Quality control in fruit processing

Abstract

The attainment of high-quality palm products at minimum cost demands that more emphasis be placed on the production side, i.e., the effort must be concentrated at the field and mill level. All field and mill personnel must be involved in quality control and must be responsible for the quality requirements.

A long-range effort at developing employee responsibility and job enlargement is required. For this to have a real chance of success, the following should be present:

• •Top management’s commitment: The estate manager and the mill manager are the key to assuming responsibility for quality. Estate and mill managers must be openly and actively committed to improving quality.

• •Quality policy: Estate and mill managers must decide what level of quality they can deliver to the marketplace, as well as how they expect to accomplish their goals.

• •Quality responsibility: Estate and mill organizations should be structured to utilize quality improvement efforts through quality control circles (QCC).

• •Quality supervision: Field supervisors, mill foreman and mill supervisors should be trained in human relations and quality control methods.

• •Quality consultation: Quality control department should be well run to assist field and mill personnel in establishing good quality practices and procedures.

• •Quality training: QCC should be provided with in-house training on basic statistical tools and cause/effect diagrams.

• •Quality incentives: Compensation of workers and QCC should be linked to reduction of product losses, reduced downtime, etc.

• •Quality recognition: Public recognition should be provided for groups and individuals responsible for quality improvements and suggestions.

• •Quality feedback: A well-organized system should exist to disseminate information and improve quality improvement. Continuous informal and formal interaction should occur between design and mill personnel, thereby stimulating quality improvement in the milling stage.

The activities needed to achieve high-quality palm products are scattered among many persons in many specialized departments. Some of these are in-house, while others may be a part of vendor companies, subsidiaries, etc.