Subpart A General Provisions

Transcription

1 PART 133 CHEESES AND RELATED CHEESE PRODUCTS Section Contents Subpart A General Provisions Definitions Methods of analysis Notice to manufacturers, packers, and distributors of pasteurized blended cheese, pasteurized process cheese, cheese food, cheese spread, and related foods. Subpart B Requirements for Specific Standardized Cheese and Related Products Asiago fresh and asiago soft cheese Asiago medium cheese Asiago old cheese Blue cheese Brick cheese Brick cheese for manufacturing Caciocavallo siciliano cheese Cheddar cheese Cheddar cheese for manufacturing Low sodium cheddar cheese Colby cheese Colby cheese for manufacturing Low sodium colby cheese Cold-pack and club cheese Cold-pack cheese food Cold-pack cheese food with fruits, vegetables, or meats Cook cheese, koch kaese Cottage cheese Dry curd cottage cheese Cream cheese Cream cheese with other foods Washed curd and soaked curd cheese Washed curd cheese for manufacturing Edam cheese Gammelost cheese Gorgonzola cheese Gouda cheese Granular and stirred curd cheese Granular cheese for manufacturing Grated cheeses Grated American cheese food Hard grating cheeses Gruyere cheese Hard cheeses Limburger cheese Monterey cheese and monterey jack cheese High-moisture jack cheese Mozzarella cheese and scamorza cheese Low-moisture mozzarella and scamorza cheese Part-skim mozzarella and scamorza cheese Low-moisture part-skim mozzarella and scamorza cheese Muenster and munster cheese Muenster and munster cheese for manufacturing Neufchatel cheese Nuworld cheese Parmesan and reggiano cheese Pasteurized blended cheese.

2 Pasteurized blended cheese with fruits, vegetables, or meats Pasteurized process cheese Pasteurized process cheese with fruits, vegetables, or meats Pasteurized process pimento cheese Pasteurized process cheese food Pasteurized process cheese food with fruits, vegetables, or meats Pasteurized cheese spread Pasteurized cheese spread with fruits, vegetables, or meats Pasteurized neufchatel cheese spread with other foods Pasteurized process cheese spread Pasteurized process cheese spread with fruits, vegetables, or meats Provolone cheese Soft ripened cheeses Romano cheese Roquefort cheese, sheep's milk blue-mold, and blue-mold cheese from sheep's milk Samsoe cheese Sap sago cheese Semisoft cheeses Semisoft part-skim cheeses Skim milk cheese for manufacturing Spiced cheeses Part-skim spiced cheeses Spiced, flavored standardized cheeses Swiss and emmentaler cheese Swiss cheese for manufacturing. Authority: 21 U.S.C. 321, 341, 343, 348, 371, 379e. Subpart A General Provisions Definitions. (a) Milk means the lacteal secretion, practically free from colostrum, obtained by the complete milking of one or more healthy cows, which may be clarified and may be adjusted by separating part of the fat therefrom; concentrated milk, reconstituted milk, and dry whole milk. Water, in a sufficient quantity to reconstitute concentrated and dry forms, may be added. (b) Nonfat milk means skim milk, concentrated skim milk, reconstituted skim milk, and nonfat dry milk. Water, in a sufficient quantity to reconstitute concentrated and dry forms, may be added. (c) Cream means cream, reconstituted cream, dry cream, and plastic cream. Water, in a sufficient quantity to reconstitute concentrated and dry forms, may be added. (d) Pasteurized when used to describe a dairy ingredient means that every particle of such ingredient shall have been heated in properly operated equipment to one of the temperatures specified in the table of this paragraph and held continuously at or above that temperature for the specified time (or other time/temperature relationship which has been demonstrated to be equivalent thereto in microbial destruction): Temperature 145 F 1 30 min. 161 F 1 15 s. 191 F 1 s. Time

3 204 F 0.05 s. 212 F 0.01 s. 1 If the dairy ingredient has a fat content of 10 percent or more, the specified temperature shall be increased by 5 F. (e) Ultrapasteurized when used to describe a dairy ingredient means that such ingredient shall have been thermally processed at or above 280 F for at least 2 seconds. [48 FR 2742, Jan. 21, 1983; 48 FR 11426, Mar. 18, 1983] Methods of analysis. Moisture, milkfat, and phosphatase levels in cheeses will be determined by the following methods of analysis from Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists, 13th ed., 1980, which is incorporated by reference (copies are available from the AOAC INTERNATIONAL, 481 North Frederick Ave., suite 500, Gaithersburg, MD 20877, or available for inspection at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, call , or go to: ): (a) Moisture content section Method I (52) Official Final Action, under the heading Moisture. (b) Milkfat content section Fat (60) Official Final Action. (c) Phenol equivalent value section Reagents, section Sampling, and section Determination, under the heading Residual Phosphatase (27) Official Final Action. (d) Milkfat in solids (fat on a dry basis) Subtract the percent of moisture found from 100; divide the remainder into the percent milkfat found. The quotient, multiplied by 100, shall be considered to be the percent of milkfat contained in the solids. [48 FR 2742, Jan. 21, 1983; 48 FR 11426, Mar, 18, 1983, as amended at 54 FR 24893, June 12, 1989; 63 FR 14035, Mar. 24, 1998] Notice to manufacturers, packers, and distributors of pasteurized blended cheese, pasteurized process cheese, cheese food, cheese spread, and related foods. (a) Definitions and standards of identity have recently been promulgated under the authority of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for a number of foods made in part from cheese, including pasteurized process cheese; pasteurized process cheese with fruits, vegetables, or meats; pasteurized blended cheese; pasteurized process cheese food; pasteurized process cheese spread, and related foods. These standards prescribe the