This unit applies to food technologists, industry researchers, and to middle management personnel who are new to the industry. It includes gaining an understanding of the economic and political structure of the industry, production stages and methods, and key factors affecting meat safety, quality and market access. |
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Establish livestock production and transport requirements | 1.1. Production techniques impacting meat quality are explained for the range of species involved. 1.2. Role and purpose of traceability requirements are explained. 1.3. Purchasing process and selling alternatives for livestock are explained. 1.4. Relationship between transport arrangements and meat quality are explained. 1.5. Potential product quality, animal welfare and food safety hazards from transporting livestock are identified. |
2. Identify the sequence of operations for meat processing in an abattoir | 2.1. Critical elements of the slaughtering process are identified. 2.2. Critical elements of the boning process are identified. 2.3. Role and purpose of rendering are explained. 2.4. Offal processing requirements are explained. 2.5. Differences between export and domestic requirements are identified. |
3. Explain factors affecting food safety and meat quality during processing | 3.1. Key meat safety issues are described. 3.2. Key legislation and regulations affecting meat processing are identified. 3.3. Impacts of seasonal and geographical factors on meat quality are explained. 3.4. The nature and purpose of the Meat Standards Australia (MSA) program are described. 3.5. Impacts of further processing on meat quality are explained. 3.6. Factors affecting shelf life and meat quality are explained. 3.7. The nature and purpose of a meat testing program are explained. |
4. Identify processes and process controls for a range of meat smallgoods | 4.1. Differences between product sources are identified. 4.2. Key smallgoods products and production processes are identified. 4.3. Food safety requirements impacting smallgoods production are explained. |
5. Define the structure and nature of meat retailing in Australia | 5.1. Differences between supermarket, independent and wholesale butchers are identified. 5.2. Regulatory requirements directly impacting meat retailing are explained. 5.3. Key meat product lines and the role of value-adding are identified. 5.4. The impact of customer requirements and expectations are explained. 5.5. Food safety requirements impacting retail operations are explained. |
6. Identify key issues and bodies that impact the Australian meat industry | 6.1. Impacts of climatic factors on the meat industry are explained. 6.2. Key issues impacting meat industry employment are explained. 6.3. Environmental impacts of a meat processing site are reviewed. 6.4. Impacts of changing customer expectations are explained. 6.5. The role of key industry bodies is described. |
Required skills |
Ability to: analyse and interpret work instructions, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), safety and hygiene procedures, and other workplace documentation identify livestock locate, and interpret industry information distinguish between meat products and the processes to produce them identify personal hygiene and operational sanitation procedures identify and Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) risks apply sustainable work practices |
Required knowledge |
Knowledge of: factors which impact on meat safety and quality through the supply chain the main animal welfare issues associated with the production and processing animals for human consumption main markets for meat common causes and impact of contamination relationship between food safety and market access nature and structure of the Australian meat processing industry principles of Quality Assurance (QA) and traceability from paddock to retailer slaughtering and boning processes nature and purpose of the AUS-MEAT and MSA programs customer requirements value-adding of meat products |
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Overview of assessment | The meat industry has specific and clear requirements for evidence. A minimum of three forms of evidence is required to demonstrate competency in the meat industry. This is specifically designed to provide evidence that covers the demonstration in the workplace of all aspects of competency over time. These requirements are in addition to the requirements for valid, current, authentic and sufficient evidence. Three forms of evidence means three different kinds of evidence - not three pieces of the same kind. In practice it will mean that most of the unit is covered twice. This increases the legitimacy of the evidence. All assessment must be conducted against Australian meat industry standards and regulations. |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Critical aspects of assessment must include the following: describe the livestock production and marketing, and retailing systems for the meat industry document the sequence of operations for livestock slaughter and meat processing define processes for a range of meat smallgoods describe production factors influencing meat quality and safety comply with industry requirements for hygiene, OH&S and other work practices. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment of performance requirements in this unit should be undertaken within the context of food technology in the meat processing industry. Assessment must occur in a real or simulated workplace where the candidate has access to: production process and related equipment, manufacturers' advice and operating procedures equipment and facilities for carrying out slaughtering of livestock and processing of primary cuts of meat. |
