IMPFP137 – Use fish or shellfish quality assessment methods

 

Overview

This standard is about the skills and knowledge of how to use organoleptic assessment methods to assess fish or shellfish quality.

You must know and understand how to assess fish or shellfish against raw materials, product or other specification, respond to problems, complete the necessary records and maintain communication with relevant people.

This standard is for you if you work in fish or shellfish processing and are involved in the assessing of quality.

 

Performance criteria

You must be able to:

 

Monitor product quality 

1.         follow the health, safety and hygiene requirements when carrying out quality checks 

2.         wear appropriate personal protective clothing and equipment during quality monitoring 

3.         identify and report factors which may adversely affect product quality 

4.         identify and report non-conformance to quality standards to the relevant person 

5.         take action to reject or isolate products or items which do not conform to specification 

 

Contribute to resolving quality problems 

6.         seek advice for quality problems outside your own level of authority or expertise 

7.         offer support to or seek help for colleagues who encounter quality problems 

8.         evaluate quality problems, within the limits of your own expertise and understanding, and feedback your observations to the relevant person 

9.         receive and confirm instructions for the resolution of quality problems 

10.       carry out agreed action to resolve quality problems and feedback results to the relevant person 

11.       communicate clearly with others to ensure that resolutions to quality problems are understood

 

Knowledge and understanding

You need to know and understand

 

1.         how to minimise workplace related fish/shellfish quality loss through spoilage by the use of temperature control and handling 

2.         which methods are used in the workplace to assess the quality of fish/shellfish including organoleptic, chemical and microbiological testing

3.         how to apply the appropriate fish/shellfish quality assessment methods to determine the quality of raw materials and assure the quality of finished product

4.         the fish/shellfish quality standards that apply in the workplace and to the material to be assessed

5.         product control and traceability during quality assessment operations

6.         how to dispose of waste according to organisational procedures

7.         what action to take in response to the results of the quality assessment

8.         what recording, reporting and communication is needed, how to carry this out and the reasons why it is important to do so

9.         the limits of your own authority and competence and why it is important to work within those limits

10.       what the legal or regulatory requirements, the organisational health and safety, hygiene and environmental standards and instructions are and what may happen if they are not followed

11.       fish/shellfish spoilage and its causes

12.       the impact of handling and temperature control practices on fish/shellfish quality and spoilage rates

13.       the various methods used to assess the quality of fish/shellfish including organoleptic testing, chemical and microbiological and their limitations

14.       how to determine the appropriate organoleptic quality assessment method to use

15.       how to use QIM quality assessment schemes

16.       how to use RAW TORRY quality assessment schemes

17.       how to use COOKED TORRY quality assessment schemes

18.       quality assessment taste calibration

19.       how to establish quality assessment teams or panels

20.       the role of quality assessment in quality assurance

21.       the management of quality assessment in the fish/shellfish industry

22.       the legislation that controls fish/shellfish quality assessment

 

Keywords: Fish; Shellfish; Quality; Handling; Temperature; Control; Chemical; Microbiological.