Operators set the machine to the proper temperature and observe the ingredients during cooking. For some recipes, operators frequently stir the mixture. Other recipes require kneading. Once the item is cooked, operators pour or transfer the food to cooling tables, conveyor belts, or other containers. Roasting and drying machine operators control equipment that heats and dries food items, such as macaroni and tobacco.
Operators adjust thermostats and fuel valves to heat equipment to the proper temperatures.
Then they put the product in the roaster or oven. They check that items have baked or dried enough before removing them. Some operators keep records of drying times. Cannery and frozen food workers prepare food for canning, freezing, or preserving. For more information about Cannery and Frozen Food Workers, see that specialty.