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Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Prepare to work
   • Organise the work tasks to be completed
   • Identify workplace health and safety hazards, assess risks and implement control measures
   • Identify and address food safety and quality non-compliance issues according to legislative requirements
   • Select and use appropriate personal protective equipment
2. Apply sanitation procedures
   • Ensure the storage area for starter cultures is maintained according to workplace hygiene practices
   • Keep all surfaces and equipment clean and sanitised according to workplace sanitation procedures
   • Ensure raw milk is kept separate from pasteurised milk operations
   • Record food safety related information according to workplace food safety standards
3. Implement procedures to prepare milk for cheese making
   • Carry out clarification procedures for raw milk, if required
   • Implement standardisation procedures for milk to be processed into cheese
   • Carry out pasteurisation procedures for milk, if required
4. Carry out procedures to inoculate milk and cut the curd
   • Add inoculants and adjuncts to milk and allow it to ripen to specification
   • Measure rennet accurately and dilute before adding to milk
   • Maintain temperature at specified level according to the production requirements
   • Test curd for readiness to cut according production testing procedures
5. Implement procedures to separate, cook and wash the curd
   • Carry out curd cutting according to production procedures
   • Test whey for pH or acidity, temperature and fat levels to ensure curd cutting efficiency
   • Ensure optimal syneresis according to cooking schedule and curd stirring requirements
   • Carry out draining and washing procedures to ensure curd is at required moisture, pH level and consistency
6. Carry out fermentation, salting and optional pressing treatments
   • Transfer curd to hoops to form the correct shape for the type of cheese
   • Maintain temperature profile required for the cheese type to complete fermentation
   • Add salt after draining according to cheese type
   • Apply salting treatments according to cheese type
   • Press dry salted cheese in hoops according to cheese type
7. Implement cheese curing and packaging procedures
   • Apply maturing requirements according to cheese type
   • Monitor the maturing environment according to the cheese type
   • Apply ripening agents to cheese according to requirements of cheese type
   • Carry out packaging and labelling procedures either before or after maturing according to cheese type and workplace requirements
8. Assess the organoleptic properties of cheese and relate to specifications
   • Check that flavour meets specifications for the cheese type
   • Examine the texture of cheese and compare to specifications
   • Examine cheese for evenness of colour and finish according to specifications
   • Identify possible causes of out of specification results and make changes to procedures to address quality issues for future cheese production
9. Meet workplace requirements for food safety, quality and environmental management
   • Keep records of cheese manufacture according to workplace procedures
   • Dispose of waste according to workplace environmental and waste management procedures
   • Review the environmental impacts of the cheese making operation and identify opportunities for improvement
   • Organise the work tasks to be completed
   • Identify workplace health and safety hazards, assess risks and implement control measures
   • Identify and address food safety and quality non-compliance issues according to legislative requirements
   • Select and use appropriate personal protective equipment