possible to determine
these influences to promote the determination of goals and control
parameters with the objective of ensuring the quality of the final
product as required by the customer.
It is worth noting that the product development team using the
QFD must be multifunctional as suggested by Cheng and de Melo
Filho (2007), covering the functions of marketing, R&D, and manu-
facturing engineering. In this study some experts were consulted
during the stages of proposed application construction. However,
this proposed application of QFD can be used in a company after
188 J. de Fátima Cardoso et al. / Food Quality and Preference 40 (2015) 180–190

Fig. 5. Matrix 3 – Productive process versus quality characteristics.

Fig. 6. Matrix 4 – Raw material versus quality characteristics.

setting up a multifunctional team to ensure the effectiveness of the Conclusions

method, as recommended by Cauchick Miguel (2005).
Another important limitation is related to the quality targets.
The values and process parameters indicated in the matrices were
not tested because this is a pilot work and was not developed in a
company. There was no access to laboratories to perform the tests
needed. The values shown are references that should be reviewed
when real-life applications are employed.
This proposal differs from the conventional application of QFD
because it considers the actors of the productive chain in the first
matrix, assigning them the responsibility of being concerned with
the qualities required by customers. This application focused on a
different type of organic food, which has features beyond those tra-
ditionally required in food, such as socio-environmental responsi-
bility. The replacement of objective values with intervals-
objectives in the projected quality is another relevant difference
in the application of the method because the ingredients remain
physiologically active and may be subject to change.
The objective of the study was to demonstrate an application of
QFD for the development of organic products. The development of
organic fruit jelly was presented. Studies that used QFD specifically
in the development of organic products were not found in the lit-
erature. The proposal was then based on a conceptual model from
the literature, as well as from other studies that used QFD in the
development of food products. It was observed that the application
of QFD to develop food products lacks certain adaptations, consid-
ering that the food ingredients have natural variations in composi-
tion. The many interactions between the ingredients and the
influence of the productive processes on the functional properties
of the product, as well as the influence of the productive chain
on the ingredients, ensure that the development of food products
have different variables than that of a non-food product. Therefore,
the conceptual QFD model used in this study might fit the develop-
ment of other food products.
 J. de Fátima Cardoso et al. / Food Quality and Preference 40 (2015) 180–190
The modification in the first matrix containing the members of
the productive chain is crucial to ensure the qualities required by
the consumer. The QFD method will usually require adjustments
in food products, and the inclusion of the productive chain, the
consideration of the changes that the food may undergo in the pro-
duction process and the natural variations in the food product are
relevant points in this adaptation. The conceptual model composed
of four matrices is fundamental to fulfil the demanded quality
because the productive chain, the productive process, and the
raw material showed a strong influence on the quality characteris-
tics of the final product. It is possible to assert that in the quality
element, socio-environmental responsibility is essential for devel-
oping an organic product, as this dimension comprised one-third of
the relative weight of the planned quality.
The consumption of organic food has been increasing globally
as people become more concerned with health and environmental
issues. For food to be certified as organic it must meet certain
demand criteria, such as specific legislative requirements, inclu-
sion of the type of seedlings to be used, production, transportation,
addition of ingredients during the manufacturing process, and pro-
cessing of the final product. In this sense, the QFD can benefit the
relationship with the consumer by identifying the qualities
required of an organic product, linking them with the productive
chain, extracting the characteristics of quality and establishing
relationships with the productive process and raw material.
Although this work has consulted experts for the proposed QFD
application by a company, it is suggested that the use of a cross-
functional team with representatives from different functional
areas should be considered to ensure the effectiveness of the
method. In this study, the values and parameter values have not
been tested. The values presented in this study are for reference
only. For the effective application of this proposition in the devel-
opment of organic fruit jellies, authentic data might be considered
in future studies.
It is hypothesized that the proposed application has contributed
to the adaptation of the QFD method for the development of food
products; specifically, organic products. This study highlights that
the market for this type of product is growing, and it is reasonable
for companies to develop products from the viewpoint of the con-
sumer. The application of QFD reflects the voice of the customer in
the development of the production phase.
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the Brazilian research agencies CAPES and
CNPq for providing financial support for this research project. They
also appreciate the assistance of Elsevier English editing services
for language review. Finally, the authors thank the reviewers for
their great work and their suggestions and recommendations to
improve the paper.
Appendix A. Supplementary data
Supplementary data associated with this article can be found, in
the online version, at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.
2014.09.012.
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