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Title / Explain specialty cheese making
Level / 5 / Credits / 20
Purpose / This theory-based unit standard is for experienced people working in a cheese factory or the cheese manufacturing department of a dairy processing operation as senior cheese makers and/or supervisors.
People credited with unit standard are able to explain: food microbiology; properties of milk and how these can influence speciality cheese making; the handling and processing of raw materials used for speciality cheese making; the preparation and use of starters for speciality cheese making; coagulation of milk for speciality cheese making; the curd making process for speciality cheeses; curd salting for speciality cheeses; changes that occur during speciality cheese ripening; speciality cheese composition control; and the management factors of speciality cheese making processes.
Classification / Dairy ProcessingMilk Products
Available grade / Achieved
Explanatory notes
Legislation
Legislation relevant to this unit standard includes but is not limited to the Animal Products Act 1999, Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, and Animal Products (Dairy) Regulations 2005.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Explain food microbiology.
Evidence requirements
1.1Food microbiology is explained in terms of broad microbial groupings.
1.2Food microbiology is explained in terms of the influence of microorganisms on humans.
Rangeinfluences include but are not limited to – useful to humans, harmful to humans, spoilers.
1.3Food microbiology is explained in terms of requirements for microbial activity.
Rangerequirements include but are not limited to – causative agent, growth niche, nutrients, moisture, temperature, time.
1.4Food microbiology is explained in terms of control strategies.
Rangecontrol strategies include but are not limited to – avoiding contamination, minimising niches, preventing growth, destruction.
Outcome 2
Explain properties of milk and how these can influence speciality cheese making.
Evidence requirements
2.1Properties of milk are explained in terms of the typical composition of milk and how it affects speciality cheese making.
Rangecomposition includes but is not limited to – fat, protein, water, minerals, lactose.
2.2Properties of milk are explained in terms of conditions for microbial contamination and growth, and controls to achieve speciality cheese product specifications.
Rangemicrobial contamination and growth includes but is not limited to – psychrotrophs, coliforms, thermophiles, thermodurics, yeasts and moulds.
2.3Properties of milk are explained in terms of compositional issues that affect the speciality cheese making process.
Rangecompositional issues include but are not limited to – mastitis, colostrum, antibiotics, added water, residues.
Outcome 3
Explain the handling and processing of raw materials used for speciality cheese making.
Evidence requirements
3.1The handling and processing of raw materials used for speciality cheese making is explained in terms of conditions required to prevent deterioration of milk during storage.
Rangeconditions include but are not limited to – temperature, time, microbial counts.
3.2The handling and processing of raw materials used for speciality cheese making is explained in terms of the purposes of heat treatment and the influences of heat treatment on speciality cheese making.
Rangeheat treatment includes but is not limited to – pasteurisation, thermisation.
3.3The handling and processing of raw materials used for speciality cheese making is explained in terms of standardisation of milk to achieve a standard protein to fat ratio.
Outcome 4
Explain the preparation and use of starters for speciality cheese making.
Evidence requirements
4.1The use of starters in specialty cheese making is explained in terms of starter types, characteristics and selection of starters and starter systems for different cheese types.
Rangestarter systems include but are not limited to – direct vat set starters, bulk starters, equipment hygiene, heat treatment, inoculation.
4.2The preparation and use of starters for speciality cheese making are explained in terms of inoculation and incubation of starter organisms.
4.3The preparation and use of starters for speciality cheese making are explained in terms of bacteriophage inhibition of starter organisms.
Rangebacteriophage inhibition includes but is not limited to – host specificity, replication mechanism, replication rates.
4.4The use of starters in speciality cheese making is explained in terms of the influences of primary and secondary flora during the vat and post-vat processing periods.
Outcome 5
Explain coagulation of milk for speciality cheese making.
Evidence requirements
5.1Coagulation of milk for speciality cheesemaking is explained in terms of the mechanisms of coagulation.
Rangecoagulation includes but is not limited to – enzymic coagulation, enzymatic phase, coagulation phase, acid coagulation.
5.2Coagulation of milk for speciality cheesemaking is explained in terms of factors that influence rennet coagulation.
Rangefactors include but are not limited to – type of rennet, temperature, pH, time, milk casein content, calcium concentration.
5.3Coagulation of milk for speciality cheesemaking is explained in terms of the influences of coagulation and linkage with the final speciality cheese product characteristics.
Rangeinfluences include but are not limited to – manufacturing conditions, flavour, functionality.
Outcome 6
Explain the curd making process for speciality cheeses.
