Cut fresh produce by hand
Overview
This standard is about the skills and knowledge needed for you to cut fresh produce by hand. You will need the skills and knowledge to use knives and other cutting equipment, to undertake activities such as produce trimming, peeling, dividing and cutting produce to size. The cutting and handling of produce is essential to maintaining the quality of the final product and minimising waste. You will need the skills and knowledge to set-up and hand cut items of fresh produce according to product specifications. You will also need the skills and knowledge to work to organisational product specifications and production schedules. This standard is for you if you work in food and drink manufacture and/or supply operations and are involved in production operations.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
Prepare to hand cut fresh produce
prepare to hand cut fresh produce according to the legal or
regulatory requirements, the organisational health and safety,
hygiene and environmental standards and instructions
confirm process specification
prepare your work station to check conditions are suitable for
hand cutting
obtain tools and equipment required to support planned
processing operations
sharpen cutting equipment into a condition suitable for achieving
required process specification
obtain produce to meet required process specification
take action in response to operating problems
maintain communication according to organisational procedures
Hand cut fresh produce
cut fresh produce to the legal or regulatory requirements, the
organisational health and safety, hygiene and environmental
standards and instructions
cut fresh produce to achieve required yield and quality
requirements
trim products to achieve required appearance
achieve required rate of production
handle and store products in a manner which maintains quality
and condition
maintain condition of work station throughout the process
dispose of waste material according to organisational procedures
sharpen cutting equipment as required to maintain their
effectiveness as a cutting tool
make sure the product is transferred to the next stage in the
process
take action in response to operating problems
maintain communication according to organisational procedures
Finish cutting operations
finish cutting fresh produce according to the legal or regulatory
requirements, the organisational health and safety, hygiene and
environmental standards and instructions
deal with materials that can be re-cycled or re-worked
dispose of waste material according to organisational procedures
make equipment and work station ready for future use, after the
completion of the process
maintain communication according to organisational procedures
complete all records in accordance with organisational standards
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
what the legal or regulatory requirements, the organisational
health and safety, hygiene and environmental standards and
instructions are and what may happen if they are not followed
- the personal protective clothing that is required to support hand
cutting
the tools and equipment required to support hand cutting
how to sharpen, maintain and store cutting equipment
how to obtain and interpret the relevant process specifications
how to identify commonly processed fresh produce
how to prepare and maintain work stations in a condition suitable
for hand cutting
- how to cut using cutting equipment to achieve the required
product specification
how to assess the quality of both whole and cut fresh produce
how to deal with product that is not fit for use
common quality problems associated with hand cutting and their
likely causes
the importance of accurate cutting linked to profitability
what action to take when the process specification is not met
what by-products from the process can be reworked and recycled
the importance of maintaining product control and traceability
during cutting
how to dispose of waste according to organisational procedures
how inaccurate cutting can affect other processes in production,
lead to wastage and potential customer complaints
- how to deal with operating problems within limits of your own
authority and competence and why it is important to work within
those limits
- what recording, reporting and communication is needed, how to
carry this out and the reasons why it is important to do so