CODEX GENERAL STANDARD FOR CHEESE

CODEX STAN 283-1978

1. SCOPE
This Standard applies to all products, intended for direct consumption or further processing, in conformity with the definition of cheese in Section 2 of this Standard. Subject to the provisions of this Standard, standards for individual varieties of cheese, or groups of varieties of cheese, may contain provisions which are more specific than those in this Standard and in these cases, those specific provisions shall apply.

2. DESCRIPTION
2.1 Cheese is the ripened or unripened soft, semi-hard, hard, or extra-hard product, which may be coated, and in which the whey protein/casein ratio does not exceed that of milk, obtained by: (a) coagulating wholly or partly the protein of milk, skimmed milk, partly skimmed milk, cream, whey cream or buttermilk, or any combination of these materials, through the action of rennet or other suitable coagulating agents, and by partially draining the whey resulting from the coagulation, while respecting the principle that cheese-making results in a concentration of milk protein (in particular, the casein portion), and that consequently, the protein content of the cheese will be distinctly higher than the protein level of the blend of the above milk materials from which the cheese was made; and/or (b) processing techniques involving coagulation of the protein of milk and/or products obtained from milk which give an end-product with similar physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics as the product defined under (a).
2.1.1 Ripened cheese is cheese which is not ready for consumption shortly after manufacture

but which must be held for such time, at such temperature, and under such other conditions as will result in the necessary biochemical and physical changes characterizing the cheese in question.
2.1.2 Mould ripened cheese is a ripened cheese in which the ripening has been accomplished

primarily by the development of characteristic mould growth throughout the interior and/or on the surface of the cheese.
2.1.3 Unripened cheese including fresh cheese is cheese which is ready for consumption

shortly after manufacture.

3. ESSENTIAL COMPOSITION AND QUALITY FACTORS

3.1 Raw materials
Milk and/or products obtained from milk.

Formerly CODEX STAN A-6-1973. Adopted in 1973. Revision 1999, Amendments 2006, 2008.

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3.2 Permitted ingredients

Starter cultures of harmless lactic acid and/or flavour producing bacteria and cultures of other harmless microorganisms Safe and suitable enzymes Sodium chloride Potable water.

4. FOOD ADDITIVES
Only those food additives listed below may be used and only within the limits specified.
Unripened cheeses As listed in the Standard for Unripened Cheese Including Fresh Cheese (CODEX STAN 221-2001). Cheeses in brine As listed in the Standard for Cheeses in Brine (CODEX STAN 208-1999). Ripened cheeses, including mould ripened cheeses Additives not listed below but provided for in Codex individual standards for varieties of ripened cheeses may also be used for similar types of cheese within the limits specified within those standards.
INS no. Colours 100 101 120 140 141 160a(i) 160a(ii) 160b(ii) 160c 160e 160f 162 171 Curcumins (for edible cheese rind) Riboflavins Carmines (for red marbled cheeses only) Chlorophyll (for green marbled cheeses only) Chlorophylls, copper complexes Carotene, beta-, synthetic Carotenes, beta-, vegetable Annatto extracts, norbixin-based Paprika oleoresin Carotenal, beta-apo-8Carotenoic acid, ethyl ester, beta-apo-8Beet red Titanium dioxide Limited by GMP Limited by GMP Limited by GMP Limited by GMP 15 mg/kg 25 mg/kg 600 mg/kg 50 mg/kg Limited by GMP 35 mg/kg 35 mg/kg Limited by GMP Limited by GMP Name of additive Maximum level

Acidity regulators 170 504 575 Calcium carbonates Magnesium carbonates Glucono delta-lactone Limited by GMP

C HEESE (CODE X STA N 283 -1978)

INS no. Preservatives 200 201 202 203 234 239 251 252 280 281 282 1105 200 202 203 235

Name of additive

Maximum level

Sorbic acid Sodium sorbate Potassium sorbate Calcium sorbate Nisin Hexamethylene tetramine (Provolone only) Sodium nitrate Potassium nitrate Propionic acid Sodium propionate Calcium propionate Lysozyme Sorbic acid Potassium sorbate Calcium sorbate Natamycin (pimaricin) 12.5 mg/kg 25 mg/kg, expressed as formaldehyde 50 mg/kg, expressed as NaNO3 3000 mg/kg, calculated as propionic acid Limited by GMP 3000 mg/kg calculated as sorbic acid

For surface/rind treatment only: 1 000 mg/kg singly or in combination, calculated as sorbic acid 2 mg/dm2 of surface. Not present in a depth of 5 mm

Miscellaneous additive 508 Potassium chloride Limited by GMP

Sliced, cut, shredded or grated cheese Anti-caking agents 460 551 552 553 554 555 556 559 560 Celluloses Silicon dioxide, amorphous Calcium silicate Magnesium silicates Sodium aluminosilicate Potassium aluminium silicate Calcium aluminium silicate Aluminium silicate Potassium silicate 10 000 mg/kg singly or in combination. Silicates calculated as silicon dioxide Limited by GMP

Preservatives 200 202 203 Sorbic acid Potassium sorbate Calcium sorbate 1 000 mg/kg singly or in combination, calculated as sorbic acid

milk and milk products (2nd Edition)

5. CONTAMINANTS
The products covered by this Standard shall comply with the Maximum Levels for contaminants that are specified for the product in the General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed (CODEX STAN 193-1995). The milk used in the manufacture of the products covered by this Standard shall comply with the Maximum Levels for contaminants and toxins specified for milk by the General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed (CODEX STAN 193-1995) and with the maximum residue limits for veterinary drug residues and pesticides established for milk by the CAC.

