5 tips that will help in your master miller day to day

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The elaboration of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is not an exact science. We find a multitude of factors that all intervene in the manufacture of our oil. All the factors that intervene, in turn, depend on the campaign in question, with which, we are adding complex variables since they are not 100% predictable. The olive grove and the state of the olive is the first requirement to obtain a good virgin olive oil, which, after all, is the main objective of an oil mill master.

In the state of this olive, which will be the protagonist of our olive oil production, both extrinsic and intrinsic factors intervene: soil, state of the olive grove, leaf state, water availability, hours of sunshine, altitude, humidity, weather, state sanitary, pruning and a long etcetera. Of these factors, there will be some that we can influence and others that we cannot, since they are imposed by factors external to humans and where we cannot intervene.

However, in this specific article, we want to help the master miller in his day to day to improve his work within the oil mill, and without any doubt increase the quality of his virgin olive oil, whatever the category, in the extent possible.

Get the maximum cleaning

Regardless of the campaign in question and regardless of whether you work in a private oil mill or a cooperative, the cleaning of the oil mill is an essential requirement and that an oil mill master must take into account.

Oil mill in perfect clean condition. ESAO Image Bank

Keeping both the yard of the oil mill and the body of the factory in the best possible state of cleanliness is a premise that we have to internalize as well as possible and as soon as possible.

We highlight the cleaning of the oil mill for two reasons:

1.- On the one hand, we are in an agri-food sector, we are working with food, and this means that the hygienic measures that must surround our product, in our case olive oil, must be in accordance with current legislation.

More and more we find ourselves in oil mills with inspections, which aim to improve compliance with food hygiene regulations and sanctions are one of the consequences that we can find if we do not comply with them.

As a curiosity, we can meet

Light penalty: € 300 to € 3,000
Serious penalty: From € 3,001 to € 60,000
Very serious sanction: From € 60,001 to € 600,000 and / or temporary closure of 5 years of the oil mill / cooperative.


2.- The second reason that we wanted to highlight and it is a reason to justify the cleaning advice, is because of the defects.

We understand by default an anomaly in the olive oil, in its sensory analysis or tasting. When there are remains of dirt in hoppers, in tapes, in hoses, in the olive-growing machinery, we see that, when we carry out an organoleptic analysis, we get anomalous aromas such as vinegar, moldy memories, dirty oils, lees memories, etc. On the contrary When we are dealing with outstanding virgin olive oils, we see that one of the common denominators for most of them is that their production process is related to oil mills and clean machinery, without remains of dry masses or from olives in poor condition.

The highest quality olive oils have behind masters who have cleanliness as their standard, in an integrated way and without any kind of doubt.

We meet teachers who, aware of cleaning, demand that olive oil machinery brands pay special attention to cleaning, especially in the field. The production of olive oil is conceived to be a continuous production, and we must disassemble and clean thoroughly as soon as we stop the machinery and especially if we have critical points where we know dirt accumulates. It is common to have to make corrections and request extraordinary measures from the technicians to gain access to parts of the machinery where cleaning is complex.

Teamwork

Master Miller Course students. ESAO Image Bank

A common characteristic of olive companies that stand out for their quality is that they have a team feeling at work. Communication between management or direction and workers must be fluid and continuous. The mill master must know at all times which olive is going to enter him and what quality he has to obtain with that olive.

A good operation in an oil mill or cooperative is unfeasible, if there is no communication between: reception and classification manager, yard manager, production manager, direction, management, presidency, even partners when we talk about cooperative. The team feeling will be the one that helps us achieve the quality we want.

We are going to see some basic points to get this equipment in an oil mill.

• Have a Common Goal

As an oil mill master, you have to ask to know what the common objective of the company is. All the colleagues and bosses that you surround yourself with have to have the same objective, in this way you can maintain a clear line of work. Sometimes it is easy to forget that goal, but always try to keep it in mind and ask your colleagues whenever necessary. Every time you see that you deviate from the objective, it is good that you react and be able to redirect.

• Have all the technological solutions

As an oil mill master, it would be advisable that all the communications you make to your team, as far as possible, are reflected. Try to ensure that the information that is transferred is always reflected at a technological level, avoiding “papers” as much as possible. This is obviously a handicap, especially when you are in the middle of the campaign, but don't forget that we try to ensure that the sector becomes more and more professional.

