Knowledge of: use of technical terms used to communicate information on properties of food and materials commonly used in the food industry physical characteristics or phenomena that occur through cheese processing, including: chemistry (e.g. acidity, calcium phosphate and salt levels) microbiological counts handle and feel of the product total solids (or moisture) heat and temperature taste, smell and appearance of the final cheese product the processes where characteristics and phenomena can be observed processes for the making of different types of cheese the processing stages designed to affect the structure of these compounds (e.g. the use of fermentation to coagulate the casein micelles for acid coagulated cheeses compared to the use of rennet for rennet coagulated cheeses) common chemical reactions that occur, factors required to cause a reaction, and the effect of reactions are identified for cheese making, including both spontaneous and controlled reactions, such as: oxidation enzymic Maillard acid-based reactions other reactions relevant to a given cheese type and production process physical changes that occur to ingredients and product through cheese making reactions and properties of carbohydrates, proteins and fats through the cheese making process behaviour of each type of matter and its relationship to the production process changes in acidity through the cheese making process and its influence on spoilage, moisture and mineral content, texture and flavour temperature control and its impact throughout a cheese making process acidity ranges for the different types of cheeses the significance of fermentation for the control of spoilage and pathogens in cheese, and its influence on moisture levels, mineral content, texture and flavour the basic molecular structures of carbohydrates, proteins and fats the role of enzymes in generating biological reactions (e.g. the use of rennet as a coagulating agent) coagulation time and setting time for rennet factors that influence syneresis and its importance in cheese making types of microbial cells and their components and functions the main types of microorganisms and their activity in cheese making, both those that enhance the process and those that impact negatively on cheese characteristics types of pathogenic bacteria that can be present in milk and cheese products sampling requirements for cheese making pH, moisture and salt gradients in brine salted cheese (need for homogeneity in sampling) buffering in milk and the role of casein and phosphate levels basic molecular structures of carbohydrates, proteins and fats disinfection and sterilisation as applied to practical aspects of microbiological diversity and growth microorganisms of significance in the production and spoilage of cheese testing methods and interpretation of results for salmonella, staphylococcus, listeria and E. coli in raw milk cheese testing methods and interpretation for bacteriophage in whey chemical and physical methods available for controlling microbial growth safety hazards and control methods technical information resources. |