First published 2020

RTO Works
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© 2020 RTO Works

This resource is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review as
permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission as
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responsibility for any loss, injury or damage arising from such information.

RTO Works has developed this content in partnership with Reubarquin Press and with the expert industry guidance of
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any errors and any suggestions for improvement. Readers are invited to write to us at hello@rtoworks.com.au.

Hospitality Works is a series of training and assessment resources developed for qualifications within the Tourism,
Travel and Hospitality Training Package.
Contents
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 4
Assessment for this unit ...................................................................................................................... 4
Preparing for assessment ................................................................................................................... 4
Assessment Task 1: Knowledge questions ........................................................................................ 5
Information for students .................................................................................................................. 5
Questions ........................................................................................................................................ 6
Assessment Task 1: Checklist ...................................................................................................... 11
Assessment Task 2: Observation ..................................................................................................... 13
Information for students ................................................................................................................ 13
Activities: Option 1 – Training kitchen based ................................................................................ 14
Assessment Task 2: Option 1 – Checklist .................................................................................... 18
Activities: Option 2 – Workplace based ........................................................................................ 20
Assessment Task 2: Option 2 – Checklist .................................................................................... 24
Final results record ........................................................................................................................... 26

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 3

Introduction
Welcome to the Student Assessment Tasks for SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable
items. These tasks have been designed to help you demonstrate the skills and knowledge that you
have learnt during your course.
Please ensure that you read the instructions provided with these tasks carefully. You should also
follow the advice provided in the Hospitality Works Student User Guide. The Student User Guide
provides important information for you relating to completing assessment successfully.

Assessment for this unit

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items describes the performance outcomes, skills
and knowledge required to maintain the quality of perishable supplies for food and beverage,
commercial cookery or catering operations. It requires the ability to store perishable supplies in
optimum conditions to minimise wastage and avoid food contamination.
For you to be assessed as competent, you must successfully complete two assessment tasks:

• Assessment Task 1: Knowledge questions – You must answer all questions correctly.

• Assessment Task 2: Observation – You must demonstrate your skills and knowledge by
maintaining the quality of perishable items. You will need to complete a range of workplace
documentation that demonstrates you have conducted temperature and quality checks on
delivered food, and will be observed storing perishable items and checking them for spoilage
or contamination.

Preparing for assessment

Please read through all of the assessment tasks and related documents carefully before you get
started. Ensure that you have everything that you need and seek clarification from your trainer,
assessor or workplace supervisor if you have any questions.
Once you have read through the assessment tasks and are satisfied that you are clear on the
requirements and submission dates, complete and sign a Student Assessment Agreement. Your
assessor will countersign the agreement and keep it on file. You will find a Student Assessment
Agreement in Appendix B of your Hospitality Works Student User Guide or your RTO will provide
you with one.
Remember to check your Hospitality Works Student User Guide for information about:

• submitting assessments • re-assessment guidelines

• assessment appeals • responding to written questions.

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 4

Assessment Task 1: Knowledge questions

Information for students

Knowledge questions are designed to help you demonstrate the knowledge which you have
acquired during the learning phase of this unit. Ensure that you:

• review the advice to students regarding answering knowledge questions in the Hospitality
Works Student User Guide

• comply with the due date for assessment which your assessor will provide

• adhere with your RTO’s submission guidelines

• answer all questions completely and correctly

• submit work which is original and, where necessary, properly referenced

• submit a completed cover sheet with your work

• avoid sharing your answers with other students.

Assessment information
i
Information about how you should complete this assessment can be found in Appendix
A of the Hospitality Works Student User Guide. Refer to the appendix for information
on:

• where this task should be completed

• the maximum time allowed for completing this assessment task

• whether or not this task is open-book.

Note: You must complete and submit an assessment cover sheet with your work. A
template is provided in Appendix C of the Student User Guide. However, if your RTO
has provided you with an assessment cover sheet, please ensure that you use that.

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 5

Questions

1. Provide a definition of the term ‘wastage’ in the context of a commercial kitchen. In your
response, explain why waste should be avoided.

2. Provide a definition of each of the following.

Contaminant

Contamination

Potentially hazardous foods

3. List three reasons why it is important to protect food from contamination.

4. Provide a definition of each of the following.

Physical contamination

Chemical contamination

Microbiological contamination

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 6

5. Explain the processes that can be taken to reject contaminated food that has been delivered
to your workplace.

6. Identify two reasons why food that has been delivered may have become contaminated.

7. Identify two reasons why chilled and frozen food that has been delivered may have reached a
dangerous temperature zone or thawed.

8. Identify two reasons why food that has been delivered may have become exposed due to
damage to the packaging.

9. Describe the FIFO method.

10. Personal belongings and clothing (i.e. your ‘streetwear’ or soiled clothing) can be a source of
food contamination. Explain how they should be stored so that contamination cannot occur.

