The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

A person who demonstrates competence in this unit must be able to audit manufacturing of ready-to-eat meat products.

Assessment must be carried out in a manner that recognises the cultural and literacy requirements of the assessee and is appropriate to the work performed. Competence in this unit must be achieved in accordance with food safety standards and regulations.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence that they can verify manufacturing processes for a range of ready-to-eat meat products to meet regulatory, industry and business standards. They must also demonstrate capacity to confirm that appropriate validation has occurred.

Evidence of the ability to:

identify product-specific risks and typical processing methods, including sources of information on processing parameters, for a range of products

participate in audits of HACCP-based food safety programs to demonstrate ability and knowledge of technical aspects of the manufacture, storage and transport of safe ready-to-eat meat products - audit scenarios must include at least one product in each of the following product categories:

uncooked fermented meat products, such as salami

smoked or cooked meat products, such as ham

slowly cured meat, such as prosciutto

pâté.

Cold ready-to-eat meat products may also have undergone further processing stages including slicing, shaving and packaging.

Audits of product type may be conducted concurrently or separately, according to production environment.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Competency may be assessed in an actual workplace or simulated environment that provides access to the required resources.

Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints.

The following resources must be available:

relevant plant and equipment that would typically be used in the commercial manufacture of ready-to-eat meat products

food safety programs and related documentation

records for the purpose of verification

evidence to support validation.

Method of assessment

This unit only covers the technical skills and knowledge related to the specific area of risk. Generic food safety auditing skills and knowledge are covered in prerequisite units. While participation in audit processes should follow good auditing practice as specified by prerequisite units, formal assessment of generic food safety auditing competence does not need to be repeated when assessing this unit.

The following assessment methods should be considered to gather sufficient and valid evidence of competency:

observation and a report covering the audits specified in this

observation by an auditor competent to audit the manufacture of ready-to-eat meat

oral and written questioning to test the level and application of underpinning knowledge

workplace example or scenario to allow verification of records for food safety to be demonstrated.

The audits conducted for the purpose of assessment must be witnessed by an auditor competent to audit the manufacture of ready-to-eat meat.

Assessment methods must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of FDF10 Food Processing Industry Training Package.

Guidance information for assessment

To ensure consistency in one's performance, competency should be demonstrated on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances, cases and responsibilities, and where possible, over a number of assessment activities.

Required skills

Ability to:

interpret and apply relevant legislation, standards, codes of practice and technical specifications relating to the manufacture of ready-to-eat meat products

identify microbiological, chemical and physical food safety hazards associated with the manufacture of ready-to-eat meat products

inspect plant and equipment to confirm that regulatory, industry and business standards are met

apply principles of ready-to-eat meat manufacturing to assess the suitability of processes to ensure a safe finished product

review workplace records and other documentation to verify that the HACCP-based food safety program relating to the meat product being manufactured is being implemented effectively

review evidence used to validate the food safety control process

Required knowledge

Knowledge of:

regulations, codes of practice, guidelines, technical specifications and Australian standards relating to the formulation and manufacture of ready-to-eat meat products

sources of information on acceptable processing and related storage and handling methods and parameters for given products and target micro-organisms

pathogens that can occur in meat products and related control methods required in manufacturing, post-processing and storage

survival and growth characteristics of pathogens and ability of processed product to support pathogen growth

chemicals that pose a food safety risk in meat products and related control methods

physical sources of contamination and related control methods

effect of raw material characteristics, such as bacterial load and temperature, and pre-processing conditions on the growth of pathogens

prerequisite programs required to support safe manufacture of ready-to-eat meat products

purpose, role and storage requirements of ingredients

principles of manufacturing methods and factors that affect processing requirements

use and effectiveness of hurdle technologies

principles of packaging to form a suitable seal and requirements of post-processing handling and conditions to ensure safe product

principles of operation of ready-to-eat meat product manufacturing equipment, including equipment features required to meet regulatory requirements and critical factors to be controlled to ensure safe food outcomes

indications of unacceptable product and related test requirements

principles of test methods and frequency in monitoring condition of raw materials and processing, and in confirming that final product is fit for human consumption

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Prerequisite programs

Prerequisite programs are also referred to as support programs, such as Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) and Good Hygienic Practice (GHP).

