Assessor Resource

DEFSUR007
Preserve and cook foodstuffs in a survival situation

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: March 2024


This unit describes the skills required to preserve and cook foodstuffs in a survival situation. This unit also covers the prudent management of food assets and implementing personal measures to minimise energy expenditure to enhance survival chances. The individual is not expected to be a camp chef, but rather to possess sufficient skills and knowledge to obtain, where possible, a measure of sustenance from the environment through cooking, or preserving for longer-term consumption.

This unit was developed for Defence personnel but may be relevant to others.

The skills and knowledge described in this unit must be applied within the legislative, regulatory and policy environment in which they are carried out. Organisational policies and procedures must be consulted and adhered to.

Those undertaking this unit would act autonomously, while performing concrete tasks, in a broad range of contexts which may be highly unpredictable.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to unit at the time of publication.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)



Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

ELEMENTS

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Elements describe the essential outcomes

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the range of conditions section.

1. Preserve and cook flora and fauna

1.1 Apply testing procedures to unknown flora to identify their fitness for consumption.

1.2 Remove harmful components of animal and vegetable foodstuffs.

1.3 Use improvised cooking techniques to prepare animal and vegetable foodstuffs for consumption to reduce the chances of acquiring parasites and germs.

1.4 Use improvised preserving techniques to preserve animal and vegetable foodstuffs to allow long-term storage without any harmful organisms spoiling the foodstuff.

2. Manage food resources

2.1 Implement energy management techniques to minimise unnecessary wastage.

2.2 Ration foodstuffs in accordance with survival requirements.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria. If not otherwise specified the candidate must demonstrate evidence of performance of the following on at least one occasion.

using improvised cooking techniques for at least one animal and at least one vegetable foodstuff by two of the following methods on different meal occasions:

roasting

earth oven

boiling

grilling/frying

applying safety principles to ensure potential parasites and other organisms are destroyed by cooking, without destroying the foodstuff by burning or overcooking

preserving foodstuff for at least one animal and at least one vegetable foodstuff quantity sufficient for at least two separate survival meals by two of the following methods:

drying

smoking

salting

using curing techniques, making sure that maggot or bacterial infestation does not spoil the foodstuff (the preserved foodstuff should not suffer deterioration for two days [minimum] after curing, and must then be consumed by the survivor as part of their survival diet)

Evidence required to demonstrate competence must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria. If not otherwise specified the depth of knowledge demonstrated must be appropriate to the job context of the candidate.

fire safety

food testing procedures

recognition of edible plants

Competency must be assessed in a simulated workplace environment and demonstrated at least once in the test procedure for unknown flora and, as detailed, over a range of occasions for cooking and preserving that could be expected in a survival situation.

Consideration must be given to holistic assessment with other survival units.

While a person can demonstrate the technical ability to cook and preserve foodstuffs, doing so in a survival situation is crucial. Assessment under simulated survival conditions includes:

food restrictions

absence of normal living conditions and amenities

significant period of time

Refer to advice in the companion volumes.

Assessors must satisfy the NVR/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.


Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)


Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

ELEMENTS

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Elements describe the essential outcomes

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the range of conditions section.

1. Preserve and cook flora and fauna

1.1 Apply testing procedures to unknown flora to identify their fitness for consumption.

1.2 Remove harmful components of animal and vegetable foodstuffs.

1.3 Use improvised cooking techniques to prepare animal and vegetable foodstuffs for consumption to reduce the chances of acquiring parasites and germs.

1.4 Use improvised preserving techniques to preserve animal and vegetable foodstuffs to allow long-term storage without any harmful organisms spoiling the foodstuff.

2. Manage food resources

2.1 Implement energy management techniques to minimise unnecessary wastage.

2.2 Ration foodstuffs in accordance with survival requirements.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria. If not otherwise specified the candidate must demonstrate evidence of performance of the following on at least one occasion.

using improvised cooking techniques for at least one animal and at least one vegetable foodstuff by two of the following methods on different meal occasions:

roasting

earth oven

boiling

grilling/frying

applying safety principles to ensure potential parasites and other organisms are destroyed by cooking, without destroying the foodstuff by burning or overcooking

preserving foodstuff for at least one animal and at least one vegetable foodstuff quantity sufficient for at least two separate survival meals by two of the following methods:

drying

smoking

salting

using curing techniques, making sure that maggot or bacterial infestation does not spoil the foodstuff (the preserved foodstuff should not suffer deterioration for two days [minimum] after curing, and must then be consumed by the survivor as part of their survival diet)

Evidence required to demonstrate competence must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria. If not otherwise specified the depth of knowledge demonstrated must be appropriate to the job context of the candidate.

fire safety

food testing procedures

recognition of edible plants

Competency must be assessed in a simulated workplace environment and demonstrated at least once in the test procedure for unknown flora and, as detailed, over a range of occasions for cooking and preserving that could be expected in a survival situation.

Consideration must be given to holistic assessment with other survival units.

While a person can demonstrate the technical ability to cook and preserve foodstuffs, doing so in a survival situation is crucial. Assessment under simulated survival conditions includes:

food restrictions

absence of normal living conditions and amenities

significant period of time

Refer to advice in the companion volumes.

Assessors must satisfy the NVR/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Apply testing procedures to unknown flora to identify their fitness for consumption. 
Remove harmful components of animal and vegetable foodstuffs. 
Use improvised cooking techniques to prepare animal and vegetable foodstuffs for consumption to reduce the chances of acquiring parasites and germs. 
Use improvised preserving techniques to preserve animal and vegetable foodstuffs to allow long-term storage without any harmful organisms spoiling the foodstuff. 
Implement energy management techniques to minimise unnecessary wastage. 
Ration foodstuffs in accordance with survival requirements. 
Apply testing procedures to unknown flora to identify their fitness for consumption. 
Remove harmful components of animal and vegetable foodstuffs. 
Use improvised cooking techniques to prepare animal and vegetable foodstuffs for consumption to reduce the chances of acquiring parasites and germs. 
Use improvised preserving techniques to preserve animal and vegetable foodstuffs to allow long-term storage without any harmful organisms spoiling the foodstuff. 
Implement energy management techniques to minimise unnecessary wastage. 
Ration foodstuffs in accordance with survival requirements. 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

DEFSUR007 - Preserve and cook foodstuffs in a survival situation
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

Student ID:

I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

Feedback to student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:


Assessment Record Sheet

DEFSUR007 - Preserve and cook foodstuffs in a survival situation

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Student signature:

Date: