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'Stricter control of requirements for protected cheeses'
The Control Body for Quality Affairs (COKZ) will monitor compliance with the product requirements for protected origin cheeses. From now on, more attention will be paid to whether the feed is also of regional origin. In addition, things such as fat and moisture contents must be correct.
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Last year, cheese producers were reprimanded and fined more than three times as often for excessive fat and moisture contents in Gouda cheeses with a protected designation of origin (PGI/PDO) than in the previous year, according to research. the annual report of the supervisory body.
In 2021, the COKZ encountered too high a fat content in the dry matter and 37 times too high a moisture content in Gouda PGI cheese. A year earlier, the fat content was eleven times too high and the moisture content was too high twelve times. Something similar was seen with PDO cheeses.
COKZ director Wim van der Sande is asked how this can be explained. "The fact that we are detecting more violations may be partly the result of a new attitude following a number of disciplinary cases. From now on, we will move more quickly to 100% inspection of production. As a result, we may see more. Companies also have less chance of anticipate.”
Why would companies want more moisture and fat in the cheese? Don't they know the product requirements and are experienced enough to adhere to them?
"We sometimes hear it said that it happens because consumer tastes change. In addition, cheese making is a production process that must be properly controlled. Due to production variables, you can have more or less variation in moisture or fat content. If deviations occur, adjustment is necessary."
But the protected and traditional product specification does not change.
"They chose that themselves. That's right and we hold them to it."
Yet such a file is not completely set in stone. For example, rennet from calf stomachs is no longer necessary.
"That was indeed changed last year, due to, among other things, the animal origin of the rennet and the fact that there are alternatives."
Are there any other requirements in the product dossiers for PGI and PDO cheeses that the COKZ must check?
"In the coming years we will also be checking more closely on the origin of the feed that is used. The certain product dossiers state that this feed must come from the region. Until now, this has never been looked at very closely. This is going to change. COKZ is also appointing additional inspectors for this purpose. They will also carry out farm inspections."