Elements and Performance Criteria
- Apply sanitation procedures
- The storage area for starter cultures is kept clean to reduce the risk of infection
- All surfaces are kept clean and sanitised, except for curing boards
- Stringent personal hygiene procedures are applied
- Raw milk area is maintained separate from pasteurised milk operations
- Multi-phase cleaning systems are applied to ensure sanitised surfaces and equipment
- Food safety related information is recorded, as required, including milk counts and cheese bacterial counts
- Implement procedures to prepare milk for cheese making
- Carry out procedures to inoculate milk and cut the curd
- Inoculants and adjuncts are added to milk and it is allow to ripen to specification
- Rennet is measured accurately and diluted before adding to milk
- Temperature is maintained at specified level evenly throughout the vat
- Curd samples are taken and tests carried out for acidity (either pH or titratable acidity) and temperature
- Implement procedures to separate, cook and wash the curd
- Curd cutting is carried out using the correct technique and equipment to minimise loss of protein and fat as fines
- Whey fat levels are assessed to monitor curd cutting efficiency
- The cooking schedule is followed and curd is stirred to ensure optimal syneresis
- Draining and optional washing procedures are carried out to ensure curd is at required moisture, pH level and consistency
- Carry out fermentation, salting and optional pressing treatments
- Curd is transferred to moulds to form the shape of cheeses for brine salted cheeses and then held at a constant temperature for completion of fermentation
- Acidification of curd is continued after draining, then dry salt is added to milled curd before pressing
- Salting treatments are applied to ensure uniform salt levels in the finished product
- Dry salted cheese is pressed in the required moulds
- Implement cheese curing and packaging procedures
- Assess the organoleptic properties of cheese and relate to specifications
- Meet workplace requirements for food safety, quality and environmental management
- Records of cheese manufacture are kept, including required measurements for timing of operations, temperature, milk and curd acidity, curd weight, hooped yield and curing data
- Health and safety and environmental protection procedures are implemented for the cheese making working environment
- Waste is disposed of and contribution made to the review of environmental impacts of the cheese making operation