A Tri-Stage Interval-Neutrosophic Linguistic Decision Framework for Designing Intangible Cultural Heritage Food Education Programs in Primary Schools

Integrating intangible cultural heritage (ICH) into primary school education is a powerful way to foster cultural identity, intergenerational continuity, and awareness from a young age. Among various forms of ICH, traditional food knowledge and practices represent a valuable yet underutilized component due to their subjective interpretation and curricular constraints. To address this, we propose a novel decision-making framework using interval-valued neutrosophic linguistic numbers (IV-RNLNs), designed specifically to evaluate and prioritize traditional food modules for inclusion in primary education. The framework operates in three stages cognitive compatibility, practical feasibility, and cultural anchoring capturing how well each food course aligns with student learning levels, school environments, and cultural heritage values. Expert evaluations are expressed through refined linguistic terms under uncertainty, allowing partial belief, hesitation, and opposition to be modeled simultaneously. Aggregated through a customized neutrosophic linguistic operator, the framework computes a Cultural Alignment Index (CAI) for ranking candidate food modules. A case study involving Mediterranean food elements demonstrates the framework’s ability to process uncertain, imprecise, and linguistic input data while producing transparent and culturally grounded decisions. The model provides educational policymakers with a rigorous and adaptable tool for designing food heritage curricula aligned with national identity and global educational goals.