name for each such food. The act requires that this name appear on the label. Many of these names consist of several words. In the past it has been the practice of some manufacturers to subordinate the words pasteurized, blended, process, food, and spread to give undue prominence to the word cheese and to words naming the variety of cheese involved. (b) When placing the names of these foods on labels so as to comply with the requirements of section 403 (a), (f), and (g) of the act, all the words forming the name specified by a definition and standard of identity should be given equal prominence. This can readily be accomplished by printing the specified name of the food in letters of the same size, color, and style of type, and with the same background. (c) Where the names of optional ingredients are required to appear on the label, the designations of all such ingredients should be given equal prominence. The names of the optional ingredients should appear prominently and conspicuously but should not be displayed with greater prominence than the name of the food. The word contains may precede the names of the optional ingredients, and when so used will not be considered as intervening printed matter between name of food and name of optional ingredients required to be placed on the label. (d) Where a manufacturer elects to include a label statement of fat and moisture content, the declaration should be on the basis of the food as marketed. A fat declaration on a moisture-free basis is likely to be misleading, and should not be used in labeling. Subpart B Requirements for Specific Standardized Cheese and Related Products

4 Asiago fresh and asiago soft cheese. (a) Asiago fresh cheese, asiago soft cheese, is the food prepared from milk and other ingredients specified in this section, by the procedure set forth in paragraph (b) of this section, or by another procedure which produces a finished cheese having the same physical and chemical properties as the cheese produced when the procedure set forth in paragraph (b) of this section is used. It contains not more than 45 percent of moisture, and its solids contain not less than 50 percent of milkfat, as determined by the methods prescribed in (a), (b), and (d). It is cured for not less than 60 days. (b) Milk which may be pasteurized or clarified or both, and which may be warmed, is subjected to the action of harmless lacticacid producing bacteria, present in such milk or added thereto. Harmless artificial blue or green coloring in a quantity which neutralizes any natural yellow coloring in the curd may be added. Sufficient rennet, or other safe and suitable milk-clotting enzyme that produces equivalent curd formation, or both, with or without purified calcium chloride in a quantity not more than 0.02 percent (calculated as anhydrous calcium chloride) of the weight of the milk, is added to set the milk to a semisolid mass. The mass is cut, stirred, and heated to promote and regulate separation of the whey from the curd. The whey is drained off. When the curd is sufficiently firm it is removed from the kettle or vat, further drained for a short time, packed into hoops, and pressed. The pressed curd is salted in brine and cured in a well-ventilated room. During curing the surface of the cheese is occasionally rubbed with a vegetable oil. A harmless preparation of enzymes of animal or plant origin capable of aiding in the curing or development of flavor of asiago fresh cheese may be added during the procedure in such quantity that the weight of the solids of such preparation is not more than 0.1 percent of the weight of the milk used. (c)(1) For the purposes of this section, the word milk means cow's milk, which may be adjusted by separating part of the fat therefrom or by adding thereto one or more of the following: Cream, skim milk, concentrated skim milk, nonfat dry milk, water in a quantity sufficient to reconstitute any concentrated skim milk or nonfat dry milk used. (2) Such milk may be bleached by the use of benzoyl peroxide or a mixture of benzoyl peroxide with potassium alum, calcium sulfate, and magnesium carbonate; but the weight of the benzoyl peroxide is not more than percent of the weight of the milk bleached, and the weight of the potassium alum, calcium sulfate, and magnesium carbonate, singly or combined, is not more than six times the weight of the benzoyl peroxide used. If milk is bleached in this manner, sufficient vitamin A is added to the curd to compensate for the vitamin A or its precursors destroyed in the bleaching process, and artificial coloring is not used. (d) Safe and suitable antimycotic agent(s), the cumulative levels of which shall not exceed current good manufacturing practice, may be added to the surface of the cheese. (e) Label declaration. Each of the ingredients used in the food shall be declared on the label as required by the applicable sections of parts 101 and 130 of this chapter, except that enzymes of animal, plant, or microbial origin may be declared as enzymes. [42 FR 14366, Mar. 15, 1977, as amended at 48 FR 49013, Oct. 24, 1983; 49 FR 10093, Mar. 19, 1984; 58 FR 2891, Jan. 6, 1993] Asiago medium cheese. Asiago medium cheese conforms to the definition and standard of identity and is subject to the requirements for label statement of ingredients prescribed by for asiago fresh cheese, except that it contains not more than 35 percent moisture, its solids contain not less than 45 percent of milkfat, and it is cured for not less than 6 months. [58 FR 2892, Jan. 6, 1993] Asiago old cheese. Asiago old cheese conforms to the definition and standard of identity and is subject to the requirements for label statement of ingredients prescribed by for asiago fresh cheese, except that it contains not more than 32 percent moisture, its solids contain not less than 42 percent of milk fat, and it is cured for not less than 1 year. [58 FR 2892, Jan. 6, 1993] Blue cheese.

