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Title / Explainthe natural cheese manufacturing process in a dairy processing operation
Level / 5 / Credits / 20
Purpose / This theory-based unit standard is for experienced people making natural cheese in a dairy processing operation.
People credited with theunit standard are able to explain: properties of milk and how these can influence natural cheese manufacture; the handling and processing of raw materials used for natural cheese making; the preparation and use of starters for natural cheese making; rennet coagulation of milk for natural cheese making; the natural cheese curd making process; curd development, salting and block formation; changes that occur during natural cheese ripening; and natural cheese composition control, in a dairy processing operation.
Classification / Dairy ProcessingMilk Products
Available grade / Achieved
Explanatory notes
1Legislation 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.
2Definition
Organisational requirements – instructions to staff on policies and procedures which are documented in memo, electronic or manual format and are available in the workplace.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Explain properties of milk and how these can influence natural cheese manufacture in a dairy processing operation.
Evidence requirements
1.1Properties of milk are explained in terms of the influence of milk components on the natural cheese making process and on the properties of the final cheese.
Rangemilk components include but are not limited to – fat, protein, water, minerals, lactose.
1.2Properties of milk are explained in terms of conditions for microbial contamination and growth, and controls to achieve natural cheese product specifications.
Rangemicrobial contamination and growth includes but is not limited to – psychrotrophs, coliforms, thermophiles, yeasts and moulds.
Outcome 2
Explain the handling and processing of raw materials used for natural cheese making in a dairy processing operation.
Evidence requirements
2.1The handling and processing of raw materials used for natural cheese making is explained in terms of standardisation of milk to achieve a standard protein to fat ratio.
2.2The handling and processing of raw materials used for natural cheese making is explained in terms of the purposes of heat treatment and the influences of heat treatment on natural cheese making.
Rangeheat treatment includes but is not limited to – pasteurisation, thermisation.
Outcome 3
Explain the preparation and use of starters for natural cheese making in a dairy processing operation.
Evidence requirements
3.1The preparation and use of starters for natural cheese making are explained in terms of the selection of starter organisms and maintenance of starter organism ratios in order to achieve desired cheese characteristics.
3.2The preparation and use of starters for natural 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.
3.3The preparation and use of starters for natural cheese making are explained in terms of requirements for maintaining a successful dairy industry cheese starter system.
Rangerequirements include but are not limited to – staff awareness training, starter culture management, control of potential channels for bacteriophage attack, hygiene control, whey handling, bacteriophage monitoring.
Outcome 4
Explain rennet coagulation of milk for natural cheese making in a dairy processing operation.
Evidence requirements
4.1Rennet coagulation of milk for natural cheese making is explained in terms of the mechanism of coagulation.
Rangemechanisms include but are not limited to – enzymatic phase, coagulation phase.
4.2Rennet coagulation of milk for natural cheese making 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.
4.3Rennet coagulation of milk for natural cheese making is explained in terms of the influences of rennet coagulation and linkage with the final cheese product characteristics.
Rangeinfluences include but are not limited to – manufacturing conditions, flavour, functionality.
Outcome 5
Explain the natural cheese curd making process.
Evidence requirements
5.1The natural cheese curd making process is explained in terms of influences of cutting of the coagulum on the cheese making process and cheese yield.
Rangeinfluences include but are not limited to – pH, temperature, time, curd particle size, syneresis.
5.2The natural cheese curd making process is explained in terms of influences of curd washing on the cheese making process and cheese characteristics.
Rangecheese making process includes but is not limited to – syneresis, pH, lactose concentration;
cheese characteristics include but are not limited to – sensory, cheese varieties.
5.3The natural cheese curd making process is explained in terms of influences of cooking and stirring on the natural cheese making process and subsequent 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.
Outcome 6
Explain curd development, salting and block formation in a dairy processing operation.
Evidence requirements
6.1Curd development is explained in terms of influences on the rate and extent of acid development.
6.2Curd development is explained in terms of factors associated with curd compression, stretching and curd matrix formation.
6.3Salting is explained in terms of purposes of salting.
Rangepurposes include but ar not limited to – control of rate and extent of acid development, control of microflora, flavour, preservation.
6.4Salting is explained in terms of factors influencing salt uptake 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.
6.5Curd development, salting and block formation are explained in terms of operating principles of cheese plant and equipment.
Rangeoperating principles include but are not limited to – alfomatic, wincanton block formers, casomatic, table pressing systems, brine salting systems.
Outcome 7
Explain changes that occur during natural cheese ripening in a dairy processing operation.
Evidence requirements
7.1Changes that occur during natural cheese ripening are explained in terms of differences in equilibration of moisture and salt distribution in rindless and rinded cheeses.
7.2Changes that occur during natural cheese ripening are explained in terms of the action of proteolytic enzymes on casein fractions.
Rangeproteolytic enzymes include but are not limited to – s1-casein, -casein.
7.3Changes that occur during natural cheese ripening are explained in terms of texture and flavour development of rindless and rinded cheeses.
7.4The natural cheese curd making process is explained in terms of influences of draining or ‘running’ (separation of curd from whey) on cheese ripening.
Rangeinfluences include but are not limited to – pH, residual rennet, calcium ion concentration, curd matting.
Outcome8
Explain natural cheese composition control in a dairy processing operation.
Evidence requirements
8.1Natural 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).
8.2Natural cheese composition control is explained in terms of dependent and independent cheese process variables for control of MNFS.
8.3Natural cheese composition control is explained in terms of cheese process variables for control of salt-in-moisture.
8.4Natural cheese composition control is explained in terms of cheese process variables for control of cheese pH.
Planned review date / 31 December 2020Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 10 January 1994 / 31 December 2012
Revision / 2 / 16 September 1997 / 31 December 2012
Review / 3 / 5 July 1999 / 31 December 2012
Revision / 4 / 13 June 2003 / 31 December 2012
Rollover and Revision / 5 / 20 June 2006 / 31 December 2012
Rollover / 6 / 17 July 2009 / 31 December 2012
Review / 7 / 17 May 2012 / 31 December 2016
Review / 8 / 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 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2019