Prerequisite programs can be divided into two categories:

Infrastructure and maintenance programs. These may include:

layout, design and construction of buildings and facilities

supplies of air, water, energy and other utilities

equipment, including sanitary design, preventative maintenance, calibration and cleaning and sanitation

support services, including waste and sewage disposal

pest control

Operational prerequisite programs. These may include:

personal hygiene

measures for the prevention of cross-contamination

packaging and labelling procedures

supplier assurance

chemical storage

employee training

document control

internal audit programs

traceability and recall programs

product integrity and security

cold chain management

preparation, maintenance and use of starter cultures (for fermented meat products)

inspecting and testing regimes, including analytical and microbiological testing

control of non-conforming product, processes and facilities

animal welfare

Manufacturing and related handling and storage processes

Manufacturing and related handling and storage processes to control food safety include:

heat treatment

fermentation and maturation

use of starter cultures

drying

cold storage

salting and other water activity related controls (e.g. hot smoking)

chemical additives to control water activity, pH and/or preservation (e.g. glucono-delta-lactone (GdL) and liquid smoke)

Microbiological food safety hazards

Microbiological food safety hazards that commonly occur in ready-to-eat meats include:

bacteria:

Campylobacter jejuni (poultry)

pathogenic Escherichia coli, including enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli

Clostridium perfringens and C. botulinum

Listeria monocytogenes

Salmonella spp

Staphylococcus aureus

Yersinia enterocolitica

viruses

moulds and fungi

parasites

algae

Ready-to-eat meat products

Ready-to-eat meat products refer to meat products intended to be consumed without further heating or cooking and include:

cooked, heat-treated or uncooked fermented meat, including cooked fermented meats (CFM), uncooked comminuted fermented meat (UCFM) and other salami-type products

pâté

dried meat

slow cured meat

luncheon sausage meat, including processed and manufactured

cooked muscle meat, including ham and roast beef

other ready-to-eat meat that is susceptible to the growth of pathogens or the production of toxins

Chemical food safety hazards

Chemical food safety hazards include:

cleaning chemicals

pesticides

veterinary residues

chemical additives and levels

allergenic substances

toxic metals

nitrites, nitrates and N-nitroso compounds and levels

polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

plasticisers and packaging migration

Physical food safety hazards

Physical food safety hazards refer to objects not normally found in food that may cause illness or injury to the consumer, such as fragments of:

bone

glass

metal

plastic

wood

Validation

Validation refers to obtaining evidence to confirm that a HACCP-based food safety program is complete and effective and will deliver the expected food safety outcomes

Validation evidence

Validation evidence confirms that control measures are capable of being consistently effective and may include:

the application of:

existing Australian legislative requirements

challenge tests

peer-reviewed scientific papers

targeted scientific reports

validation already carried out in other jurisdictions and recognised by the responsible authority

mathematical modelling (e.g. predictive microbiology models)

industry codes of practice (where implementation by food business is verified during audits)

Verification

Verification refers to methods and procedures used to carry out monitoring, including sampling and testing to provide evidence that the specifications set by relevant legislation and codes of practice continue to be met

Equipment

Equipment may include:

fermentation rooms

filling machines

drying and maturation rooms

mixers and blenders

tumblers

cookers

injectors

mincing machines and slicers or dice machines

conveyors

packaging machines

cooking utensils and knives

equipment used for the purpose of conducting analytical tests

Business standards

Business standards refer to standards or technical specifications set by the system owner based on and in addition to regulatory requirements that relate specifically to food safety

Relevant legislation, standards, codes of practice and technical specifications

Relevant legislation, standards, codes of practice and technical specifications relating to requirements of ready-to-eat meat manufacture may include:

relevant sections of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code

relevant Australian standards, including the Australian Standard for the Hygienic Production and Transportation of Meat and Meat Products for Human Consumption (AS 4696:2002)

Australia Export Control Act, 1982

AQIS Export Control (Meat and Meat Products) Orders, 2005

international protocols, such as those of the Codex Alimentarius Commission

customer food safety requirements, including intended use

state or territory regulations, codes of practice and guidelines

Hurdle technologies

Hurdle technologies refer to the application of a combination of different processing methods or techniques or treatments to achieve safe food outcomes

Test methods

Test methods include methods used to measure:

E. coli, Salmonella, coagulase positive staphylococci, Listeria monocytogenes in raw materials and final product

pH

time and temperature of:

fermentation

maturation or drying

smoking

cooking or heating

weight loss or water activity

Packaging

Packaging refers to:

controlled atmosphere (CA) packaging

modified atmosphere (MA) packaging

Ingredients

Ingredients must comply with the requirements described in the Food Standards Code and may include:

raw materials (meat)

starter cultures

preservatives (e.g. sodium chloride and sulphites)

water

sodium and potassium nitrate and/or nitrite

nitrate

spices

binders

water and ice

phosphates and other additives

Additional reference material

Additional reference material includes guidelines for safe manufacture of smallgoods, Meat and Livestock Australia Ltd, September 2003