5 (a) Description. (1) Blue cheese is the food prepared by the procedure set forth in paragraph (a)(2), of this section, or by any other procedure which produces a finished cheese having the same physical and chemical properties. It is characterized by the presence of bluish-green mold, Penicillium roquefortii, throughout the cheese. The minimum milkfat content is 50 percent by weight of the solids and the maximum moisture content is 46 percent by weight, as determined by the methods described in The dairy ingredients used may be pasteurized. Blue cheese is at least 60 days old. (2) One or more of the dairy ingredients specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this section may be homogenized, bleached, warmed, and is subjected to the action of a lactic acid-producing bacterial culture. One or more of the clotting enzymes specified in paragraph (b)(2) of this section is added to set the dairy ingredients to a semisolid mass. The mass is cut into smaller portions and allowed to stand for a time. The mixed curd and whey is placed in forms permitting further drainage. While the curd is being placed in forms, spores of the mold Penicillium roquefortii are added. The forms are turned several times during drainage. When sufficiently drained, the shaped curd is removed from the forms and salted with dry salt or brine. Perforations are then made in the shaped curd, and it is held at a temperature of approximately 50 F. at 90 to 95 percent relative humidity, until the characteristic mold growth has developed. During storage the surface of the cheese may be scraped to remove surface growth of undesirable microorganisms. Antimycotics may be applied to the surface of the whole cheese. One or more of the other optional ingredients specified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section may be added during the procedure. (b) Optional ingredients. The following safe and suitable ingredients may be used: (1) Dairy ingredients. Milk, nonfat milk, or cream, as defined in 133.3, used alone or in combination. (2) Clotting enzymes. Rennet and/or other clotting enzymes of animal, plant, or microbial origin. (3) Other optional ingredients. (i) Blue or green color in an amount to neutralize the natural yellow color of the curd. (ii) Calcium chloride in an amount not more than 0.02 percent (calculated as anhydrous calcium chloride) of the weight of the dairy ingredients, used as a coagulation aid. (iii) Enzymes of animal, plant, or microbial origin, used in curing or flavor development. (iv) Antimycotic agents, applied to the surface of slices or cuts in consumer-sized packages or to the surface of the bulk cheese during curing. (v) Benzoyl peroxide or a mixture of benzoyl peroxide with potassium alum, calcium sulfate, and magnesium carbonate used to bleach the dairy ingredients. The weight of the benzoyl peroxide is not more than percent of the weight of the milk being bleached, and the weight of the potassium alum, calcium sulfate, and magnesium carbonate, singly or combined, is not more than six times the weight of the benzoyl peroxide used. If milk is bleached in this manner, vitamin A is added to the curd in such quantity as to compensate for the vitamin A or its precursors destroyed in the bleaching process, and artificial coloring is not used. (vi) Vegetable fats or oils, which may be hydrogenated, used as a coating for the rind. (c) Nomenclature. The name of the food is blue cheese. (d) Label declaration. Each of the ingredients used in the food shall be declared on the label as required by the applicable (1) Enzymes of animal, plant, or microbial origin may be declared as enzymes ; and (2) The dairy ingredients may be declared, in descending order of predominance, by the use of the terms milkfat and nonfat milk or nonfat milk and milkfat, as appropriate. [48 FR 2742, Jan. 21, 1983, as amended at 54 FR 32052, Aug. 4, 1989; 58 FR 2892, Jan. 6, 1993] Brick cheese. (a) Description. (1) Brick cheese is the food prepared from dairy ingredients and other ingredients specified in this section by the procedure set forth in paragraph (a)(3) of this section, or by any other procedure which produces a finished cheese having the same physical and chemical properties. The minimum milkfat content is 50 percent by weight of the solids and the maximum moisture content is 44 percent by weight, as determined by the methods described in If the dairy ingredients used are not pasteurized, the cheese is cured at a temperature of not less than 35 F for at least 60 days.

6 (2) If pasteurized dairy ingredients are used, the phenol equivalent value of 0.25 gram of brick cheese is not more than 5 micrograms as determined by the method described in (3) One or more of the dairy ingredients specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this section is brought to a temperature of about 88 F and subjected to the action of a lactic acid-producing bacterial culutre. One or more of the clotting enzymes specified in paragraph (b)(2) of this section is added to set the dairy ingredients to a semisolid mass. The mass is cut into cubes with sides approximately3/8inch long, and stirred and heated so that the temperature rises slowly to about 96 F. The stirring is continued until the curd is sufficiently firm. Part of the whey is then removed, and the mixture diluted with water or salt brine to control the acidity. The curd is transferred to forms, and drained. During drainage it is pressed and turned. After drainage the curd is salted, and the biological curing agents characteristic of brick cheese are applied to the surface. The cheese is then cured to develop the characteristics of brick cheese. One or more of the other optional ingredients specified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section may be added during the procedure. (b) Optional ingredients. The following safe and suitable ingredients may be used: (1) Dairy ingredients. Milk, nonfat milk, or cream, as defined in 133.3, used alone or in combination. (2) Clotting enzymes. Rennet and/or other clotting enzymes of animal, plant, or microbial origin. (3) Other optional ingredients. (i) Coloring. (ii) Calcium chloride in an amount not more than 0.02 percent (calculated as anhydrous calcium chloride) of the weight of the dairy ingredients, used as a coagulation aid. (iii) Enzymes of animal, plant, or microbial origin, used in curing or flavor development. (iv) Antimycotic agents, the cumulative level of which shall not exceed current good manufacturing practice, may be added to the surface of the cheese. (c) Nomenclature. The name of the food is brick cheese. (d) Label declaration. Each of the ingredients used in the food shall be declared on the label as required by the applicable (1) Enzymes of animal, plant, or microbial origin may be declared as enzymes ; and (2) The dairy ingredients may be declared, in descending order of predominance, by the use of the terms milkfat and nonfat milk or nonfat milk and milkfat, as appropriate. [54 FR 32052, Aug. 4, 1989; 54 FR 35756, Aug. 29, 1989, as amended at 58 FR 2892, Jan. 6, 1993; 58 FR 17105, Apr. 1, 1993] Brick cheese for