The goal of professionalization is to work with higher quality and more efficiently. Try to be aware of the media that use oil mill masters from other companies, to always apply the one that best suits you.

The system of working in the cloud is today one of the best communication systems. In this way, with the same work, you get that all the information is always shared by the whole team, and also at the same moment in which they are written, in addition, you will always have a copy of everything due to the fact of being in the cloud , and in this way you avoid having to assume more responsibilities.

Master Miller Course students. ESAO Image Bank

• Comment and propose what you consider

If you want to make a team, it is important that everyone who is part of the team, give their opinion with confidence. As a master of olive oil mill and in the production of olive oil, many factors and tools are involved and it is easy to come up with ways to improve them. It is important that you communicate these ideas and opinions to the entire team and in this way help in the achievement of the common goal that you have set for yourself. If all those who are part of the oil mill are speaking individually and that information is not managed, it will only waste time and we will not achieve anything.

Continous training

Master Miller Course students. ESAO Image Bank

What will undoubtedly be what will help you the most in your day to day as an oil mill master is continuous training. That is, it is not enough to take a course as an oil mill master for one year and that's it.

New developments in olive oil production, developments in production, developments in machinery, developments in research are continually coming out. All these novelties are what will help you develop your work in the most satisfactory way possible. Large companies always have economic items for continuous training of their workers, and these items are part of the investment of a company.

You have to see continuous training as a right that you have as an oil mill master and that will help you improve and increase the quality of your olive oil. Continuous training should not be seen in any case as an expense but rather as an investment that will pay off.

Ask for what you need

How many times have oil mill masters come, seeing needs in their factory and have not said anything to their superiors? As an oil mill master, as well as an operator or worker in the oil mill, you are in direct contact with the needs you detect and that can help you do your job better.

Sometimes the management tends to cut budgets and say “no” without listening too much to our proposals, but remember once again that we try to seek professionalization. Insist on your proposals and on requesting what you need and don't throw in the towel ahead of time.

As we have said, try to make the proposals in writing and in this way you can use them when you deem appropriate.In the same way, when a proposal is denied, it is good that you also ask that it be transferred to you in writing, and in this way you will better understand the reasons that justify the decisions. A refusal does not mean that other proposals are not approved, and you should try not to stop asking whenever you consider it necessary. There are many innovations in the production of olive oil that will help your company to advance and obtain more benefits, and, this, in part, is the responsibility of the mill master.

Asking for training is also the responsibility of the worker, in this way, in addition to acquiring new knowledge, it makes you be in contact with other oil mill masters who will provide you with new ideas and will be contacts that will help you stay up-to-date on everything related to production. Of olive oil.

In the Master Miller training inside the Master Olive Oil Consultant Certification, the contents are updated and you have a tutor to ask any questions you may have. In the same way, you have a forum where you have all your fellow oil mill masters. And finally and very effective is the ESAO Teachers WhatsApp group, where all the last minute information related to the production of olive oil is shared.

Respect the schedule of your day and the security measures

We all know that the job of an olive oil miller involves a great effort at many times, and especially if we are in the field. Traditionally, the oil mill master has been working in the mill for longer than he establishes a working day, despite the needs of the campaign on occasions have made it necessary. But it is also true that many times we are not able to leave the oil mill when we finish our day, and it is not totally necessary that we remain there. When we accumulate too much work and do not rest long enough, we may not perform the work properly or not with the recommended safety measures.

Fulfilling our obligations as well as the security measures and the working day are three elements that we must respect as much as possible, and it will help us on a day-to-day basis as oil mill masters.

Sometimes we believe that we perform more by staying longer in the preparation, and we do not get the necessary rest to get up the next day in full condition, both to make correct decisions and to avoid accidents due to carelessness or lack of reflexes. 

Organizing the days in the oil mill well, organizing the work well will help the mill master in his day to day life. In the same way, being punctual and complying with the work schedule defines the responsibility of the oil mill master, and it is a rule that we must try to comply with like the rest, including the regulations related to safety and hygiene at work, achieving maximum prevention. of occupational hazards in oil mills.