Raw milk cheeses

Food, Animal source foods, Dairy products, Cheeses

Consumption area(s): Earth

Introduction

A cheese is defined as “raw milk cheese” when the milk used is not subjected to pasteurization. In this type of processing, the milk is allowed to rest and/or begin acidification at a temperature close to 38 °C (about 100.4 °F), which corresponds to its temperature at milking. In some cases, particularly for certain cheese types, lower temperatures are used, approaching ambient conditions.

This method preserves the native bacterial microflora, which plays a crucial role in shaping the organoleptic properties of the final product. Generally, cheeses made from raw milk undergo a curd cooking phase during the production process.

Classification of raw milk cheeses

The cheeses typically classified in this group include:

• Grana Padano PDO
• Parmigiano Reggiano PDO