11. Explain how chemicals and cleaning products should be stored so that they do not become a
source of food contamination.

12. Provide an example of each of the following types of spoilage and contamination.

Degradation of flavour, aroma,

colour and texture

Enzymic browning

Drying and hardening

Crystallisation

Infestation of animal and pest

waste

Mould

Odour

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 7

13. List three requirements for storing food safely in containers.

14. List three requirements related to food labelling and coding.

15. List the cleaning and sanitising procedures for storage areas.

16. Complete the table below by identifying the correct storage temperatures for each of the food
types.

Item Temperature

Beverages

Hard cheese

Ice cream

Eggs

Butter

Portioned meat (not frozen)

Minced meat/processed meat (not

frozen)

Frozen meat

Fresh poultry

Frozen poultry

Fresh seafood

Frozen seafood

Vegetables (tinned)

Strawberries

Oranges

Lettuce

Cauliflower

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 8

17. Explain how the following are used as a guide to checking the quality of food.

Best before or use by dates

Freshness

Size

Weight

18. Explain how to dispose of kitchen waste in a manner that is in line with food safety standards
and also environmentally sound.

19. Explain how to dispose of chemicals in an environmentally safe manner.

20. Explain how each of the following can impact in maintaining quality of food that is kept in dry
stores, refrigerators/cool rooms and freezers.

Inadequate ventilation in the

kitchen area

Correct air conditioning and

heating

Humidity

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 9

 Damage through people traffic/
handling

Environmental heat and light

Incorrect temperatures in
refrigerators/cool rooms and
freezers

Temperature of dry stores

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 10

Assessment Task 1: Checklist
Student’s name:

Did the student provide a Completed

sufficient and clear answer successfully? Comments
which met the requirements
of the assessor marking Yes No
guide?

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Question 4

Question 5

Question 6

Question 7

Question 8

Question 9

Question 10

Question 11

Question 12

Question 13

Question 14

Question 15

Question 16

Question 17

Question 18

Question 19

Question 20

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 11

 Task outcome:  Satisfactory  Not satisfactory

Assessor signature:

Assessor name:

Date:

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 12

Assessment Task 2: Observation

Information for students

Important assessment information

Two assessment options have been provided for this unit of competency. Do not
complete both options!
Read through each option and work with your assessor to select the one that best suits
your circumstances.

Option 1: Training kitchen based

Select Option 1 or Option 2. Do not complete both.
This unit of competency requires that you can maintain the quality of perishable items during your
work in the commercial kitchen.
If the majority of your work for this unit is completed in a simulated industry environment (for
example, the training kitchen attached to your RTO), it is likely that your assessor will suggest that
you complete this assessment using Option 1.

or

Option 2: Workplace based

Select Option 1 or Option 2. Do not complete both.
If the majority of your work for this unit has been completed in a commercial kitchen in your
workplace and you have the opportunity to receive and store goods, then workplace-based
assessment may be suitable for you.
You should speak to your assessor to confirm that this option is suitable before starting your
assessment.

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 13

Activities: Option 1 – Training kitchen based
Complete the following activities.

1. Carefully read the following information.

Successful completion of this unit requires that you demonstrate your skills and
knowledge by maintaining the quality of perishable items in the kitchen. It is
important that you provide evidence that you have done this.
It is possible that parts of this unit may be assessed side-by-side with cookery units
from your course as these units will have specific requirements that are also
addressed in this unit. Your assessor will advise you if this is to be the case.
Assessment will take place in the training kitchen attached to your RTO.
Below is a guide to the skills and knowledge you must demonstrate during this
assessment.

What do I need to demonstrate?

During this assessment, you will be required to demonstrate a range of the skills
and knowledge that you have developed as part of this unit. These include:

• conducting temperature checks and quality checks on a range of delivered

food to ensure they are within allowable tolerances, including:
o chilled or cold foods
o frozen foods
o raw foods
o reheated food or ingredients

• maintaining the quality of at least six of the following perishable items:

o beverages
o dairy products
o frozen foods
o fruit
o meat
o poultry
o seafood
o vegetables

• identifying and disposing of spoilt stock as per food safety standards and
organisation procedures.

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 14

 How will I provide evidence?
Your assessor will observe you as you work in the kitchen to store supplies and
maintain the quality of perishable supplies. This observation may occur during one
assessment event, or you may be observed over a period of time as you undertake
your other assessments for this course, specifically those related to cooking.
You will need to complete a range of documentation in the kitchen related to
monitoring temperatures and the quality of food in storage. Copies of these
documents must be submitted.

2. Check delivered food for quality and store to maintain quality.

In this activity you will need to participate in the delivery of perishable items for your
training kitchen. You will need to show that you can conduct temperature and
quality checks on the following:

• chilled or cold foods

• frozen foods

• raw foods

• reheated food or ingredients.