Evidence requirements
6.1The curd making process for speciality cheeses is explained in terms of influences of factors affecting syneresis.
Rangefactors include but are not limited to – milk composition, curd particle size, acidity, agitation, temperature, time, post-vat conditions.
6.2The use of starters in speciality cheesemaking is explained in terms of acid development coagulation and moisture expulsion.
Rangestarters include but are not limited to – lactose and lactic acid concentrations, mineral solubilisation and movements, cheese pH.
6.3The curd making process for speciality cheeses is explained in terms of influences of curd washing on the cheesemaking process and speciality cheese characteristics.
Rangecheesemaking process includes but is not limited to – syneresis, pH, lactose concentration;
speciality cheese characteristics include but are not limited to – sensory, cheese varieties.
6.4The curd making process for speciality cheeses is explained in terms of control and influence of curd whey equilibria on cheese composition and characteristics.
6.5The curd making process for speciality cheeses is explained in terms of influences of cooking and stirring on the cheesemaking process and subsequent speciality cheese varieties.
Rangecooking and stirring includes but is not limited to – direct and indirect heating, temperature, time;
influences include but are not limited to – syneresis, case hardening, starter activity.
6.6The curd making process for speciality cheeses is explained in terms of influences of draining or ‘running’ (separation of curd from whey) on cheese ripening and cheese properties.
Rangeinfluences include but are not limited to – pH, residual rennet, calcium ion concentration, curd matting.
Outcome 7
Explain curd salting for speciality cheeses.
Evidence requirements
7.1Salting is explained in terms of purposes of salting.
Rangepurposes include but are not limited to – control of rate and extent of acid development, control of microflora, flavour, preservation.
7.2Salting is explained in terms of factors influencing salt uptake, moisture loss and differences in salt dispersion in dry salted and brine salted cheeses.
Rangefactors include but are not limited to – curd particle size, curd condition at salting, salt application rate, salt application method, salt application period.
7.3Salting is explained in terms of factors causing salting related defects in speciality cheeses.
Rangetypes include but are not limited to – brine salting, dry salting.
Outcome 8
Explain changes that occur during speciality cheese ripening.
Evidence requirements
8.1Changes that occur during speciality cheese ripening are explained in terms of differences in equilibration of moisture and salt distribution in rindless and rinded cheeses.
8.2Changes that occur during speciality cheese ripening are explained in terms of the action of proteolytic and lipolytic enzymes.
8.3Changes that occur during speciality cheese ripening are explained in terms of texture and flavour development of rindless and rinded cheeses.
8.4Specialty cheesemaking processes are explained in terms of factors influencing cheese ripening.
Rangefactors include but are not limited to – moisture, pH, salt, temperature, humidity.
8.5Specialty cheesemaking processes are explained in terms of the packaging requirements of different cheese types.
Rangetypes include but are not limited to – rinded, rindless, mould-ripened, smear-ripened.
Outcome 9
Explain speciality cheese composition control.
Evidence requirements
9.1Speciality cheese composition control is explained in terms of cheese process variables for control of fat in the dry matter (FDM) and the influence of FDM on moisture in the non-fat substance (MNFS).
9.2Speciality cheese composition control is explained in terms of dependent and independent cheese process variables for control of MNFS.
9.3Speciality cheese composition control is explained in terms of cheese process variables for control of salt-in-moisture.
9.4Speciality cheese composition control is explained in terms of cheese process variables for control of cheese pH.
Outcome 10
Explain the management factors of specialty cheesemaking processes.
Evidence requirements
10.1The management of specialty cheesemaking processes is explained in terms of the importance of monitoring and responding to changes in milk composition and in relation to product type.
10.2The management of specialty cheesemaking processes is explained in terms of the importance and use of process control checks.
Rangeprocess control checks include but are not limited to – temperature, pH, microbiological, relative humidity.
10.3The management of specialty cheesemaking processes is explained in terms of the importance and use of records for process control and trace-back.
10.4The management of specialty cheesemaking processes is explained in terms of the control of storage and transport conditions to achieve desired shelf life and product quality.
10.5The management of specialty cheesemaking is explained in terms of compliance with legislative requirements for food safety and export.
Planned review date / 31 December 2020Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 25 November 2000 / 31 December 2012
Revision / 2 / 13 June 2003 / 31 December 2012
Review / 3 / 25 May 2007 / 31 December 2012
Review / 4 / 17 May 2012 / 31 December 2016
Review / 5 / 18 June 2015 / N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference / 0022
This CMR can be accessed at
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the Primary Industry Training Organisation if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
Primary Industry Training OrganisationSSB Code 101558 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018