manufacturing. Brick cheese for manufacturing conforms to the definition and standard of identity for brick cheese prescribed by , except that the dairy ingredients are not pasteurized and curing is not required. [54 FR 32053, Aug. 4, 1989] Caciocavallo siciliano cheese. (a) Caciocavallo siciliano cheese is the food prepared from cow's milk or sheep's milk or goat's milk or mixtures of two or all of these and other ingredients specified in this section, by the procedure set forth in paragraph (b) of this section, or by another procedure which produces a finished cheese having the same physical and chemical properties as the cheese produced when the procedure set forth in paragraph (b) of this section is used. It has a stringy texture, and is made in oblong shapes. It contains not more than 40 percent of moisture, and its solids contain not less than 42 percent milkfat as determined by the methods prescribed in (a), (b), and (d). It is cured for not less than 90 days at a temperature of not less than 35 F. (b) Milk, which may be pasteurized or clarified or both, and which may be warmed, is subjected to the action of harmless lacticacid-producing bacteria, present in such milk or added thereto. Harmless artificial blue or green coloring in a quantity which neutralizes any natural yellow coloring in the curd may be added. Sufficient rennet, rennet paste, extract of rennet paste, or other safe and suitable milk-clotting enzyme that produces equivalent curd formation, singly or in any combination (with or

7 without purified calcium chloride in a quantity not more than 0.02 percent, calculated as anhydrous calcium chloride, of the weight of the milk) is added to set the milk to a semisolid mass. The mass is cut, stirred, and heated so as to promote and regulate the separation of whey from curd. The whey is drained off, and the curd is removed to another vat containing hot whey, in which it is soaked for several hours. This whey is withdrawn, the curd is allowed to mat, and is cut into blocks. These are washed in hot whey until the desired elasticity is obtained. The curd is removed from the vat, drained, pressed into oblong forms, dried, and salted in brine, and cured. It may be paraffined. A harmless preparation of enzymes of animal or plant origin capable of aiding in the curing or development of flavor of caciocavallo siciliano cheese may be added during the procedure, in such quantity that the weight of the solids of such preparation is not more than 0.1 percent of the weight of the milk used. (c)(1) For the purposes of this section, the word milk means cow's milk or goat's milk or sheep's milk or mixtures of two or all of these. Such milk may be adjusted by separating part of the fat therefrom or (in the case of cow's milk) by adding one or more of the following: Cream, skim milk, concentrated skim milk, nonfat dry milk; (in the case of goat's milk) the corresponding products from goat's milk; (in the case of sheep's milk) the corresponding products from sheep's milk; water in a quantity sufficient to reconstitute any such concentrated or dried products used. (2) Such milk may be bleached by the use of benzoyl peroxide or a mixture of benzoyl peroxide with potassium alum, calcium sulfate, and magnesium carbonate; but the weight of the benzoyl peroxide is not more than percent of the weight of the milk bleached, and the weight of the potassium alum, calcium sulfate, and magnesium carbonate, singly or combined, is not more than six times the weight of the benzoyl peroxide used. If milk is bleached in this manner, sufficient vitamin A is added to the curd to compensate for the vitamin A or its precursors destroyed in the bleaching process, and artificial coloring is not used. (d) Safe and suitable antimycotic agent(s), the cumulative levels of which shall not exceed current good manufacturing practice, may be added to the cheese during the kneading and stretching process and/or applied to the surface of the cheese. (e) When caciocavallo siciliano cheese is made solely from cow's milk, the name of such cheese is Caciocavallo siciliano cheese. When made from sheep's milk or goat's milk or mixtures of these, or one or both of these with cow's milk, the name is followed by the words made from, the blank being filled in with the name or names of the milks used, in order of predominance by weight. (f) Label declaration. Each of the ingredients used in the food shall be declared on the label as required by the applicable sections of parts 101 and 130 of this chapter, except that enzymes of animal, plant, or microbial origin may be declared as enzymes. [42 FR 14366, Mar. 15, 1977, as amended at 42 FR 39102, Aug. 2, 1977; 48 FR 49013, Oct. 24, 1983; 49 FR 10093, Mar. 19, 1984; 58 FR 2892, Jan. 6, 1993] Cheddar cheese. (a) Description. (1) Cheddar cheese is the food prepared by the procedure set forth in paragraph (a)(3) of this section, or by any other procedure which produces a finished cheese having the same physical and chemical properties. The minimum milkfat content is 50 percent by weight of the solids, and the maximum moisture content is 39 percent by weight, as determined by the methods described in If the dairy ingredients used are not pasteurized, the cheese is cured at a temperature of not less than 35 F for at least 60 days. (2) If pasteurized dairy ingredients are used, the phenol equivalent value of 0.25 gram of cheddar cheese is not more than 3 micrograms as determined by the method described in (3) One or more of the dairy ingredients specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this section may be warmed, treated with hydrogen peroxide/catalase, and is subjected to the action of a lactic acid-producing bacterial culture. One or more of the clotting enzymes specified in paragraph (b)(2) of this section is added to set the dairy ingredients to a semisolid mass. The mass is so cut, stirred, and heated with continued stirring, as to promote and regulate the separation of whey and curd. The whey is drained off, and the curd is matted into a cohesive mass. The mass is cut into slabs, which are so piled and handled as to promote the drainage of whey and the development of acidity. The slabs are then cut into pieces, which may be rinsed by sprinkling or pouring water over them, with free and continuous drainage; but the duration of such rinsing is so limited that only the whey on the surface of such pieces is removed. The curd is salted, stirred, further drained, and pressed into forms. One or more of the other optional ingredients specified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section may be added during the procedure. (b) Optional ingredients. The following safe and suitable ingredients may be used: (1) Dairy ingredients. Milk, nonfat milk, or cream, as defined in 133.3, used alone or in combination. (2) Clotting enzymes. Rennet and/or other clotting enzymes of animal, plant, or microbial origin. (3) Other optional ingredients. (i) Coloring. (ii) Calcium chloride in an amount not more than 0.02 percent (calculated as anhydrous calcium chloride) of the weight of the dairy ingredients, used as a coagulation aid.

