Risk assessment in cheese production process using failure mode and effects analysis and intuitionistic fuzzy topsis

The aim of this study is to evaluate the cheese production process, which plays a significant role in the milk and dairy industry, in terms of physical, chemical, and microbiological risks using the integrated Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Intuitionistic Fuzzy TOPSIS (IF-TOPSIS) methods. Although the classical FMEA method is a widely used analytical technique that helps identify and reduce potential risks in processes, it has some drawbacks: such as the possibility that different failure modes may have the same risk priority values (RPN) and risk factor weights. To address this shortcoming, the intuitionistic fuzzy set theory was used to determine the RPN values. This study aimed to identify failures that may occur at critical steps in the production chain, their possible causes, their impact on product quality, and the priority of preventive actions. The study demonstrates that the intuitionistic fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach is an effective tool for food safety and quality management in the dairy products industry.