Cocoa press operator

Cocoa press operators tend one or more hydraulic cocoa presses to remove specified amounts of cocoa butter (natural oil of cocoa bean) from chocolate liquor.

The following job titles also refer to cocoa press operator:

cocoa compression operator
cocoa pressing operative
cocoa compression operative
cocoa pressing operator

No formal educational credential is generally required to work as a cocoa press operator.

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.

Cocoa press operator is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to cocoa press operator.

cocoa mill operator
yeast distiller
sugar refinery operator
cider fermentation operator
cacao bean roaster

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

green coffee coordinator
animal feed supervisor
water treatment systems operator
malt house supervisor
green coffee buyer

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of cocoa press operator.

• Hydraulics: The power transmission systems that use the force of flowing liquids to transmit power.
• Temperature scales: Celsius and Fahrenheit temperature scales.

These skills are necessary for the role of cocoa press operator.

• Disassemble equipment: Disassembles equipment using hand tools in order to clean equipments and to perform regular operational maintenance.
• Screen cocoa beans: Screen cocoa beans to select the appropriate beans for roasting and grinding. See to it that the selected beans conform to quality standards. Clean cocoa beans with minor defects.
• Check processing parameters: Check processing parameters to keep under control the technological processes.
• Clean food and beverage machinery: Clean machinery used for food or beverage production processes. Prepare the appropriate solutions for cleaning. Prepare all parts and assure that they are clean enough to avoid deviation or errors in the production process.
• Apply HACCP: Apply regulations regarding manufacture of food and food safety compliance. Employ food safety procedures based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP).
• 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.
• Follow hygienic procedures during food processing: Ensure a clean working space according to hygienic standards in the food processing industry.
• Separate by-products of pressed cocoa: Separate by-products of the cocoa pressing process, such as chocolate liquor and cocoa cakes, from the cocoa butter.
• 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.
• 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.
• Store cocoa pressing products: Use adequate recipients to store the outputs after pressing the cocoa. Fill pots with chocolate liquor, extrude specified amounts of cocoa butter into holding tank, and eject cocoa cakes onto conveyor.
• Operate weighing machine: Work with a weighing machine to measure raw, half-finished and finished products.
• Taste cocoa beans: Taste cocoa beans after roasting and make sure that there are no raw or burned flavours.
• Tend cocoa pressing machines: Operate one or more hydraulic cocoa presses to remove specified amounts of cocoa butter from chocolate liquor.
• Exert quality control to processing food: Ensure the quality of all factors involved in a food production process.

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

• Health, safety and hygiene legislation: The set of health, safety and hygiene standards and items of legislation applicable in a specific sector.

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

• Perform multiple tasks at the same time: Execute multiple tasks at the same time, being aware of key priorities.
• Act reliably: Proceed in a way that one can be relied on or depended on.
• Assess cocoa bean quality: Examining the type ofcocoa bean delivered by suppliers and matching it to the desired product.
• 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.
• Work in a food processing team: Collaborate in a team with other food processing professionals in service of the food and beverages industry.
• 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

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References

1. Cocoa press operator – ESCO