8 (iii) Enzymes of animal, plant, or microbial orgin, used in curing or flavor development. (iv) Antimycotic agents, applied to the surface of slices or cuts in consumer-sized packages. (v) Hydrogen peroxide, followed by a sufficient quantity of catalase preparation to eliminate the hydrogen peroxide. The weight of the hydrogen peroxide shall not exceed 0.05 percent of the weight of the milk and the weight of the catalase shall not exceed 20 parts per million of the weight of the milk treated. (c) Nomenclature. The name of the food is cheddar cheese. (d) Label declaration. Each of the ingredients used in the food shall be declared on the label as required by the applicable (1) Enzymes of animal, plant, or microbial origin may be declared as enzymes ; and (2) The dairy ingredients may be declared, in descending order or predominance, by the use of the terms milkfat and nonfat milk or nonfat milk and milkfat, as appropriate. [48 FR 2743, Jan. 21, 1983; 48 FR 11426, Mar. 18, 1983, as amended at 58 FR 2892, Jan. 6, 1993] Cheddar cheese for manufacturing. Cheddar cheese for manufacturing conforms to the definition and standard of identity prescribed for cheddar cheese by , except that the milk is not pasteurized, curing is not required, and the provisions of paragraph (b)(3)(iv) of that section do not apply. [48 FR 2743, Jan. 21, 1983] Low sodium cheddar cheese. Low sodium cheddar cheese is the food prepared from the same ingredients and in the same manner prescribed in for cheddar cheese and complies with all the provisions of , including the requirements for label statement of ingredients, except that: (a) It contains not more than 96 milligrams of sodium per pound of finished food. (b) The name of the food is low sodium cheddar cheese. The letters in the words low sodium shall be of the same size and style of type as the letters in the words cheddar cheese, wherever such words appear on the label. (c) If a salt substitute is used, the label shall bear the statement added as a salt substitute, the blank being filled in with the common name or names of the ingredient or ingredients used as a salt substitute. (d) Low sodium cheddar cheese is subject to of this chapter. [48 FR 2743, Jan. 21, 1983] Colby cheese. (a) Colby cheese is the food prepared from milk and other ingredients specified in this section, by the procedure set forth in paragraph (b) of this section, or by another procedure which produces a finished cheese having the same physical and chemical properties as the cheese produced when the procedure set forth in paragraph (b) of this section is used. It contains not more than 40 percent of moisture, and its solids contain not less than 50 percent of milkfat, as determined by the methods prescribed in (a), (b), and (d). If the milk used is not pasteurized, the cheese so made is cured at a temperature of not less than 35 F for not less than 60 days. (b) Milk, which may be pasteurized or clarified or both, and which may be warmed, is subjected to the action of harmless lacticacid-producing bacteria, present in such milk or added thereto. Harmless artificial coloring may be added. Sufficient rennet, or other safe and suitable milk-clotting enzyme that produces equivalent curd formation, or both, with or without purified calcium

9 chloride in a quantity not more than 0.02 percent (calculated as anhydrous calcium chloride) of the weight of the milk, is added to set the milk to a semisolid mass. The mass is so cut, stirred, and heated with continued stirring, as to promote and regulate the separation of whey and curd. A part of the whey is drained off, and the curd is cooled by adding water, the stirring being continued so as to prevent the pieces of curd from matting. The curd is drained, salted, stirred, further drained, and pressed into forms. A harmless preparation of enzymes of animal or plant origin capable of aiding in the curing or development of flavor of colby cheese may be added during the procedure, in such quantity that the weight of the solids of such preparation is not more than 0.1 percent of the weight of the milk used. (c) For the purposes of this section: (1) The word milk means cow's milk, which may be adjusted by separating part of the fat therefrom or by adding thereto one or more of the following: Cream, skim milk, concentrated skim milk, nonfat dry milk, water, in a quantity sufficient to reconstitute any concentrated skim milk or nonfat dry milk used. (2) Milk shall be deemed to have been pasteurized if it has been held at a temperature of not less than 143 F for a period of not less than 30 minutes, or for a time and at a temperature equivalent thereto in phosphatase destruction. Colby cheese shall be deemed not to have been made from pasteurized milk if 0.25 gram shows a phenol equivalent of more than 3 micrograms when tested by the method prescribed in 133.5(c). (3) During the cheesemaking process the milk may be treated with hydrogen peroxide/catalase as provided in (a)(3). (d)(1) Colby cheese in the form of slices or cuts may have added to it a clear aqueous solution prepared by condensing or precipitating wood smoke in water. (2) Colby cheese in the form of slices or cuts in consumer-sized packages may contain an optional mold-inhibiting ingredient consisting of sorbic acid, potassium sorbate, sodium sorbate, or any combination of two or more of these, in an amount not to exceed 0.3 percent by weight calculated as sorbic acid. (e)(1) If colby cheese has added to it a clear aqueous solution prepared by condensing or precipitating wood smoke in water as provided in paragraph (d)(1) of this section, the name of the food is immediately followed by the words with added smoke flavoring with all words in this phrase of the same type size, style, and color without intervening written, printed, or graphic matter. (2) If colby cheese in sliced or cut form contains an optional mold-inhibiting ingredient as specified in paragraph (d)(2) of this section, the label shall bear the statement added to retard mold growth or added as a preservative, the blank being filled in with the common name or names of the mold-inhibiting ingredient or ingredients used. (3) Wherever the name of the food appears on the label so conspicuously as to be easily seen under customary conditions of purchase, the statement specified in paragraph (e)(2) of this section, showing the optional ingredient used, shall immediately and conspicuously precede or follow such name, without intervening written, printed, or graphic matter except for the statement with added smoke flavoring, as set forth in paragraph (e)(1) of this section. (f) Each of the ingredients used in the food shall be declared on the label as required by the applicable sections of parts 101 and 130 of this chapter, except that enzymes of animal, plant, or microbial origin may be declared as enzymes. [42 FR 14366, Mar. 15, 1977, as amended at 49 FR 10093, Mar. 19, 1984; 58 FR 2892, Jan. 6, 1993] Colby cheese for manufacturing. Colby cheese for manufacturing conforms to the definition and standard of identity prescribed for colby cheese by , except that the milk is not pasteurized, curing is not required, and the provisions of paragraph (d) of that section do not apply Low sodium colby cheese. Low sodium colby cheese is the food prepared from the same ingredients and in the same manner prescribed in for colby cheese and complies with all the provisions of , including the requirements for label statement of ingredients, except that: (a) Salt is not used. Any safe and suitable ingredient or combination of ingredients that contains no sodium and that is recognized as a salt substitute may be used. (b) Sodium sorbate is not used.

