Unit of competency

Modification History

Application

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to support a food safety audit of food safety programs of bivalve mollusc producers. The unit covers on-shore and wild growing, harvesting, cleaning, post-harvest handling and storage, stock movement, depuration and wet storage.

This unit applies to individuals who are responsible for auditing a bivalve mollusc growing and harvesting process. These audits would typically occur within the context of auditing a food safety program that defines related prerequisite program requirements. The audits are supported by state, territory and Commonwealth government regulations prescribing processes and requirements relating to the production of bivalve molluscs.

This unit does not cover the skills and knowledge to audit the classification of growing areas.

This unit supports relevant legislation, including food standards included in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, industry codes of practice relating to validation and verification of a food safety program, and the audit requirements detailed in the National Regulatory Food Safety Auditor Guideline and Policy, and should be read in conjunction with these documents.

Both regulatory and commercial audit system owners may specify additional certification requirements of auditors eligible to audit food safety programs within their system.

Pre-requisite Unit

The prerequisite units of competency for this unit are:

• FBPAUD4002 Communicate and negotiate to conduct food safety audits
• FBPAUD4003 Conduct food safety audits
• FBPAUD4004 Identify, evaluate and control food safety hazards

Unit Sector

Food safety auditing (AUD)

Elements and Performance Criteria

Foundation Skills

This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential for performance in this unit of competency but are not explicit in the performance criteria.

Unit Mapping Information

Links

Companion Volume Implementation Guides are found in VETNet: - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=78b15323-cd38-483e-aad7-1159b570a5c4

Assessment requirements

Modification History

Performance Evidence

An individual demonstrating competency in this unit must satisfy all of the elements and performance criteria of this unit.

There must be evidence that the individual has actively participated in a minimum of one audit of a food safety program of a commercial bivalve mollusc growing, harvesting and processing operation, including:

• documenting evidence that details the review of the processor's hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) plan to determine if the critical control points (CCPs) are correctly identified, valid, adequately monitored and verified.

Individuals must also show evidence of completing audit scenarios that include at least one audit involving relaying depuration and wet storage.

Knowledge Evidence

An individual must be able to demonstrate the knowledge required to perform the tasks outlined in the elements and performance criteria of this unit. This includes knowledge of:

• regulations, codes of practice, guidelines and Australian standards relating to production of bivalve molluscs and related role of government in overseeing implementation of shellfish quality programs
• relevant sections of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code
• basic biology and physiology of bivalve molluscs and related sources of food safety risk
• pathogens that can occur in bivalve molluscs and related survival and growth characteristics and control methods, including:

• hepatitis A virus
• Norwalk virus
• Vibrio parahaemolyticus 
• Vibrio vulnificus 
• Salmonella spp 
• pathogenic Escherichia coli
• listeria monocytogenes (in ready-to-eat seafood)

• chemicals that pose a food safety risk in bivalve molluscs, including:

• phycotoxins: harmful algal blooms, such as amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP), neurotoxic shellfish poisoning (NSP), diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) and paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP)
• pesticides
• water additives
• toxic metals
• polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

• sources of environmental contamination that can present a food safety risk in the growing and harvesting of bivalve molluscs, and related food safety controls, including risks associated with both on-shore and wild fisheries
• sources of information on acceptable and legal product quality requirements, including legal limits to ensure product safety
• classifications applying to harvesting areas, system for monitoring and determining status, sources of advice on classification and methods of communicating classification information
• sources of pre- and post-harvest contamination, and related control requirements
• risks and related control methods to prevent cross-contamination, including sorting and cleaning
• prerequisite programs required to support bivalve mollusc growing and harvesting
• basic principles of water sampling and test methods
• principles and associated control measures relating to effective purging of shellfish, including methods, including relaying and depuration, when practised according to state and territory legal and regulatory requirements
• risks associated with depuration and wet storage methods, and related control methods and prerequisite programs that meet legal requirements
• sources of pre- and post-harvest contamination, including sewage, algal bio-toxins and vibrio organisms and related control requirements
• stock handling and storage risks and control methods
• facilities and equipment used in the growing and harvesting of bivalve molluscs, including features required to meet regulatory requirements.

Assessment Conditions

Assessment of skills must take place under the following conditions:

• physical conditions:

• skills must be demonstrated as an individual (not part of a group) in a real workplace

• resources, equipment and materials:

• food safety programs covering bivalve mollusc growing and harvesting processes
• plant and equipment that would typically be used in a commercial bivalve mollusc growing and harvesting business
• case studies of audit processes, including one that involves relaying, depuration or wet storage

• specifications:

• standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints
• food safety-related documentation typical of commercial growing and harvesting businesses and used for the purpose of verification.

Assessors of this unit must satisfy the requirements for assessors in applicable vocational education and training legislation, frameworks and/or standards.

Links

Companion Volume Implementation Guides are found in VETNet: - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=78b15323-cd38-483e-aad7-1159b570a5c4