Standard 2.5.4 Cheese
Purpose
This Standard defines cheese and sets compositional requirements for that product. The Standard also defines processed cheese.
Editorial note:
The Australian processing requirements for cheese are contained in Standard 4.2.4.
New Zealand has its own processing requirements for milk and milk products.
Table of Provisions
1 Interpretation
2 Addition of other foods during production
3 Tall Oil Phytosterol Esters
Clauses
1 Interpretation
In this Code –
cheese means the ripened or unripened solid or semi-solid milk product which may be coated and is obtained by one or both of the following processes –
(a) wholly or partially coagulating milk, or materials obtained from milk, or both, through the action of rennet or other suitable coagulating agents,partially draining the whey which results from such coagulation; or
(b) processing techniques involving concentration or coagulation of milk, or materials obtained from milk, or both, which give an end-product with similar physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics as the product described in paragraph (a).
processed cheese means a product manufactured from cheese and products obtained from milk, which is heated and melted, with or without added emulsifying salts, to form a homogeneous mass.
2 Addition of other foods during production
Cheese may contain –
(a) water; and
(b) lactic acid producing microorganisms; and
(c) flavour producing microorganisms; and
(d) gelatine; and
(e) starch; and
(f) vinegar; and
(g) salt.
3 Tall Oil Phytosterol Esters
Tall oil phytosterol esters may only be added to cheese and processed cheese –
(a) that contains no more than 12 g total fat per 100 g; and
(c) where the tall oil phytosterol ester is added at no less than 70 g / kg and no more than 90 g / kg.