10 (c) It contains not more than 96 milligrams of sodium per pound of finished food. (d) The name of the food is low sodium colby cheese. The letters in the words low sodium shall be of the same size and style of type as the letters in the words colby cheese, wherever such words appear on the label. (e) If a salt substitute as provided for in paragraph (a) of this section is used, the label shall bear the statement added as a salt substitute, the blank being filled in with the common name or names of the ingredient or ingredients used as a salt substitute. (f) Low sodium colby cheese is subject to of this chapter. [42 FR 14366, Mar. 15, 1977, as amended at 58 FR 2892, Jan. 6, 1993] Cold-pack and club cheese. (a)(1) Cold-pack cheese, club cheese, is the food prepared by comminuting, without the aid of heat, one or more cheeses of the same or two or more varieties, except cream cheese, neufchatel cheese, cottage cheese, lowfat cottage cheese, cottage cheese dry curd, hard grating cheese, semisoft part-skim cheese, part-skim spiced cheese and skim milk cheese for manufacturing, into a homogeneous plastic mass. One or more of the optional ingredients designated in paragraph (c) of this section may be used. (2) All cheeses used in a cold-pack cheese are made from pasteurized milk or are held for not less than 60 days at a temperature of not less than 35 F before being comminuted. (3)(i) The moisture content of a cold-pack cheese made from a single variety of cheese is not more than the maximum moisture content prescribed by the definition and standard of identity, if any there be, for the variety of cheese used. If there is no applicable definition and standard of identity, or if such standard contains no provision as to maximum moisture content, no water is used in the preparation of the cold-pack cheese. (ii) The fat content of the solids of a cold-pack cheese made from a single variety of cheese is not less than the minimum prescribed by the definition and standard of identity, if any there be, for the variety of cheese used, but in no case is less than 47 percent, except that the fat content of the solids of cold-pack swiss cheese is not less than 43 percent, and the fat content of the solids of cold-pack gruyere cheese is not less than 45 percent. (4)(i) The moisture content of a cold-pack cheese made from two or more varieties of cheese is not more than the arithmetical average of the maximum moisture contents prescribed by the definitions and standards of identity, if any there be, for the varieties of cheese used, but in no case is the moisture content more than 42 percent, except that the moisture content of a cold-pack cheese made from two or more of the varieties cheddar cheese, washed curd cheese, colby cheese, and granular cheese is not more than 39 percent. (ii) The fat content of the solids of a cold-pack cheese made from two or more varieties of cheese is not less than the arithmetical average of the minimum percent of fat prescribed by the definitions and standards of identity, if any there be, for the varieties of cheese used, but in no case is less than 47 percent, except that the fat content of the solids of a cold-pack cheese made from swiss cheese and gruyere cheese is not less than 45 percent. (5) Moisture and fat are determined by the methods prescribed in 133.5(a), (b), and (d). (6) The weight of each variety of cheese in a cold-pack cheese made from two varieties of cheese is not less than 25 percent of the total weight of both, except that the weight of blue cheese, nuworld cheese, roquefort cheese, or gorgonzola cheese is not less than 10 percent of the total weight of both, and the weight of limburger cheese is not less than 5 percent of the total weight of both. The weight of each variety of cheese in a cold-pack cheese made from three or more varieties of cheese is not less than 15 percent of the total weight of all, except that the weight of blue cheese, nuworld cheese, roquefort cheese, or gorgonzola cheese is not less than 5 percent of the total weight of all, and the weight of limburger cheese is not less than 3 percent of the total weight of all. These limits do not apply to the quantity of cheddar cheese, washed curd cheese, colby cheese, and granular cheese in mixtures which are designated as American cheese as prescribed in paragraph (d)(2) of this section. Such mixtures are considered as one variety of cheese for the purpose of this paragraph (a)(6). (b) Cold-pack cheese may be smoked, or the cheese or cheeses from which it is made may be smoked, before comminuting and mixing, or it may contain substances prepared by condensing or precipitating wood smoke. (c) The optional ingredients referred to in paragraph (a) of this section are: (1) An acidifying agent consisting of one or any mixture of two or more of the following: A vinegar, lactic acid, citric acid, acetic acid, and phosphoric acid, in such quantity that the ph of the finished cold-pack cheese is not below 4.5. For the purposes of this section vinegar is considered to be acetic acid. (2) Water.

