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Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Maintain sanitation in making acid and heat coagulated cheese
   • Ensure all surfaces are clean and sanitised except for curing boards
   • Supervise stringent hygiene and quarantine procedures
   • Apply multi-phase cleaning systems to ensure sanitised surfaces and equipment
   • Record food safety related information, including milk counts and cheese bacterial counts
2. Implement procedures to prepare whey, milk/whey blends or cream for artisan acid and heat coagulated cheese making
   • Measure and analyse composition and counts in raw milk samples
   • Implement standard procedures for preparing raw milk
   • Ensure the whey is heated to prevent further acidification according to recipe
   • Maintain raw milk in an area separate from pasteurised milk operations
3. Promote coagulation of both curds and whey
   • Raise the temperature of dairy liquid to temperature specified in recipe
   • Acidify the hot liquid to coagulate both casein and whey proteins according to recipe
   • Hold the curd in the curd and whey mixture after coagulation
   • Maintain a log of pH and temperature to monitor yield
   • Carry out draining
4. Manage cooking and packaging procedures for acid and heat coagulated cheeses
   • Plan the cooking schedule to ensure optimal coagulation of proteins
   • Implement draining procedures to ensure cheese is at required consistency
   • Apply salting treatments to ensure salt profile effects are minimised in the finished product
   • Cool cheeses before packing according to cooking and packaging procedures
   • Maintain aseptic conditions during cooling to minimise contamination with microbial contaminants
   • Apply packaging appropriate for acid and heat coagulated cooked cheeses
   • Label the product with complete and accurate information as specified by legislation
5. Monitor and adjust process control to produce cheese with consistent taste and quality
   • Establish the process objectives of acid and heat coagulated cooked cheese making
   • Control the texture of the cheese by regulating pH and fat
   • Control cheese flavour through choice of ingredients, such as whey, milk, cream, acidulant and salt
   • Establish process control parameters to optimise yield
6. Carry out sensory analysis and grading of acid and heat coagulated cheeses
   • Assess cheeses for evenness of texture, colour, finish and flavour
   • Grade cheeses according to texture, colour, finish and flavour
   • Analyse organoleptic properties of acid and heat coagulated cooked cheese to identify possible changes to process controls
7. Meet workplace requirements for food safety, quality and environmental management
   • Record food safety related information
   • Maintain records of cheese manufacture
   • Implement workplace health and safety and environmental protection procedures through a risk management approach
   • Implement food safety standards
   • Dispose of waste and review environmental impacts of the cheese making operation