NZQA Expiring unit standard
8970 version 5
Page 1 of 4
Title
Evaluate the performance of microbiological media used in the New
Zealand dairy industry
Level
4
Credits
4
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to: determine
the effects on performance of microbiological media due to
different media components; identify microbiological media
sterility methods and their effects on the media; determine the
effects of inhibitory substances on microbiological media and
corrective action to be taken; and evaluate the performance of
microbiological media from a given set of plates in the New
Zealand dairy industry.
Classification
Dairy Manufacturing > Dairy Laboratory Methodology
Available grade
Achieved
Entry information
Critical health and
safety prerequisites
Open.
Explanatory notes
1
Work must be carried out in accordance with organisational requirements.
2
Organisational requirements refers to instructions to staff on policy and procedures
(including the application of legislation to work situations) which are formally
documented or generally accepted at the work site. This may include legislation:
industry standards and methods, national and international standards and methods:
standards and methods published in internationally recognised reputable texts:
customer/organisation developed methods, standard operating procedures,
specifications, manuals, and manufacturer’s information.
3
The legislation and standards relevant to this unit standard may include but are not
limited to – Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, Animal Products Act 1999,
Animal Products (Dairy) Regulations 2005, ISO/IEC 17025:1999 General
requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories, NZFSA –
Approved Standards and Codes of Practice at
http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/dairy/registers-lists.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA Expiring unit standard
8970 version 5
Page 2 of 4
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Determine the effects on performance of microbiological media due to different media
components.
Evidence requirements
1.1
The components and their functions are identified from a given medium.
Range
1.2
nutrients, inhibitors, indicators.
The expected reactions are identified from a given medium.
Range
reduction in Tellurite, degradation or fermentation of lactose,
Sulphite reduction, complete lysis of red blood cells, lypolysis,
proteolysis, bacterial inhibition.
Outcome 2
Identify microbiological media sterility methods and their effects on the media.
Evidence requirements
2.1
The methods used for sterilisation of media and their effects on the media are
identified.
Range
2.2
autoclave, filter, boiling.
Inadequate autoclave sterilisation of media is identified in accordance with
manufacturer’s specifications and organisational requirements.
Range
loading configuration, time cycle parameters, access of steam,
displacement of air, pressure equilibrium, post autoclave sealing,
instrumentation failure.
Outcome 3
Determine the effects of inhibitory substances on microbiological media and the corrective
action to be taken.
Range
detergent residues, water toxicity.
Evidence requirements
3.1
The effects of inhibitory substances are determined from a given set of agar
plates.
3.2
Corrective action to be taken arising from the detection of an inhibitory
substance is stated.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA Expiring unit standard
Range
8970 version 5
Page 3 of 4
rinsing techniques, types of detergent, water supply, storage
containers.
Outcome 4
Evaluate the performance of microbiological media from a given set of plates.
Range
selective versus non-selective, broths, new versus approved batch, new versus
approved batch during product testing.
Evidence requirements
4.1
The percentage of recovery rates is evaluated.
4.2
The recovery rate is within acceptable limits.
This unit standard is expiring. Assessment against the standard must take place by
the last date for assessment set out below.
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
28 April 1997
31 December 2017
Revision
2
2 July 1999
31 December 2017
Revision
3
13 June 2003
31 December 2017
Rollover and
Revision
4
26 January 2007
31 December 2017
Review
5
15 October 2015
31 December 2017
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
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA Expiring unit standard
8970 version 5
Page 4 of 4
to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors
and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016