11 (3) Salt. (4) Harmless artificial coloring. (5) Spices or flavorings, other than any which singly or in combination with other ingredients simulate the flavor of a cheese of any age or variety. (6) Cold-pack cheese in consumer-sized packages may contain an optional mold-inhibiting ingredient consisting of sorbic acid, potassium sorbate, sodium sorbate, or any combination of two or more of these, in an amount not to exceed 0.3 percent by weight, calculated as sorbic acid or consisting of not more than 0.3 percent by weight of sodium propionate, calcium propionate, or a combination of sodium propionate and calcium propionate. (d)(1) The name of a cold-pack cheese for which a definition and standard of identity is prescribed by this section is Cold-pack cheese, cold-pack cheese or club cheese, the blanks being filled in with the name or names of the varieties of cheese used, in order of predominance by weight. (2) If the cold-pack cheese is made of cheddar cheese, washed curd cheese, colby cheese, or granular cheese or any mixture of two or more of these, it may be designated Cold-pack American cheese ; or when cheddar cheese, washed curd cheese, colby cheese, granular cheese, or any mixture of two or more of these is combined with other varieties of cheese in the cheese ingredient any of such cheeses or such mixture may be designated as American cheese. (3) The full name of the food shall appear on the principal display panel of the label in type of uniform size, style, and color. Wherever any word or statement emphasizing the name of any ingredient appears on the label (other than in an ingredient statement as specified in paragraph (f) of this section) so conspicuously as to be easily seen under customary conditions of purchase, the full name of the food shall immediately and conspicuously precede or follow such word or statement in type of at least the same size as the type used in such word or statement. (e) The name of the food shall include a declaration of any flavoring, including smoke and substances prepared by condensing or precipitating wood smoke, that characterizes the product as specified in of this chapter and a declaration of any spice that characterizes the product. (f) Each of the ingredients used in the food shall be declared on the label as required by the applicable sections of parts 101 and 130 of this chapter, except that cheddar cheese, washed curd cheese, colby cheese, granular cheese, or any mixture of two or more of these, may be designated as American cheese. (1) Artificial coloring need not be declared. (2) If the cheese ingredient contains cheddar cheese, washed curd cheese, colby cheese, granular cheese, or any mixture of two or more of these, such cheese or such mixture may be designated as American cheese. [42 FR 14366, Mar. 15, 1977, as amended at 49 FR 10093, Mar. 19, 1984; 58 FR 2892, Jan. 6, 1993] Cold-pack cheese food. (a)(1) Cold-pack cheese food is the food prepared by comminuting and mixing, without the aid of heat, one or more of the optional cheese ingredients prescribed in paragraph (c) of this section with one or more of the optional dairy ingredients prescribed in paragraph (d) of this section, into a homogeneous plastic mass. One or more of the optional ingredients specified in paragraph (e) of this section may be used. (2) All cheeses used in a cold-pack cheese food are made from pasteurized milk, or are held for not less than 60 days at a temperature of not less than 35 F before being comminuted. (3) The moisture content of a cold-pack cheese food is not more than 44 percent, and the fat content is not less than 23 percent. (4) Moisture and fat are determined by the methods prescribed in (a), (b), and (d), except that in determining moisture the loss in weight which occurs in drying for 5 hours, under the conditions prescribed in such method, is taken as the weight of moisture. (5) The weight of the cheese ingredient prescribed by paragraph (a)(1) of this section constitutes not less than 51 percent of the weight of the finished cold-pack cheese food. (6) The weight of each variety of cheese in the cold-pack cheese food made with two varieties of cheese is not less than 25 percent of the total weight of both, except that the weight of blue cheese, nuworld cheese, roquefort cheese, gorgonzola cheese, or limburger cheese is not less than 10 percent of the total weight of both. The weight of each variety of cheese in the cold-pack cheese food made with three or more varieties of cheese is not less than 15 percent of the total weight of all, except that the weight of blue cheese, nuworld cheese, roquefort cheese, gorgonzola cheese, or limburger cheese is not less than 5

12 percent of the total weight of all. These limits do not apply to the quantity of cheddar cheese, washed curd cheese, colby cheese, and granular cheese in mixtures which are designated as American cheese as prescribed in paragraph (h)(5) of this section. Such mixtures are considered as one variety of cheese for the purposes of this paragraph (a)(6). (b) Cold-pack cheese food may be smoked, or the cheese or cheeses from which it is made may be smoked, before comminuting and mixing, or it may contain substances prepared by condensing or precipitating wood smoke. (c) The optional cheese ingredients referred to in paragraph (a) of this section are: One or more cheeses of the same or two or more varieties, except that cream cheese, neufchatel cheese, cottage cheese, creamed cottage cheese, cook cheese, and skim-milk cheese for manufacturing are not used, and except that semisoft part-skim cheese, part-skim spiced cheese, and hard grating cheese may not be used, alone or in combination with each other, as the cheese ingredient. (d) The optional dairy ingredients referred to in paragraph (a) of this section are: Cream, milk, skim milk, buttermilk, cheese whey, any of the foregoing from which part of the water has been removed, anhydrous milkfat, dehydrated cream, skim milk cheese for manufacturing, and albumin from cheese whey. All optional dairy ingredients used in cold-pack cheese food are pasteurized or made from products that have been pasteurized. (e) The other optional ingredients referred to in paragraph (a) of this section are: (1) An acidifying agent consisting of one or any mixture of two or more of the following: A vinegar, lactic acid, citric acid, acetic acid, and phosphoric acid, in such quantity that the ph of the finished cold-pack cheese food is not below 