Page 1 of 7 Title Explain specialty cheese making Level 5 Credits 20 Purpose This theory-based unit standard is for experienced people working in a cheese factory or the cheese manufacturing department of a dairy processing operation as senior cheese makers and/or supervisors. People credited with unit standard are able to explain: food microbiology; properties of milk and how these can influence speciality cheese making; the handling and processing of raw materials used for speciality cheese making; the preparation and use of starters for speciality cheese making; coagulation of milk for speciality cheese making; the curd making process for speciality cheeses; curd salting for speciality cheeses; changes that occur during speciality cheese ripening; speciality cheese composition control; and the management factors of speciality cheese making processes. Classification Dairy Processing > Milk Products Available grade Achieved Explanatory notes Legislation Legislation relevant to this unit standard includes but is not limited to the Animal Products Act 1999, Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, and Animal Products (Dairy) Regulations 2005. Outcomes and evidence requirements Outcome 1 Explain food microbiology. 1.1 Food microbiology is explained in terms of broad microbial groupings. 1.2 Food microbiology is explained in terms of the influence of microorganisms on humans. influences include but are not limited to useful to humans, harmful to humans, spoilers.
Page 2 of 7 1.3 Food microbiology is explained in terms of requirements for microbial activity. requirements include but are not limited to causative agent, growth niche, nutrients, moisture, temperature, time. 1.4 Food microbiology is explained in terms of control strategies. control strategies include but are not limited to avoiding contamination, minimising niches, preventing growth, destruction. Outcome 2 Explain properties of milk and how these can influence speciality cheese making. 2.1 Properties of milk are explained in terms of the typical composition of milk and how it affects speciality cheese making. composition includes but is not limited to fat, protein, water, minerals, lactose. 2.2 Properties of milk are explained in terms of conditions for microbial contamination and growth, and controls to achieve speciality cheese product specifications. microbial contamination and growth includes but is not limited to psychrotrophs, coliforms, thermophiles, thermodurics, yeasts and moulds. 2.3 Properties of milk are explained in terms of compositional issues that affect the speciality cheese making process. compositional issues include but are not limited to mastitis, colostrum, antibiotics, added water, residues. Outcome 3 Explain the handling and processing of raw materials used for speciality cheese making. 3.1 The handling and processing of raw materials used for speciality cheese making is explained in terms of conditions required to prevent deterioration of milk during storage. conditions include but are not limited to temperature, time, microbial counts.
Page 3 of 7 3.2 The handling and processing of raw materials used for speciality cheese making is explained in terms of the purposes of heat treatment and the influences of heat treatment on speciality cheese making. heat treatment includes but is not limited to pasteurisation, thermisation. 3.3 The handling and processing of raw materials used for speciality cheese making is explained in terms of standardisation of milk to achieve a standard protein to fat ratio. Outcome 4 Explain the preparation and use of starters for speciality cheese making. 4.1 The use of starters in specialty cheese making is explained in terms of starter types, characteristics and selection of starters and starter systems for different cheese types. starter systems include but are not limited to direct vat set starters, bulk starters, equipment hygiene, heat treatment, inoculation. 4.2 The preparation and use of starters for speciality cheese making are explained in terms of inoculation and incubation of starter organisms. 4.3 The preparation and use of starters for speciality cheese making are explained in terms of bacteriophage inhibition of starter organisms. bacteriophage inhibition includes but is not limited to host specificity, replication mechanism, replication rates. 4.4 The use of starters in speciality cheese making is explained in terms of the influences of primary and secondary flora during the vat and post-vat processing periods. Outcome 5 Explain coagulation of milk for speciality cheese making. 5.1 Coagulation of milk for speciality cheese making is explained in terms of the mechanisms of coagulation. coagulation includes but is not limited to enzymic coagulation, enzymatic phase, coagulation phase, acid coagulation.
