Application
This unit covers the skills and knowledge required to select and dry meat cuts for the production of dried meat products.
This unit is applicable to workers producing products such as jerky, biltong and dried pet treats (e.g. pigs' ears).
All work should be carried out to comply with workplace procedures, customer requirements and product specifications.
This unit applies to individuals who work under broad direction and take responsibility for their own work including limited responsibility for the work of others. They provide and communicate solutions to a range of predictable problems.
No occupational licensing, legislative or certification requirements are known to apply to this unit at the time of publication.
This unit must be delivered and assessed in the context of Australian meat processing standards and regulations.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Element | Performance criteria |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Select and prepare meat for drying | 1.1 Select meats cuts for drying according to workplace specifications 1.2 Inspect meat for defects 1.3 Identify defects and take corrective action according to workplace requirements 1.4 Prepare and store meat prior to processing according to workplace requirements |
2. Dry meat products | 2.1 Perform pre-operational checks on drier according to workplace requirements 2.2 Load drier according to workplace requirements, including hygiene and sanitation, and workplace health and safety requirements 2.3 Operate drier according to workplace requirements, including observing time and temperature specifications 2.4 Maintain records according to workplace requirements 2.5 Empty drier according to workplace requirements |
3. Inspect and store dried meat | 3.1 Inspect dried product according to workplace requirements 3.2 Store dried product prior to packing according to workplace requirements |
Evidence of Performance
Candidates must prepare at least two different types of dried meat to workplace requirements.
Candidates must:
follow the requirements of the work instruction
work at production speed
select and prepare meat for drying
identify defects and take appropriate corrective action
identify contamination
dry a minimum of three different types of meat products according to workplace requirements
inspect and store dried meat products according to workplace requirements
apply communication and mathematical skills relevant to work instructions and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate a factual, technical, procedural and theoretical knowledge of:
sources and causes of contamination
ways of preventing contamination
workplace health and safety hazards associated with operating a drier
workplace specifications for meat to be dried
drying processes for at least three different kinds of dried meat products
relevant regulatory requirements
time and temperature requirements for the variety of products produced
Assessment Conditions
Competency must be demonstrated over time and under typical operating conditions for the enterprise.
Assessment must occur in the workplace under normal production conditions.
As a minimum, the following three forms of assessment must be used:
quiz of underpinning knowledge
workplace demonstration
workplace referee or third-party report of performance over time
Assessors must satisfy the current standards for RTOs.
Foundation Skills
Foundation Skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.