Clarifier

Clarifiers operate equipment to remove sediments and moisture from oleo and oils. They heat clarifying tank with steam and strainers for the clarification process. They remove foreign matters from the surface of hot oleo or oil stacks using skimmers.

The following job titles also refer to clarifier:

oil extractor operative
clarifier machine controller
oil extractor operator
clarifier equipment operator

No formal educational credential is generally required to work as a clarifier.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Clarifier is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to clarifier.

oil mill operator
hydrogenation machine operator
cocoa press operator
fat-purification worker
refining machine operator

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of clarifier. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of clarifier with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

green coffee coordinator
water treatment systems operator
animal feed supervisor
malt house supervisor
food production planner

These skills are necessary for the role of clarifier.

• Disassemble equipment: Disassembles equipment using hand tools in order to clean equipments and to perform regular operational maintenance.
• Filter edible oils: Filter oil as one of the processes of oil extraction. Pump oil, using equipment such as sifters or cloths, and adhere to health and safety regulations.
• Apply HACCP: Apply regulations regarding manufacture of food and food safety compliance. Employ food safety procedures based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP).
• Tend mixing oil machine: Use machines to weigh and mix vegetable oils for products, such as salad oils, shortening and margarine, according to formula.
• Be at ease in unsafe environments: Be at ease in unsafe environments like being exposed to dust, rotating equipment, hot surfaces, sub-freezing and cold storage areas, noise, wet floors and moving lift equipment.
• Control flow of matter used in oil processing: Adjust rate of flow of hydrogen, steam, air and water into converter. Weigh and add specified amounts of catalytic agents and other chemicals to harden batch of oils or fats.
• Assess oil hardness: Assess samples to make sure that hardness of oils are in accordance with specifications.
• Follow hygienic procedures during food processing: Ensure a clean working space according to hygienic standards in the food processing industry.
• Adhere to organisational guidelines: Adhere to organisational or department specific standards and guidelines. Understand the motives of the organisation and the common agreements and act accordingly.
• Pump products: Operate pumping machines according to specific procedures and depending on the kind of product. Ensure correct quantities and adequate feeding for the process.
• Apply requirements concerning manufacturing of food and beverages: Apply and follow national, international, and internal requirements quoted in standards, regulations and other specifications related with manufacturing of food and beverages.
• Apply GMP: Apply regulations regarding manufacture of food and food safety compliance. Employ food safety procedures based on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
• Carry out checks of production plant equipment: Carry out checks of the machinery and equipment used in the production plant. Ensure that the machinery is working properly, set machines before usage, and assure continuous operability of the equipment.
• Assess quality characteristics of food products: Assess quality characteristics of food products in terms of the main properties (e.g. physical, sensorial, chemical, technological, etc.) for raw materials, half-finished products, as well as finish products.
• Operate weighing machine: Work with a weighing machine to measure raw, half-finished and finished products.
• Monitor oil blending process: Monitor the blending process of oil. Make adjustments to blending process according to results of tests.
• Perform oil clarification with boiling methods: Clarify oil by boiling with water. Heat freshly-extracted oil with a specified amount of water added. Pour off oil when most of the water has been boiled out, leaving the coagulated solids at the bottom of the container. Strive to leave a solid residue which contains a minimal amount of residual oil.
• Maintain tanks: Clean and keep in adequate condition tanks, basins, and filter beds using hand tools and power tools.
• Clarify oil by settlement: Clarify oil by settlement. Leave freshly extracted oils to stand in a small oil drum or bucket for several days allowing solids to settle. After settlement, pour off the clear or ‘supernatant’ oil, leaving the plant debris at the bottom of the container. These settled solids are called foots.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of clarifier. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Origin of dietary fats and oils: The distinction between dietary fats that come fromanimals and oils derived from vegetables.
• Components of oil seeds: Chemical constituents of oil seeds, hull content, oil content and the effect of planting and harvesting at the right time for oil extraction.
• Oil seed process: Oil seed process from cleaning the oil bearing seed, decorticating the seed, crushing, conditioning and heating, to filtering and neutralising.
• Alkali stages of refining processes for edible oils: Stages of the alkali refining process for edible oils which include heating, conditioning, neutralising, re-refining, washing of oils.
• Mechanical engineering applicable to edible oil seed: Applying mechanical engineering principles to edible oil seed such as the installation of machinery, repair, and welding practices, steam equipment installation and the applications of this equipment in the processing of oil seeds and the production of the oil.
• Free fatty acid elimination processes: The processes for the refining of edible oils and fats to eliminate free fatty acids (FFA). This includes the physical refining, a process that builds on the lower boiling point of the free fatty acids compared to the boiling point of the triglyceride oil, and also chemical or alkaline refining, where an alkali is used to neutralise the free fatty acids.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of clarifier. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Check sensorial parameters of oils and fats: Check sensorial parameters of olive oils, seed oils and edible fats such as taste, smell and touch.
• Act reliably: Proceed in a way that one can be relied on or depended on.
• Perform cleaning duties: Perform cleaning duties such as waste removal, vacuuming, emptying bins, and general cleaning of the working area. Cleaning activities should follow health and safety regulations if required.
• Liaise with colleagues: Liaise with fellow colleagues to ensure common understanding on work related affairs and agree on the necessary compromises the parties might need to face. Negotiate compromises between parties as to ensure that work in general run efficiently towards the achievement of the objectives.
• Dispose food waste: Dispose or collect food waste with the purpose of recycling or throwing away from the production process. Follow established procedures for their disposal taking care of the environment and the safety matters according to legislations.
• Liaise with managers: Liaise with managers of other departments ensuring effective service and communication, i.e. sales, planning, purchasing, trading, distribution and technical.
• Ensure compliance with environmental legislation in food production: Make sure to comply with environmental legislation in food production. Understand the legislation related to environmental matters in food manufacturing and apply it in practice.

8160 – Food and related products machine operators

References

1. Clarifier – ESCO