Page 4 of 7 5.2 Coagulation of milk for speciality cheese making is explained in terms of factors that influence rennet coagulation. factors include but are not limited to type of rennet, temperature, ph, time, milk casein content, calcium concentration. 5.3 Coagulation of milk for speciality cheese making is explained in terms of the influences of coagulation and linkage with the final speciality cheese product characteristics. influences include but are not limited to manufacturing conditions, flavour, functionality. Outcome 6 Explain the curd making process for speciality cheeses. 6.1 The curd making process for speciality cheeses is explained in terms of influences of factors affecting syneresis. factors include but are not limited to milk composition, curd particle size, acidity, agitation, temperature, time, post-vat conditions. 6.2 The use of starters in speciality cheese making is explained in terms of acid development coagulation and moisture expulsion. starters include but are not limited to lactose and lactic acid concentrations, mineral solubilisation and movements, cheese ph. 6.3 The curd making process for speciality cheeses is explained in terms of influences of curd washing on the cheese making process and speciality cheese characteristics. cheese making process includes but is not limited to syneresis, ph, lactose concentration; speciality cheese characteristics include but are not limited to sensory, cheese varieties. 6.4 The curd making process for speciality cheeses is explained in terms of control and influence of curd whey equilibria on cheese composition and characteristics. 6.5 The curd making process for speciality cheeses is explained in terms of influences of cooking and stirring on the cheese making process and subsequent speciality cheese varieties. cooking and stirring includes but is not limited to direct and indirect heating, temperature, time;
Page 5 of 7 influences include but are not limited to syneresis, case hardening, starter activity. 6.6 The curd making process for speciality cheeses is explained in terms of influences of draining or running (separation of curd from whey) on cheese ripening and cheese properties. influences include but are not limited to ph, residual rennet, calcium ion concentration, curd matting. Outcome 7 Explain curd salting for speciality cheeses. 7.1 Salting is explained in terms of purposes of salting. purposes include but are not limited to control of rate and extent of acid development, control of microflora, flavour, preservation. 7.2 Salting is explained in terms of factors influencing salt uptake, moisture loss and differences in salt dispersion in dry salted and brine salted cheeses. factors include but are not limited to curd particle size, curd condition at salting, salt application rate, salt application method, salt application period. 7.3 Salting is explained in terms of factors causing salting related defects in speciality cheeses. types include but are not limited to brine salting, dry salting. Outcome 8 Explain changes that occur during speciality cheese ripening. 8.1 Changes that occur during speciality cheese ripening are explained in terms of differences in equilibration of moisture and salt distribution in rindless and rinded cheeses. 8.2 Changes that occur during speciality cheese ripening are explained in terms of the action of proteolytic and lipolytic enzymes. 8.3 Changes that occur during speciality cheese ripening are explained in terms of texture and flavour development of rindless and rinded cheeses.
Page 6 of 7 8.4 Specialty cheese making processes are explained in terms of factors influencing cheese ripening. factors include but are not limited to moisture, ph, salt, temperature, humidity. 8.5 Specialty cheese making processes are explained in terms of the packaging requirements of different cheese types. types include but are not limited to rinded, rindless, mouldripened, smear-ripened. Outcome 9 Explain speciality cheese composition control. 9.1 Speciality cheese composition control is explained in terms of cheese process variables for control of fat in the dry matter (FDM) and the influence of FDM on moisture in the non-fat substance (MNFS). 9.2 Speciality cheese composition control is explained in terms of dependent and independent cheese process variables for control of MNFS. 9.3 Speciality cheese composition control is explained in terms of cheese process variables for control of salt-in-moisture. 9.4 Speciality cheese composition control is explained in terms of cheese process variables for control of cheese ph. Outcome 10 Explain the management factors of specialty cheese making processes. 10.1 The management of specialty cheese making processes is explained in terms of the importance of monitoring and responding to changes in milk composition and in relation to product type. 10.2 The management of specialty cheese making processes is explained in terms of the importance and use of process control checks. process control checks include but are not limited to temperature, ph, microbiological, relative humidity. 10.3 The management of specialty cheese making processes is explained in terms of the importance and use of records for process control and trace-back.
Page 7 of 7 10.4 The management of specialty cheese making processes is explained in terms of the control of storage and transport conditions to achieve desired shelf life and product quality. 10.5 The management of specialty cheese making is explained in terms of compliance with legislative requirements for food safety and export. Planned review date 31 December 2020 Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions Process Version Date Last Date for Assessment Registration 1 25 November 2000 31 December 2012 Revision 2 13 June 2003 31 December 2012 Review 3 25 May 2007 31 December 2012 Review 4 17 May 2012 31 December 2016 Review 5 18 June 2015 N/A Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference 0022 This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do. Please note Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment. Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards. Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards. Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements. Comments on this unit standard Please contact the standards@primaryito.ac.nz if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.