Level 3 Diploma in Meat Hygiene and Inspection
This qualification is designed for individuals who require the knowledge and understanding to enable them to work as members of the teams that carry out the official controls within meat plants specified in the Community Regulation 854/2004.
The Level 3 Diploma in Meat Hygiene and Inspection meets the requirements for the professional qualifications of Official Auxiliaries (meat hygiene inspectors) specified to Annex 1, Section II, Chapter IV, B of 854/2004. It should be noted that these regulations stipulate that candidates for assessment must have received at least 500 hours of theoretical training and at least 400 hours of practical training covering the areas specified in the regulations.
The Level 3 Diploma award is broken into 8 units: introduction to food safety management; regulations and responsibilities in meat processing; post mortem inspection of poultry; meat hygiene and regulation; aetiology, pathology and welfare in poultry; aetiology, pathology and welfare in red meat animals; post mortem inspection of red meat; principles of hygiene and HACCP regulatory auditing.
Holders of this qualification will have a broad knowledge and understanding of food safety and food hygiene, an understanding of the regulatory framework within which the meat industry operates, and a good knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pathology, production methods and inspection procedures. They will also have a sound understanding of the structure of the meat industry, the regulatory framework within which it operates and the hygienic operation of meat plants, and the principles of auditing with particular reference to food safety in meat plants.
Each unit is assessed by an examination.
