Extract shellfish meat by hand
Overview
This standard is about extracting shellfish meat by hand. It details the skills and knowledge required to set-up and extract cooked shellfish meat using hand tools and equipment. It is also about working to organisational product specifications and production schedules. While this is primarily about cooked crustaceans (such as crabs, lobsters), it can also include other shellfish such as whelks.
You must be able to prepare to extract shellfish meat by hand. You must also be able to extract shellfish meat by hand. You must also be able to complete the extraction of shellfish meat.
This standard is for you if you work in the fish or shellfish industry and are involved in the extraction of shellfish meat by hand.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- extract shellfish meat by hand in accordance with organisational standards
- confirm meat extraction specification
- obtain tools and equipment required to support extraction operations, including hygiene and personal protective equipment
- prepare and maintain work station throughout the process
- confirm condition of tools and equipment is suitable for achieving required production specification
- obtain shellfish to meet required specification
- extract meat from shell
- remove and discard inedible shellfish organs
- check yields and quality requirements against specification
- check extracted meat for unwanted shell content
- maintain specified rate of production
- handle and store shellfish meat in a manner which maintains quality and condition
- maintain hygienic condition of tools and equipment
- make sure the product is transferred to the next stage in the manufacturing operation
- deal with materials that can be re-cycled or re-worked
- dispose of waste material according to organisational procedures
- maintain communication
- complete records in accordance with organisational requirements
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- what the organisational standards are and what may happen if they are not followed
- how to obtain and interpret the relevant process and quality specifications
- the tools and equipment required to support hand extraction of shellfish meat
- how to prepare and maintain work stations in a condition suitable for shellfish meat extraction
- how to maintain tools and equipment in a condition suitable for extracting shellfish meat
- how to identify commonly used shellfish species
- the anatomy of shellfish species including those parts of the shellfish that must be discarded
- how to extract shellfish meat to maximise yield
- batch control and traceability procedures
- how and why it is important to remove all shell parts from meat
- how to check for pieces of shell in extracted shellfish meat
- how to assess the quality of cooked shellfish meat
- how to deal with shellfish which is not fit for use
- common quality problems associated with cooked shellfish meat extraction and their causes
- what action to take when the process specification is not met
- the parts of the shellfish that can be re-worked and re-cycled
- how to dispose of waste and why it is important to do so
- the limits of your own authority and competence and why it is important to work within those limits
- what recording, reporting and communication is needed, how to carry this out and the reasons why it is important to do so