4.5. (2) Water. (3) Salt. (4) Harmless artificial coloring. (5) Spices or flavorings, other than any which singly or in combination with other ingredients simulate the flavor of cheese of any age or variety. (6) A sweetening agent consisting of one or any mixture of two or more of the following: Sugar, dextrose, corn sugar, corn sirup, corn sirup solids, glucose sirup, glucose sirup solids, maltose, malt sirup, and hydrolyzed lactose, in a quantity necessary for seasoning. (7) Cold-pack cheese food in consumer-sized packages may contain an optional mold-inhibiting ingredient consisting of sorbic acid, potassium sorbate, sodium sorbate, or any combination of two or more of these, in an amount not to exceed 0.3 percent by weight, calculated as sorbic acid or consisting of not more than 0.3 percent by weight of sodium propionate, calcium propionate, or a combination of sodium propionate and calcium propionate. (8) In the preparation of cold-pack cheese food, guar gum or xanthan gum, or both, may be used, but the total quantity of such ingredient or combination is not to exceed 0.3 percent of the weight of the finished food. When one or both such optional ingredients is used, dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate complying with the requirements of of this chapter may be used in a quantity not in excess of 0.5 percent by weight of such ingredient or ingredients. (f) The name of the food is cold-pack cheese food. The full name of the food shall appear on the principal display panel of the label in type of uniform size, style, and color. Wherever any word or statement emphasizing the name of (other than in an ingredient statement any ingredient appears on the label as specified in paragraph (h) of this section) so conspicuously as to be easily seen under customary conditions of purchase, the full name of the food shall immediately and conspicuously precede or follow such word or statement in type of at least the same size as the type used in such word or statement. (g) The name of the food shall include a declaration of any flavoring, including smoke and substances prepared by condensing or precipitating wood smoke, that characterizes the product as specified in of this chapter and a declaration of any spice that characterizes the product. (h) Each of the ingredients used in the food shall be declared on the label as required by the applicable sections of parts 101 and 130 of this chapter, except that cheddar cheese, washed curd cheese, colby cheese, granular cheese, or any mixture of two or more of these, may be designated as American cheese. [42 FR 14366, Mar. 15, 1977, as amended at 49 FR 10093, Mar. 19, 1984; 58 FR 2892, Jan. 6, 1993] Cold-pack cheese food with fruits, vegetables, or meats. (a) Cold-pack cheese food with fruits, vegetables, or meats or mixtures of these is the food which conforms to the definition and standard of identity, and is subject to the requirements for label declaration of ingredients, prescribed for cold pack cheese food by , except that:

13 (1) Its milk fat content is not less than 22 percent. (2) It contains one or any mixture of two or more of the following: Any properly prepared fresh, cooked, canned, or dried vegetable; any properly prepared cooked or canned meat. (3) When the added fruits, vegetables, or meats contain fat, the method prescribed for the determination of fat by 133.5(b) and (d) is not applicable. (b) The name of a cold-pack cheese food with fruits, vegetables or meats is Cold-pack cheese food with, the blank being filled in with the common or usual name or names of the fruits, vegetables, or meats used, in order of predominance by weight. [42 FR 14366, Mar. 15, 1977, as amended at 49 FR 10093, Mar. 19, 1984; 58 FR 2892, Jan. 6, 1993] Cook cheese, koch kaese. (a) Description. (1) Cook cheese, koch kaese, is the food prepared by the procedure set forth in paragraph (a)(3) of this section or by any other procedure which produces a finished cheese having the same physical and chemical properties. The maximum moisture content is 80 percent by weight, as determined by the method described in The dairy ingredients used may be pasteurized. (2) The phenol equivalent value of 0.25 gram of cook cheese is not more than 3 micrograms as determined by the method described in (3) One or more of the dairy ingredients specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this section may be warmed and is subjected to the action of a lactic acid-producing bacterial culture. One or more of the clotting enzymes specified in paragraph (b)(2) of this section is added to set the dairy ingredients to a semisolid mass. The mass is cut, stirred, and heated with continued stirring, so as to separate the curd and whey. The whey is drained from the curd and the curd is cured for 2 or 3 days. It is then heated to a temperature of not less than 180 F until the hot curd will drop from a ladle with a consistency like that of honey. The hot cheese is filled into packages and cooled. One or more of the other optional ingredients specified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section may be added during the procedure. (b) Optional ingredients. The following safe and suitable ingredients may be used: (1) Dairy ingredients. Nonfat milk as defined in (2) Clotting enzymes. Rennet and/or other clotting enzymes of animal, plant, or microbial origin. (3) Other optional ingredients. (i) Calcium chloride in an amount not more than 0.02 percent (calculated as anhydrous calcium chloride) of the weight of the dairy ingredients, used as a coagulation aid. (ii) Culture of white mold. (iii) Pasteurized cream. (iv) Caraway seed. (v) Salt. (c) Nomenclature. The name of the food is cook cheese or, alternatively, koch kaese. (d) Label declaration. Each of the ingredients used in the food shall be declared on the label as required by the applicable sections of parts 101 and 130, except that enzymes of animal, plant, or microbial origin may be declared as enzymes. [54 FR 32053, Aug. 4, 1989, as amended at 55 FR 51409, Dec. 14, 1990; 58 FR 2892, Jan. 6, 1993] Cottage cheese. (a) Cottage cheese is the soft uncured cheese prepared by mixing cottage cheese dry curd with a creaming mixture as provided in paragraph (b) of this section. The milkfat content is not less than 4 percent by weight of the finished food, within limits of good manufacturing practice. The finished food contains not more than 80 percent of moisture, as determined by the method prescribed in (a).