Elements and Performance Criteria
- Prepare work area
- Wash mollusc
- Open or remove shells
- The adductor muscle (bivalves) or foot (abalone) is cut with a knife.
- Meat is freed from one shell to produce a half shell (bivalves) or shells totally removed to leave meat only (bivalves and abalone) according to productivity and yield specifications.
- Half shells or meat are quickly rinsed under potable water to remove any grit or debris and meat is trimmed, as required.
- Product is visually inspected for any signs of spoilage, defects or parasites, and undersize or defective product is identified and set aside for other uses, if appropriate.
- Product is size/weight graded.
- Pack half shells or meats
- Graded half shells or meat are placed into transport containers by weight or number.
- Layers of half shells are separated within the container with plastic sheeting to ensure that no grit is transferred from the shell to the meat.
- Identification and traceability of product is maintained.
- Transport containers of packed half shells or meat are labelled with the date of production and other required information.
- Transport containers of packed half shells or meat are quickly transferred to the chillers to reduce their temperature.
- Identification and traceability of product is maintained according to enterprise food safety program.