Job Purpose
To operate and control soybean extraction and soy milk processing equipment to ensure efficient production of high-quality soy milk while maintaining food safety, hygiene, and operational standards.
Key Responsibilities
1. Soybean Preparation
- Receive and inspect soybeans for quality and cleanliness.
- Sort, wash, and remove foreign materials from soybeans.
- Soak soybeans according to specified time and temperature requirements.
- Ensure correct soybean-to-water ratios before processing.
2. Soy Milk Extraction
- Operate soybean grinding and extraction equipment.
- Grind soaked soybeans with water to produce soybean slurry.
- Operate filtration or separation equipment to extract raw soy milk from okara (soy pulp).
- Monitor extraction efficiency and adjust grinding parameters as needed.
- Ensure proper handling and disposal or reuse of soybean pulp (okara).
3. Soy Milk Processing
- Operate cooking and pasteurization systems to eliminate anti-nutritional factors and microorganisms.
- Control temperature, pressure, and processing times.
- Operate homogenizers to improve texture and stability of soy milk.
- Add ingredients such as sugar, flavorings, or stabilizers according to production specifications.
4. Quality Control
- Monitor color, taste, texture, and aroma of soy milk during processing.
- Take samples for laboratory testing if required.
- Ensure the final product meets quality and safety standards.
- Identify and report product defects.
5. Equipment Operation and Maintenance
- Operate grinders, extractors, cookers, pasteurizers, homogenizers, and filtration systems.
- Conduct routine equipment checks before and during operation.
- Perform minor troubleshooting and adjustments.
- Report equipment faults to maintenance teams.
6. Cleaning and Sanitation
- Perform cleaning-in-place (CIP) or manual cleaning of extraction and processing equipment.
- Maintain high hygiene standards in accordance with food safety regulations.
- Ensure production areas are kept clean and sanitized.
7. Production Documentation
- Record production batches, extraction yields, and processing parameters.
- Maintain logs for equipment operation and cleaning schedules.
- Report production volumes and any deviations to supervisors.
Education
- Certificate or Diploma in Food Technology, Food Processing, Chemical Processing, or Industrial Production.
- Grade 12 / Secondary School Certificate with technical training may be acceptable in smaller plants.
Professional Training (Advantageous)
- Food Safety or Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) training.
- Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) awareness training.
- Machine operation or industrial processing certification.
- Occupational Health and Safety training.
Experience
3 - 5 years of experience in food or beverage processing, preferably in plant-based beverage production.
- Experience operating grinders, extraction systems, filtration units, pasteurizers, or homogenizers is an advantage.
- Experience in production line operations in a manufacturing environment.
