Description

·       Unripened Cheeses Including Fresh Cheeses Are Products In Conformity With The General Standard For Cheese (Cxs 283-1978), Which Are Ready For Consumption Shortly After Manufacture.

Essential Composition And Quality Factors

Raw Materials :-

·       Milk And/Or Products Obtained From Milk.

Permitted Ingredients :-

·       Starter Cultures Of Harmless Lactic Acid And/ Or Flavour Producing Bacteria And Cultures Of Other Harmless Micro-Organisms;

·       Rennet Or Other Safe And Suitable Coagulating Enzymes;

·       Sodium Chloride;

·       Potable Water;

·       Gelatine And Starches: Notwithstanding The Provisions In The General Standard For Cheese (Cxs 283-1978), These Substances Can Be Used In The Same Function As Stabilizers, Provided They Are Added Only In Amounts Functionally Necessary As Governed By Good Manufacturing Practice Taking Into Account Any Use Of The Stabilisers/Thickeners

·       Vinegar;

·       Rice, Corn And Potato Flours And Starches: Notwithstanding The Provisions In The General Standard For Cheese (Cxs 283-1978), These Substances Can Be Used In The Same Function As Anti-Caking Agents For Treatment Of The Surface Of Cut, Sliced, And Shredded Products Only, Provided They Are Added Only In Amounts Functionally Necessary As Governed By Good Manufacturing Practice Taking Into Account Any Use Of The Anti-Caking Agents

Food Additives

·       Only Those Additive Classes Indicated As Justified In The Table Below May Be Used For The Product Categories Specified.

·       Acidity Regulators, Anticaking Agents, Colours, Preservatives, Stabilizers And Thickeners Used In Accordance With Tables 1 And 2 Of The General Standard For Food Additives (Cxs 192-1995) In Food Category 01.6.1 (Unripened Cheese Including Fresh Cheese) And Only Certain Acidity Regulators, Anticaking Agents, Colours, Foaming Agents, Preservatives, Stabilizers And Thickeners In Table 3 Are Acceptable For Use In Foods Conforming To This Standard.

Additive Functional Class

Justified Use

Cheese Mass

Surface/Rind Treatment

Colours:

X

X(D)

Bleaching Agents:

–

–

Acidity Regulators:

X

–

Stabilizers:

X(C)

–

Thickeners:

X(C)

–

Emulsifiers:

–

–

Antioxidants:

–

–

Preservatives:

X

X(A)

Foaming Agents:

X(B)

–

·       For The Surface Treatment Of Sliced, Cut, Shredded Or Grated Cheese Only

·       For Whipped Products Only

·       Stabilizers And Thickeners Including Modified Starches May Be Used In Compliance With The Definition For Milk Products And Only To The Extent They Are Functionally Necessary Taking Into Account Any Use Of Gelatine And Starch.

·       For Edible Cheese Rind

·       X The Use Of Additives Belonging To The Class Is Technologically Justified.

·       – The Use Of Additives Belonging To The Class Is Not Technologically Justified.

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 (Cxs 1931995).

·       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 (Cxs 193-1995) And With The Maximum Residue Limits For Veterinary Drug Residues And Pesticides Established For Milk By The Cac.

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 (Cxc 1-1969), The Code Of Hygienic Practice For Milk And Milk Products (Cxc 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 And Guidelines For The Establishment And Application Of Microbiological Criteria Related To Foods (Cxg 21-1997).

Labelling

·       In Addition To The Provisions Of The General Standard For The Labelling Of Prepackaged Foods (Cxs 1-1985) And The General Standard For The Use Of Dairy Terms (Cxs 206-1999), The Following Specific Provisions Apply.

Name Of The Food :-

·       The Name Of The Food Shall Be Unripened Cheese. However, The Words “Unripened Cheese” May Be Omitted In The Designation Of An Individual Unripened 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.

·       In Case The Product Is Not Designated By An Alternative Or A Variety Name, But With The Designation “Unripened Cheese”, The Designation May Be Accompanied By A Descriptive Term Such As Provided For In The General Standard For Cheese (Cxs 283-1978).

·       Unripened Cheese May Alternatively Be Designated “Fresh Cheese” Provided It Is Not Misleading To The Consumer In The Country In Which The Product Is Sold.

Declaration Of Milkfat Content :-

·       The Milk Fat 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.

·       High Fat – (If The Content Of Fdm Is Above Or Equal To 60%)

·       Full Fat – (If The Content Of Fdm Is Above Or Equal 60%)

·       Medium Fat – (If The Content Of Fdm Is Above Or Equal To 25% And Less Than 45%)

·       Partially Skimmed – (If The Content Of Fdm Is Above Or Equal To 10% And Less Than 25%)

·       Skim – (If The Content Of Fdm Is Less Than 10%)

Methods Of Sampling And Analysis

·       For Checking The Compliance With This Standard, The Methods Of Analysis And Sampling Contained In The Recommended Methods Of Analysis And Sampling (Cxs 234-1999) Relevant To The Provisions In This Standard, Shall Be Used.