NZQA registered unit standard
17617 version 5
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Title
Explain specialty cheese making
Level
5
Credits
Purpose
20
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 Processing > Milk 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
1.1
Food microbiology is explained in terms of broad microbial groupings.
1.2
Food microbiology is explained in terms of the influence of microorganisms on
humans.
Range
influences include but are not limited to – useful to humans,
harmful to humans, spoilers.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
1.3
Food microbiology is explained in terms of requirements for microbial activity.
Range
1.4
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requirements include but are not limited to – causative agent,
growth niche, nutrients, moisture, temperature, time.
Food microbiology is explained in terms of control strategies.
Range
control 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
2.1
Properties of milk are explained in terms of the typical composition of milk and
how it affects speciality cheese making.
Range
2.2
Properties of milk are explained in terms of conditions for microbial
contamination and growth, and controls to achieve speciality cheese product
specifications.
Range
2.3
composition includes but is not limited to – fat, protein, water,
minerals, lactose.
microbial contamination and growth includes but is not limited to –
psychrotrophs, coliforms, thermophiles, thermodurics, yeasts and
moulds.
Properties of milk are explained in terms of compositional issues that affect the
speciality cheese making process.
Range
compositional 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
3.1
The 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.
Range
conditions include but are not limited to – temperature, time,
microbial counts.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
3.2
The 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.
Range
3.3
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heat treatment includes but is not limited to – pasteurisation,
thermisation.
The 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
4.1
The 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.
Range
starter systems include but are not limited to – direct vat set
starters, bulk starters, equipment hygiene, heat treatment,
inoculation.
4.2
The preparation and use of starters for speciality cheese making are explained
in terms of inoculation and incubation of starter organisms.
4.3
The preparation and use of starters for speciality cheese making are explained
in terms of bacteriophage inhibition of starter organisms.
Range
4.4
bacteriophage inhibition includes but is not limited to – host
specificity, replication mechanism, replication rates.
The 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
5.1
Coagulation of milk for speciality cheese making is explained in terms of the
mechanisms of coagulation.
Range
coagulation includes but is not limited to – enzymic coagulation,
enzymatic phase, coagulation phase, acid coagulation.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
5.2
Coagulation of milk for speciality cheese making is explained in terms of factors
that influence rennet coagulation.
Range
5.3
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factors include but are not limited to – type of rennet, temperature,
pH, time, milk casein content, calcium concentration.
Coagulation of milk for speciality cheese making is explained in terms of the
influences of coagulation and linkage with the final speciality cheese product
characteristics.
Range
influences include but are not limited to – manufacturing
conditions, flavour, functionality.
Outcome 6
Explain the curd making process for speciality cheeses.
Evidence requirements
6.1
The curd making process for speciality cheeses is explained in terms of
influences of factors affecting syneresis.
Range
6.2
The use of starters in speciality cheese making is explained in terms of acid
development coagulation and moisture expulsion.
Range
6.3
factors include but are not limited to – milk composition, curd
particle size, acidity, agitation, temperature, time, post-vat
conditions.
starters include but are not limited to – lactose and lactic acid
concentrations, mineral solubilisation and movements, cheese pH.
The curd making process for speciality cheeses is explained in terms of
influences of curd washing on the cheese making process and speciality
cheese characteristics.
Range
cheese making process includes but is not limited to – syneresis,
pH, lactose concentration;
speciality cheese characteristics include but are not limited to –
sensory, cheese varieties.
6.4
The curd making process for speciality cheeses is explained in terms of control
and influence of curd whey equilibria on cheese composition and
characteristics.
6.5
The curd making process for speciality cheeses is explained in terms of
influences of cooking and stirring on the cheese making process and
subsequent speciality cheese varieties.
Range
cooking and stirring includes but is not limited to – direct and
indirect heating, temperature, time;
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
17617 version 5
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influences include but are not limited to – syneresis, case
hardening, starter activity.
6.6
The 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.
Range
influences include but are not limited to – pH, residual rennet,
calcium ion concentration, curd matting.
Outcome 7
Explain curd salting for speciality cheeses.
Evidence requirements
7.1
Salting is explained in terms of purposes of salting.
Range
7.2
Salting is explained in terms of factors influencing salt uptake, moisture loss and
differences in salt dispersion in dry salted and brine salted cheeses.
Range
7.3
purposes include but are not limited to – control of rate and extent
of acid development, control of microflora, flavour, preservation.
factors include but are not limited to – curd particle size, curd
condition at salting, salt application rate, salt application method,
salt application period.
Salting is explained in terms of factors causing salting related defects in
speciality cheeses.
Range
types include but are not limited to – brine salting, dry salting.
Outcome 8
Explain changes that occur during speciality cheese ripening.
Evidence requirements
8.1
Changes that occur during speciality cheese ripening are explained in terms of
differences in equilibration of moisture and salt distribution in rindless and
rinded cheeses.
8.2
Changes that occur during speciality cheese ripening are explained in terms of
the action of proteolytic and lipolytic enzymes.
8.3
Changes that occur during speciality cheese ripening are explained in terms of
texture and flavour development of rindless and rinded cheeses.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
8.4
Specialty cheese making processes are explained in terms of factors
influencing cheese ripening.
Range
8.5
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factors include but are not limited to – moisture, pH, salt,
temperature, humidity.
Specialty cheese making processes are explained in terms of the packaging
requirements of different cheese types.
Range
types include but are not limited to – rinded, rindless, mouldripened, smear-ripened.
Outcome 9
Explain speciality cheese composition control.
Evidence requirements
9.1
Speciality 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).
9.2
Speciality cheese composition control is explained in terms of dependent and
independent cheese process variables for control of MNFS.
9.3
Speciality cheese composition control is explained in terms of cheese process
variables for control of salt-in-moisture.
9.4
Speciality cheese composition control is explained in terms of cheese process
variables for control of cheese pH.
Outcome 10
Explain the management factors of specialty cheese making processes.
Evidence requirements
10.1
The management of specialty cheese making processes is explained in terms
of the importance of monitoring and responding to changes in milk composition
and in relation to product type.
10.2
The management of specialty cheese making processes is explained in terms
of the importance and use of process control checks.
Range
10.3
process control checks include but are not limited to –
temperature, pH, microbiological, relative humidity.
The management of specialty cheese making processes is explained in terms
of the importance and use of records for process control and trace-back.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
17617 version 5
Page 7 of 7
10.4
The management of specialty cheese making processes is explained in terms
of the control of storage and transport conditions to achieve desired shelf life
and product quality.
10.5
The management of specialty cheese making is explained in terms of
compliance with legislative requirements for food safety and export.
Planned review date
31 December 2020
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
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 http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
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 standards@primaryito.ac.nz if
you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016