Application
This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to identify, evaluate and control food safety hazards for the purposes of validating specific control measures in a food safety program.
This unit applies to individuals who are responsible for auditing regulatory, commercial and internal food safety systems.
This unit supports relevant legislation, including food standards included in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, industry codes of practice relating to validation and verification of a food safety program, and the audit requirements detailed in the National Regulatory Food Safety Auditor Guideline and Policy, and should be read in conjunction with these documents.
Regulatory food safety audits in Australia are covered by state/territory legislative frameworks that support the requirements of the National Food Safety Audit Policy 2009.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements | Performance Criteria |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Identify food safety hazards in a food business | 1.1 Identify biological food safety hazards that could present a risk in the food at the point of consumption by type, origin and food association, and assess to determine risk level and control requirements 1.2 Identify allergenic food safety hazards that could present a risk in the food at the point of consumption, and assess to determine risk level and control requirements 1.3 Identify intrinsic and extrinsic chemical food safety hazards that could present a risk in the food at the point of consumption, including toxin presence by type, origin and food association, and assess to determine risk level and control requirements 1.4 Identify and assess physical food safety hazards that present a risk in food to determine control requirements |
2. Control food safety hazards in a food business | 2.1 Establish and validate processing hazards and related control measures and critical limits, monitoring and recording requirements to eliminate or reduce food safety hazards to acceptable levels 2.2 Determine food storage and handling requirements necessary to eliminate or reduce food safety hazards 2.3 Establish personal hygiene practices required to eliminate or reduce food safety hazards 2.4 Establish cleaning and sanitation, housekeeping and pest control practices and procedures required to prevent or reduce food safety hazards 2.5 Develop other prerequisite programs to eliminate or reduce food safety hazards to acceptable levels |
Foundation Skills
This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential for performance in this unit of competency but are not explicit in the performance criteria.
Skill | Description |
Reading | Interpret food safety legislation, practices and procedures |
Navigate the world of work | Monitor adherence to legal and regulatory standards and responsibilities for self and others |
Interact with others | Select and use communication strategies appropriate for purpose when interacting with work colleagues and customers |
Get the work done | Analyse and use sensory information to determine food safety hazards in food handling operations Use problem-solving skills to identify and eliminate food safety hazards |
Sectors
Food safety auditing (AUD)