6. HYGIENE
It is recommended that the products covered by the provisions of this standard be prepared and handled in accordance with the appropriate sections of the General Principles of Food Hygiene (CAC/RCP 1-1969), the Code of Hygienic Practice for Milk and Milk Products (CAC/RCP 57-2004) and other relevant Codex texts such as Codes of Hygienic Practice and Codes of Practice. The products should comply with any microbiological criteria established in accordance with the Principles for the Establishment and Application of Microbiological Criteria for Foods (CAC/GL 21-1997).

7. LABELLING
In addition to the provisions of the General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (CODEX STAN 1-1985) and the General Standard for the Use of Dairy Terms (CODEX STAN 206-1999), the following specific provisions apply:

7.1 Name of the food

The name of the food shall be cheese. However, the word cheese may be omitted in the designation of an individual cheese variety reserved by a Codex standard for individual cheeses, and, in the absence thereof, a variety name specified in the national legislation of the country in which the product is sold, provided that the omission does not create an erroneous impression regarding the character of the food.
7.1.1 In case the product is not designated with a variety name but with the designation

cheese alone, the designation may be accompanied by the appropriate descriptive terms in the following table:
DESIGNATION ACCORDING TO FIRMNESS AND RIPENING CHARACTERISTICS According to firmness: Term 1 MFFB% < 51 4956 5469 > 67 Designation Extra hard Hard Firm/Semihard Soft According to principal ripening: Term 2 Ripened Mould ripened Unripened/Fresh In Brine

C HEESE (CODE X STA N 283 -1978)

MFFB equals percentage moisture on a fat-free basis, i.e., Weight of moisture in the cheese 100 Total weight of cheese Weight of fat in the cheese Example: The designation of a cheese with moisture on a fatfree basis of 57% which is ripened in a manner similar in which Danablu is ripened would be: Mould ripened firm cheese or firm mould ripened cheese.

7.2 Declaration of milkfat content

The milkfat content shall be declared in a manner found acceptable in the country of sale to the final consumer, either (i) as a percentage by mass, (ii) as a percentage of fat in dry matter, or (iii) in grams per serving as quantified in the label provided that the number of servings is stated. Additionally, the following terms may be used: High fat Full fat Medium fat Partially skimmed Skim (if the content of FDM is above or equal to 60%) (if the content of FDM is above or equal to 45% and less than 60%) (if the content of FDM is above or equal to 25% and less than 45%) (if the content of FDM is above or equal to 10% and less than 25%) (if the content of FDM is less than 10%)

7.3 Date marking

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 4.7.1 of the General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (CODEX STAN 1-1985), the date of minimum durability need not be declared in the labelling of firm, hard and extra hard cheese which are not mould/soft-ripened and not intended to be purchased as such by the final consumer: in such cases the date of manufacture shall be declared.

7.4 Labelling of nonretail containers

Information required in Section 7 of this Standard and Sections 4.1 to 4.8 of the General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (CODEX STAN 1-1985), and, if necessary, storage instructions, shall be given either on the container or in accompanying documents, except that the name of the product, lot identification, and the name and address of the manufacturer or packer shall appear on the container, and in the absence of such a container on the cheese itself. However, lot identification, and the name and address of the manufacturer or packer may be replaced by an identification mark, provided that such a mark is clearly identifiable with the accompanying documents.

8. METHODS OF SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS

See CODEX STAN 234-1999.

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Appendix1
Cheese rind
During ripening of the moulded cheese curd in natural creation or in environments in which the air humidity and, possibly, air composition are controlled, the outside of the cheese will develop into a semi-closed layer with a lower moisture content. This part of the cheese is called rind. The rind is constituted of cheese mass which, at the start of the ripening, is of the same composition as the internal part of the cheese. In may cases, the brining of cheese initiates the formation of rind. Due to the influence of the salt gradient in the brine, of oxygen, of drying out and of other reactions, the rind successively becomes of a somewhat different composition than the interior of the cheese and often presents a more bitter taste. During or after ripening the cheese rind can be treated or can be naturally colonized with desired cultures of microorganisms, for instance Penicillium candidum or Brevibacterium linens. The resulting layer, in some cases referred to as smear, forms a part of the rind. Rindless cheese is ripened by the use of a ripening film. The outer part of that cheese does not develop a rind with a lower moisture content although influence of light of course can cause some difference compared to the inner part.

Cheese surface
The term cheese surface is used for the outside layer of cheese or parts of cheese, even in the sliced, shredded or grated form. The term includes the outside of the whole cheese, disregarding whether a rind has been formed or not.

Cheese coatings
Cheese can be coated prior to the ripening, during the ripening process or when the ripening has been finished. When a coating is used during ripening the purpose of the coating is to regulate the moisture content of the cheese and to protect the cheese against micro-organisms. Coating of a cheese after the ripening has been finished is done to protect the cheese against microorganisms and other contamination, to protect the cheese from physical damage during transport and distribution and/or to give the cheese a specific appearance (e.g. coloured). Coating can be distinguished very easily from rind, as coatings are made of non-cheese material, and very often it is possible to remove the coating again by brushing, rubbing or peeling it off.

Amendment adopted by the 26th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (2003).

C HEESE (CODE X STA N 283 -1978)

Cheese can be coated with: A film, very often polyvinylacetate, but also other artificial material or material composed of natural ingredients, which helps to regulate the humidity during ripening and protects the cheese against microorganisms (for example, ripening films).2 A layer, mostly wax, paraffin or a plastic, which normally is impermeable to moisture, to protect the cheese after ripening against microorganisms and against physical damage during retail handling and, in some cases to contribute to the presentation of the cheese.

Wheat gluten or wheat protein products should not be used for technological reasons e.g. coating or processing aids for foods which are gluten-free by nature Standard for Wheat Protein Products including Wheat Gluten (CODEX STAN 163-1987).