Method of assessment | The following assessment methods are suggested: written and/or oral questioning to assess knowledge and understanding direct or third-party evidence of compliance with enterprise procedures for hygiene and OHS a process chart developed and explanation of the sequence of operations for meat processing in an abattoir. Evidence should be gathered over a period of time in a range of actual or simulated environments. Assessment practices should take into account any relevant language or cultural issues related to Aboriginality or Torres Strait Islander, gender, or language backgrounds other than English. Language and literacy demands of the assessment task should not be higher than those of the work role. |
Guidance information for assessment | A current list of resources for this unit of competency is available from MINTRAC www.mintrac.com.au or telephone 1800 817 462. |
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
Production techniques may include: | location flock/herd size feedlots or paddock raised organic research trials. |
Species to be slaughtered may include: | cattle sheep goats pigs horses ratites crocodiles. |
Traceability requirements may include: | National Livestock Identification Scheme (NLIS) ear and tail tags state-based requirements PigPass disease notification customer requirements, such as Country of Origin Labelling (COOL). |
Purchasing process and selling alternatives may include: | contractual requirements 'over the hook' live purchasing in paddock or saleyards computer selling major customers (e.g. Woolworths, Tesco, McDonalds) paddock-plate purchasing systems. |
Critical elements of the slaughtering process will include: | animal welfare and handling requirements quality determinants (e.g. stress) carcase description food safety and testing regimes stunning and slaughtering procedures hide removal evisceration time and temperature requirements for carcase chilling and freezing. |
Critical elements of the boning process will include: | cut descriptions integrated/independents boning rooms customer specifications packaging refrigeration and freezing requirements transport arrangements traceability micro testing hygiene and sanitation physical and micro contamination. |
Export and domestic requirements will include | Approved Arrangements livestock traceability micro testing product traceability and recall arrangements regulatory and standards frameworks roles and requirements of Australian Quarantine Inspection Service AQIS and State Meat Authorities Meat Hygiene Assessment (MHA) Refrigeration Index MSA food safety testing regimes animal welfare social accountability food safety market access cuts and specifications religious requirements kill method processing and packing procedures types of packaging environmental impacts of meat production and processing. |
Key legislation and regulations may include: | Australian Standards Export Act Approved Arrangements State-based legislation Codes of Practice (e.g. Animal Welfare) OH&S legislation. |
Meat testing programs may include: | microbiological testing residue testing species testing temperature logging Critical Control Points (CCPs) role of AQIS and National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) in laboratory accreditation. |
Product sources for smallgoods production may include: | imported product Australian product different species (e.g. cattle, sheep, goats and pigs) product additives and mixes (e.g. emulsions, spices and nitrites/nitrates). |
Smallgoods products and production processes will include: | smoked product cooked product Uncooked Comminuted Fermented Meat UCFM dried meats factory-type production techniques independent retailer production techniques regulatory requirements processing equipment. |
Food safety requirements impacting smallgoods production will include: | UCFM thawing processes uncooked/cooked product handling requirements blending/batching processes packaging requirements product storage and transport requirements. |
Regulatory requirements impacting meat retailing will include: | role of State and Council authorities environmental requirements legislation, regulations and Codes of Practice OH&S, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) legislation Modern Awards Food Standards Code. |
Customer requirements and expectations affecting meat retailing may include: | species and cuts packaging value-adding religious dietary and allergen requirements. |
Key issues impacting meat industry employmentmay include: | labour supply and market characteristics meat industry career structures role and nature of training role of overseas workers seasonal and market factors national policies and regulations. |
Environmental impacts of a meat processing site may include: | water use waste water emissions power sources and consumption. |
Changing customer expectations may include: | animal welfare and handling organic production social accountability ethical production traceability. |
Key industry bodies will include | state and federal regulators peak industry bodies (e.g. MLA, AMIC and AMPC) unions covering the industry (e.g. (Australian Meat industry Employees Union AMIEU)) AUS-MEAT Standards determining bodies: International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand (JAS ANZ) Food Standard Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). |
Unit sector |
This unit contains employability skills. |
Not Applicable