NZQA registered unit standard
770 version 8
Page 1 of 6
Title
Explain the natural cheese manufacturing process in a dairy
processing operation
Level
5
Purpose
Credits
20
This theory-based unit standard is for experienced people
making natural cheese in a dairy processing operation.
People credited with the unit 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 Processing> Milk Products
Available grade
Achieved
Explanatory notes
1
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.
2
Definition
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
1.1
Properties 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.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
Range
1.2
770 version 8
Page 2 of 6
milk components include but are not limited to – fat, protein, water,
minerals, lactose.
Properties of milk are explained in terms of conditions for microbial
contamination and growth, and controls to achieve natural cheese product
specifications.
Range
microbial 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
2.1
The 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.
2.2
The 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.
Range
heat 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
3.1
The 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.
3.2
The preparation and use of starters for natural cheese making are explained in
terms of bacteriophage inhibition of starter organisms.
Range
3.3
bacteriophage inhibition includes but is not limited to – host
specificity, replication mechanism, replication rates.
The preparation and use of starters for natural cheese making are explained in
terms of requirements for maintaining a successful dairy industry cheese starter
system.
Range
requirements include but are not limited to – staff awareness
training, starter culture management, control of potential channels
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
770 version 8
Page 3 of 6
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
4.1
Rennet coagulation of milk for natural cheese making is explained in terms of
the mechanism of coagulation.
Range
4.2
Rennet coagulation of milk for natural cheese making is explained in terms of
factors that influence rennet coagulation.
Range
4.3
mechanisms include but are not limited to – enzymatic phase,
coagulation phase.
factors include but are not limited to – type of rennet, temperature,
pH, time, milk casein content, calcium concentration.
Rennet 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.
Range
influences include but are not limited to – manufacturing
conditions, flavour, functionality.
Outcome 5
Explain the natural cheese curd making process.
Evidence requirements
5.1
The natural cheese curd making process is explained in terms of influences of
cutting of the coagulum on the cheese making process and cheese yield.
Range
5.2
The natural cheese curd making process is explained in terms of influences of
curd washing on the cheese making process and cheese characteristics.
Range
5.3
influences include but are not limited to – pH, temperature, time,
curd particle size, syneresis.
cheese making process includes but is not limited to – syneresis,
pH, lactose concentration;
cheese characteristics include but are not limited to – sensory,
cheese varieties.
The 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.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
Range
770 version 8
Page 4 of 6
cooking 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
6.1
Curd development is explained in terms of influences on the rate and extent of
acid development.
6.2
Curd development is explained in terms of factors associated with curd
compression, stretching and curd matrix formation.
6.3
Salting is explained in terms of purposes of salting.
Range
6.4
Salting is explained in terms of factors influencing salt uptake and differences in
salt dispersion in dry salted and brine salted cheeses.
Range
6.5
purposes include but ar 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.
Curd development, salting and block formation are explained in terms of
operating principles of cheese plant and equipment.
Range
operating 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
7.1
Changes that occur during natural cheese ripening are explained in terms of
differences in equilibration of moisture and salt distribution in rindless and
rinded cheeses.
7.2
Changes that occur during natural cheese ripening are explained in terms of the
action of proteolytic enzymes on casein fractions.
Range
proteolytic enzymes include but are not limited to – s1-casein, casein.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
770 version 8
Page 5 of 6
7.3
Changes that occur during natural cheese ripening are explained in terms of
texture and flavour development of rindless and rinded cheeses.
7.4
The natural cheese curd making process is explained in terms of influences of
draining or ‘running’ (separation of curd from whey) on cheese ripening.
influences include but are not limited to – pH, residual rennet,
calcium ion concentration, curd matting.
Range
Outcome 8
Explain natural cheese composition control in a dairy processing operation.
Evidence requirements
8.1
Natural 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).
8.2
Natural cheese composition control is explained in terms of dependent and
independent cheese process variables for control of MNFS.
8.3
Natural cheese composition control is explained in terms of cheese process
variables for control of salt-in-moisture.
8.4
Natural cheese composition control is explained in terms of cheese process
variables for control of cheese pH.
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
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
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
770 version 8
Page 6 of 6
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
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016