semisoft, and soft. They are depicted in figure 1-8, which names a few varieties as
examples of the cheese category.
Percent of moisture
(expressed in terms
Categories
Examples
of "not more than")
Very Hard (grating)
Ripened by bacteria...............................
Parmesan......................................... NMT 32
Romano............................................ NMT 34
Hard
Ripened by bacteria
(without eyes).......................................
Cheddar............................................ NMT 39
Granular............................................ NMT 39
Colby................................................. NMT 40
Ripened by bacteria
(with eyes)................................................Swiss................................................ NMT 41
Semisoft
Ripened principally
by bacteria............................................... Brick.................................................. NMT 44
Muenster........................................... NMT 44
Ripened by bacteria
and surface micro-
organisms................................................ Limburger..........................................NMT 50
Ripened principally
by blue mold in
mold......................................................... Roquefort.......................................... NMT 45
Soft
Ripened..................................................... Camembert........................................NMT 80
Unripened................................................. Cottage cheese................................. NMT 80
Figure 1-8. Cheese categories.
b. Very Hard. Very hard cheeses have a low moisture content and therefore
they can be kept almost indefinitely. These cheeses are usually made from skimmed or
partly skimmed milk. They can easily be grated and are commonly used on salads, in
soups, and with spaghetti and macaroni.
(1) Parmesan. Parmesan is the name of a group of very hard cheeses
originating in Italy. It includes Parmigiano, Reggiano, Lodigiano, Lombardy, Emiliano,
Veneto, and Begozza. Parmesan cheese is usually made from partially skimmed cow's
milk. After manufacture, it is cured for about one year before being marketed.
MD0715
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