Application
This unit of competency applies to olive growers who are assessing oil produced from heir olive crop. Work is likely to be performed without supervision.
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements and Performance Criteria | |||
Element | Performance Criteria | ||
1 | 1 Establish and implement appropriate tasting protocols. | 1.1 | Appropriate tasting conditions are established. |
1.2 | Accepted industry tasting procedures are applied. | ||
1.3 | Oils are tasted in the order that will best show character of each oil. | ||
2 | 2 Determine style and sensory quality of the olive oil. | 2.1 | 2.2 Style of oil is assessed by tasting. |
2.2 | 2.3 Sensory quality of oil is assessed by smelling and tasting. | ||
2.3 | 2.4 Observed defects are analysed and recorded for future action. | ||
2.4 | 2.1 Characteristics of the olive oil are identified and assessed. | ||
3 | 3 Determine the analytical quality of the olive oil. | 3.1 | Samples of oils are sent to laboratory for testing of key chemical indices. |
3.2 | Analytical quality of oil is assessed by interpreting key chemical indices. | ||
3.3 | Observed chemical indices that are beyond the normal range are recorded for future action. | ||
4 | 4 Identify factors influencing the style and quality of the olive oil. | 4.1 | Horticultural factors that may influence style and quality of the olive oil are identified. |
4.2 | Processing factors that may influence style and quality of the olive oil are identified. | ||
4.3 | Other factors that may influence style and quality of the olive oil are identified. | ||
5 | 5 Implement findings of tastings and chemical analysis. | 5.1 | Records of season's tastings and chemical analyses are maintained according to enterprise procedures. |
5.2 | Horticultural and processing activities and methods are evaluated in terms of modifications and improvements to be made for next season. | ||
5.3 | Horticultural production plan for next season is adjusted, documented and communicated to horticultural personnel according to enterprise procedures. | ||
5.4 | Processing requirements for next season are documented and communicated to processing personnel according to enterprise procedures. |
Required Skills
This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.
Required skills include:
accurately recording results of tasting
general tasting skills, including ability to detect and describe aromas and flavours, and to distinguish between bitterness and pungency in oils.
Required knowledge includes:
cause of olive oil defects and how they can be remedied
horticultural and processing practices that affect olive oil style, and reasons for the effect
relationship between critical chemical parameters and oil style and quality.
Evidence Required
Overview of assessment
This unit of competency could be assessed on its own or in combination with other units of competency relevant to the job function, such as RTE4920A Develop harvesting and processing specifications to produce an olive oil.
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
The critical requirements for this unit of competency as a whole are listed below.
Assessment must confirm one's ability to:
identify olive oil styles
identify common olive oil defects
plan to remedy variations from desired style and quality through modification of horticultural and/or processing practices.
Context and specific resources for assessment
Assessment for this unit of competency is to be largely practical in nature and may be assessed in an olive oil production workplace or in a situation that reproduces normal work conditions.
For valid assessment, one must have opportunities to participate in exercises, case studies and other real and simulated practical and knowledge assessments that demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to assess olive oil for style and quality.
The candidate must also have access to the following resources:
examples of oils of different styles
examples of oils made from different olive varieties
examples of oils showing each of the common defects
tasting equipment.
Guidance information for assessment
To ensure consistency in one's performance, competency should be demonstrated on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances, cases and responsibilities, and where possible, over a number of assessment activities.
The skills and knowledge required to assess olive oil for style and quality must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts, including the ability to deal with unplanned events. For example, this could include work within one's own grove or in another enterprise.
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.
Tasting protocols include: | avoiding strong flavoured food, drinks and perfumed soaps before tasting olive oil tasting profile sheets for recording tasting results sequence of tasting (milder oils are tasted first) using clean tasting cups or glasses warming oil to about 28-30°C before tasting. |
Accepted industry tasting procedures include: | COI/T.20/Doc. no. 13 General Methodology for the Organoleptic Assessment of Virgin Olive Oil methods and standards adopted by the International Olive Oil Council for the sensory analysis of olive oil. |
Chief characteristics of an olive oil are: | balance bitterness character and intensity of aroma and flavour freshness length pungency. |
Key olive oil styles are: | mild medium robust. |
Most common defects in olive oil are described as: | burnt dried earthy frosted fusty muddy |
musty rancid winey. | |
Key chemicalindices of olive oil quality and shelf life include: | free fatty acid content induction time peroxide value polyphenol level. |
Horticultural factors that may influence style and quality of olive oil include: | quality parameters may be affected by: disease or disorder of the fruit frost damage pest infestation style will be influenced by: climatic conditions irrigation level olive variety/cultivar ripeness of olives at harvest soil type. |
Processing factors that influence style and quality of olive oil may include: | style may be influenced by: conditions and length of storage in vats frequency of racking of oil off sediment mill hygiene, including cleanliness of machinery quality may be influenced by: amount and timing of water use during processing length and temperature of malaxation. |
Other factors that influence style and quality of olive oil may include: | age of oil assemblage of blend method and period of post-harvest fruit storage method of harvest time between harvesting and processing. |
Information that may be recorded includes: | cleanliness of olives at harvest crop yield malaxation temperature and time maturity of fruit at harvest oil yield type and degree of disease or disorders water flow rates during processing. |
Sectors
Not applicable.
Employability Skills
The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of Employability Skills.
Licensing Information
Not applicable.