Control fresh produce ripening operations
Overview
This standard is about the skills and knowledge needed for you to control fresh produce ripening operations. You will need the skills and knowledge to load produce into ripening facilities and then maintain them under the conditions that are necessary for ripening. The operation of ripening facilities is essential to maintaining the quality of the final product. You will need the skills and knowledge to set-up and maintain the ripening process. You will need to collect and report management information. You will also need the skills and knowledge to work to organisational product specifications and production schedules. You will need to understand the principles of fresh produce ripening if you are involved in the supply of fruit. It includes understanding the role of ripening in the supply chain for both imported product and product that is grown in the UK. You will also need to know and understand the use of controlled ripening of fresh produce 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:
Establish and maintain produce in a ripening facility
maintain fresh produce in a ripening facility in accordance with the
legal or regulatory requirements, the organisational health and
safety, hygiene and environmental standards and instructions
obtain ripening specification
prepare ripening facility to check there is a hygienic working
condition suitable for receiving produce
assess condition and quality of produce
prepare produce and load into ripening facility according to
specification
optimise the ripening process by ensuring effective environment
conditions within the ripening facility
observe, measure and report on ripening
identify and report incidences where ripening is not happening
according to specification
maintain records of the ripening process
Unload ripening facilities
unload fresh produce in accordance with the legal or regulatory
requirements, the organisational health and safety, hygiene and
environmental standards and instructions
facilitate the cooling process to prepare for unloading
unload produce in a manner which maintains quality
establish produce in clean storage, in preparation for dispatch
clean ripening facility into a hygienic condition
maintain communication according to organisational procedures
maintain records of ripening 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
how and why produce is ripened
the ripening specifications of various products and how these vary
according to seasonality
countries of origins, seasons and varieties
how and why produce is prepared for ripening
pre-ripening stowage and treatments
how to access condition and quality of pre-ripened produce
how the pre-ripened condition of the produce can impact on the
ripening process
- the facilities used to ripen produce and how they are loaded and
used to optimise the ripening process
- the ripening facilities that are needed to support the ripening
process
the environmental conditions required for ripening and cooling
how packaging, spacing, airflow, temperature, ventilation, artificial
enhancers and product mix can aid/inhibit the ripening process
how to monitor and maintain the ripening process
how to measure ripeness in fresh produce and identify quality
issues
how the ripening process can impact on product quality issues
how to handle post ripened produce
the importance of ripening linked to profitability
the importance of maintaining product control and traceability
during ripening operations
- the destructive and non destructive monitoring techniques used
with ripened fresh produce
- how ineffective ripening can lead to wastage and potential
customer complaints
- the storage conditions required to maintain the quality of ripened
produce
how to dispose of waste according to organisational procedures
the 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