Before you begin, you must read your training kitchen’s policies and procedures
related to food delivery processes and associated record keeping.
As part of this activity, you will need to:

• check the temperature of the above food types to ensure they are within
specified tolerances

• use your training kitchen’s recording documentation to log the results of your
temperature testing

• check the above food types to make sure there are no issues or deficiencies
that impact quality or the safety of food

• where issues of deficiencies are identified, follow your training kitchen’s

procedures to either report the problems or reject the supplies

• ensure environmental conditions are appropriate for the perishable items that
have been accepted from the delivery

• write and attach date labels and stock rotation labels

• store food for storage in the correct storage locations

• work sustainably and safely to minimise wastage and avoid contamination.

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 15

3. Maintain optimal quality of perishable items.

In this activity you will need to demonstrate that you are able to, as part of your day-
to-day kitchen activities, check the quality of perishable items in storage in your
training kitchen. This includes regularly:

• conducting regular temperature checks

• checking environmental conditions to ensure that ventilation and humidity are

appropriate

• taking action to adjust storage conditions and storage equipment as required

to ensure food is protected from spoilage

• taking action to protect food from pests and cross-contamination, and checking
storage areas for signs of such

• checking date and stock codes and rotating food as required to ensure optimal
shelf life based on expiration dates

• checking perishable supplies for quality

• recording and reporting all deficiencies and issues identified by following your
training kitchen’s procedures (you must verbally report to your assessor any of
your concerns and then complete the required documentation)

• disposing of any spoiled or contaminated food by following your training

kitchen’s food safety and sustainability procedures.
As part of this activity, you will need to ensure that you have regularly checked and
monitored the quality of at least six of the following perishable items:

• beverages

• dairy products

• frozen goods

• fruit

• meat

• poultry

• seafood

• vegetables.
Complete all required documentation as per your training kitchen’s food safety
program and food safety procedures.
Your assessor will observe you as you complete these activities.

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 16

4. Submit documents to your assessor.

Provide copies of all documentation that you have completed as part of this task.
The documents you submit must show that you have:

• conducted temperature testing of perishable supplies delivered to your training

kitchen

• conducted temperature testing of food storage areas to determine suitable

environmental conditions

• recorded instances of pest infestation or cross contamination

• recorded disposal of food items.

Send or submit the completed documents/records to your assessor.

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 17

Assessment Task 2: Option 1 – Checklist
Student’s name:

Completed
successfully? Comments

Did the student: Yes No

Conduct temperature checks and quality

checks on the following items delivered
to the training kitchen to ensure they are
within specified tolerances:

• Chilled or cold foods

• Frozen foods

• Raw foods

• Reheated food or ingredients

Maintain the quality of at least six of the

following perishable items:

• beverages

• dairy products

• frozen foods

• fruit

• meat

• poultry

• seafood

• vegetables

Complete records/logs of temperature

checks?

Reject supply of items that were

identified as deficient?

Identify and prepare correct

environmental conditions for storage of
delivered perishable items?

Prepare and attach date labels and

stock rotation labels to food items?

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 18

 Store food in appropriate storage
conditions promptly to avoid further risk
of contamination?

Regularly check the quality/condition of

perishable items?

Check date labels and stock rotation

labels and rotate items as required?

Protect perishable items from cross

contamination and pest infestation?

Take action to make adjustments where

conditions may not be optimal?

Report any deficiencies identified and

record/log as per the food safety
program and workplace procedures?

Identify and dispose of spoilt stock as

per food safety program and workplace
sustainability procedures?

Task outcome:  Satisfactory  Not satisfactory

Assessor signature:

Assessor name:

Date:

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 19

Activities: Option 2 – Workplace based
Complete the following activities.

1. Carefully read the following information.

Successful completion of this unit requires that you demonstrate your skills and
knowledge by maintaining the quality of perishable items in the kitchen. It is
important that you provide evidence that you have done this.
It is possible that parts of this unit may be assessed side-by-side with cookery units
from your course as these units will have specific requirements that are also
addressed in this unit. Your assessor will advise you if this is to be the case.
Assessment will take place in your workplace.
Below is a guide to the skills and knowledge you must demonstrate during this
assessment.

What do I need to demonstrate?

During this assessment, you will be required to demonstrate a range of the skills
and knowledge that you have developed as part of this unit. These include:

• conducting temperature checks and quality checks on a range of delivered

food to ensure they are within allowable tolerances, including:
o chilled or cold foods
o frozen foods
o raw foods
o reheated food or ingredients

• maintaining the quality of at least six of the following perishable items:

o beverages
o dairy products
o frozen foods
o fruit
o meat
o poultry
o seafood
o vegetables

• identifying and disposing of spoilt stock as per food safety standards and
organisation procedures.

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 20

 How will I provide evidence?
Your assessor will observe you as you work in the kitchen to store supplies and
maintain the quality of perishable supplies. This observation may occur during one
assessment event, or you may be observed over a period of time as you undertake
your other assessments for this course, specifically those related to cooking.
You will need to complete a range of documentation in the kitchen related to
monitoring temperatures and the quality of food in storage. Copies of these
documents must be submitted.

2. Check delivered food for quality and store to maintain quality.

In this activity you will need to participate in the delivery of perishable items for your
kitchen. You will need to show that you can conduct temperature and quality
checks on the following:

• chilled or cold foods

• frozen foods

• raw foods

• reheated food or ingredients.

Before you begin, you must read your kitchen’s policies and procedures related to
food delivery processes and associated record keeping.
As part of this activity, you will need to:

• check the temperature of the above food types to ensure they are within
specified tolerances

• use your kitchen’s recording documentation to log the results of your

temperature testing

• check the above food types to make sure there are no issues or deficiencies
that impact quality or the safety of food

• where issues of deficiencies are identified, follow your kitchen’s procedures to

either report the problems or reject the supplies

• ensure environmental conditions are appropriate for the perishable items that
have been accepted from the delivery

• write and attach date labels and stock rotation labels

• store food for storage in the correct storage locations

• work sustainably and safely to minimise wastage and avoid contamination.

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 21

3. Maintain optimal quality of perishable items.

In this activity you will need to demonstrate that you are able to, as part of your day-
to-day kitchen activities, check the quality of perishable items in storage in your
kitchen. This includes regularly:

• conducting regular temperature checks

• checking environmental conditions to ensure that ventilation and humidity are

appropriate

• taking action to adjust storage conditions and storage equipment as required

to ensure food is protected from spoilage

• taking action to protect food from pests and cross-contamination, and checking
storage areas for signs of such

• checking date and stock codes and rotating food as required to ensure optimal
shelf life based on expiration dates

• checking perishable supplies for quality

• recorded and reported all deficiencies and issues identified by following your
kitchen’s procedures (you must verbally report to your assessor any of your
concerns and then complete the required documentation)

• disposing of any spoiled or contaminated food by following your kitchen’s food

safety and sustainability procedures.
As part of this activity, you will need to ensure that you have regularly checked and
monitored the quality of at least six of the following perishable items:

• beverages

• dairy products

• frozen goods

• fruit

• meat

• poultry

• seafood

• vegetables.
Complete all required documentation as per your kitchen’s food safety program and
food safety procedures.
Your assessor will observe you as you complete these activities.

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 22

4. Submit documents to your assessor.

Provide copies of all documentation that you have completed as part of this task.
The documents you submit must show that you have:

• conducted temperature testing of perishable supplies delivered to your kitchen

• conducted temperature testing of food storage areas to determine suitable

environmental conditions

• recorded instances of pest infestation or cross contamination

• recorded disposal of food items.

Send or submit the completed documents/records to your assessor.

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 23

Assessment Task 2: Option 2 – Checklist
Student’s name:

Completed
successfully? Comments

Did the student: Yes No

Conduct temperature checks and quality

checks on the following items delivered
to the kitchen to ensure they are within
specified tolerances:

• Chilled or cold foods

• Frozen foods

• Raw foods

• Reheated food or ingredients

Maintain the quality of at least six of the

following perishable items:

• beverages

• dairy products

• frozen foods

• fruit

• meat

• poultry

• seafood

• vegetables

Complete records/logs of temperature

checks?

Reject supply of items that were

identified as deficient?

Identify and prepare correct

environmental conditions for storage of
delivered perishable items?

Prepare and attach date labels and

stock rotation labels to food items?

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 24

 Store food in appropriate storage
conditions promptly to avoid further risk
of contamination?

Regularly check the quality/condition of

perishable items?

Check date labels and stock rotation

labels and rotate items as required?

Protect perishable items from cross

contamination and pest infestation?

Take action to make adjustments where

conditions may not be optimal?

Report any deficiencies identified and

record/log as per the food safety
program and workplace procedures?

Identify and dispose of spoilt stock as

per food safety program and workplace
sustainability procedures?

Task outcome:  Satisfactory  Not satisfactory

Assessor signature:

Assessor name:

Date:

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 25

Final results record

Student name:

Assessor name:

Date:

Unit name:

Qualification name:

Final assessment results

Result

Task Type Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Did not submit

Assessment Task 1 Knowledge questions S U DNS

Assessment Task 2 Observation S U DNS

Overall unit results C NYC

Feedback

 My performance in this unit has been discussed and explained to me.

 I would like to appeal this assessment decision.

Student signature: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

 I hereby certify that this student has been assessed by me and that the assessment has been
carried out according to the required assessment procedures.

Assessor signature: ______________________________________ Date: _______________

SITXINV002 Maintain the quality of perishable items 26