Annals of Microbiology, 50, 151-155 (2000) A global comparative method for the classification of world cheeses (with special reference to microbiological criteria). Revised Edition G. OTTOGALLI* Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Alimentari e Microbiologiche, Sezione di Microbiologia Agraria, Alimentare, Ecologica, Via G. Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy. Abstract - A revised classification of cheeses and related products is proposed: three groups Lacticinia, Formatica (cheeses) and Miscellanea divided into 8 Classes and 45 Families. This note is to be considered a supplement of a previous paper. Key words: cheese, microbiology, classification. This note is a supplement of a previous paper (Ottogalli, 1998); according to a new definition of cheeses and related products, a different, revised scheme of classification is proposed in tables 1-4 (Ottogalli, 2000). TABLE 1 - Classification of dairy products Order Products Examples I Liquid milk Pasteurized, UHT II Products characterized by reduced activity water Evapored milk, dry milk III Fermented milks Yogurt, kefir IV Cream and derived products Butter, buttermilk V Products obtained by milk or whey through Cheeses and similarcoagulation: by rennet, organic acid (lactic, products acetic), salt (sodium sulphate), heat shock (see Tables 2-4) * Corresponding author. Fax: +39-0258301709 151
TABLE 2 - Lacticinia group Lacticinia a A A1 Yogurt-like products; Lehneh (M.E.) (No rennet Usually fresh, difference: drainage added) rarely ripened A2 Milk coagulated with Queso Blanco (L.A.) addition of organic acid A3 Acid addition plus heat shock of whey (goat or ewe) A4 Acid addition plus heat shock of whey (cow) A5 Acid addition plus heat shock of cream A6 Buttermilk A7 Colostrum or beestings Whey cheese (GB), Ricotta (IT) Whey cheese (GB), Ricotta (IT) Mascarpone (IT) Skyr (FI), Buttermilk Quark (GB) Kolostrumkase (DE) a Lacticinia: includes products which are obtained from milk or part of it without the use of rennet but with addition of acid (lactic acid), salt (i.e. sodium sulphate), with or without heat shock. TABLE 3 - Formatica group Formatica b B B1 Lactic acid cheeses (little Quark (DE), (cheeses) Fresh (unripe- rennet) Petit-Suisse (FR) ned), soft rindless cheeses B2 Rennetted (little acid) Giuncata (IT), Junket (GB) B3 Goat or ewe B4 Kneaded curds B5 Small curd particles Chèvre (FR) Mozzarella (IT), Pizza Cheese (USA) Cottage Cheese (USA) (continued) 152
TABLE 3 - Formatica group (follow the previous page) Formatica b C C1 Rindless, very short Crescenza (IT), (cheeses) Shortly ripened, ripening phase Butterkase (AT) soft, usually rindless or thin C2 Thin rind, short ripening Caciotta (IT), Italico rind phase (<1 month) (Bel Paese) (IT) C3 Same as C1 or C2 but goat or ewe s milk C4 Kneaded curds C5 White Brined Burgos (ES) Scamorza (IT), Cascaval (RU) Feta (GR), Telemes (RU) D D1 White moulded rind Camembert, Brie (FR) Soft surface ripened cheese D2 Smeary surface Romadour (BE), Brick (mainly bacteria) (USA), Havarti (DK) D3 Same as D1 or D2 or D4 Chabichou (FR), but goat or ewe Altenburger (DE) D4 Moulded and smeary surface Taleggio (IT) E E1 Smeary surface Stilton (GB), Blue veined; Gorgonzola (IT), consistency: Danablu (DK) soft or semisoft E2 White moulded rind Bleu de Bresse (FR), E3 Ewe or goat Roquefort (FR), Cabrales (ES) F F1 Untextured, usually Montasio (IT), Semi-hard, semicooked and Trappisten (DE) medium pressed ripened F2 Washed curd Edam (NL), Gouda (NL) F3 Same as F1 but goat or ewe F4 Kneaded curds F5 Eye-holes F6 Textured (and dry salted) curd F7 Smeary rind Serra (PR), Orduna (ES) Caciocavallo (IT), Kasseri (GR) Maasdamer (NL) Lancashire (GB), Cantal (FR) Fontina (IT), Appenzeller (CH) (continued) 153
TABLE 3 - Formatica group (follow the previous page) Formatica b G G1 Untextured, usually Grana (IT), (cheeses) Hard, long - cooked and pressed Reggianito (A.L.) ripened G2 Washed curd, Edam (NL), long ripened Gouda (NL) G3 Same as G1 but goat or ewe G4 Kneaded curds G5 Eye-holes G6 Textured (and dry salted) curd G7 Smeary rind Pecorino (IT), Kefalotiry (GR), Manchego (ES) Provolone (IT), Parenica (URSS) Emmental (CH, FR) Cheddar (GB, USA) Gruyère (CH, FR) b Formatica: includes products which are obtained using rennet (of microbial, vegetal or animal origin). TABLE 4 - Miscellanea group Miscellanea H H1 Melted Processed Cheese Various technologies H2 Smoked Oak smoked Cheddar (GB) H3 Grated or fractionated H4 Mixed with other ingredients H5 Ripened or kept under particular conditions H6 Obtained using modern technologies (i.e. ultrafiltration, heat stabilization) H7 Imitation cheeses Grating Cheese Leiden (NL), Sage Derby (GB) Devon Garland (GB) Fromage Fort (FR) Quark (DE) Tofu and cheeses with soya-ingredients c Miscellanea: include products which are characterized by special technologies. 154
REFERENCES Ottogalli G. (1998). A global comparative method for the classification of world cheeses (with special reference to microbiological criteria). Ann. Microbiol. Enzimol., 48: 31-57. Ottogalli G. (2000). Proposta di aggiornamento della classificazione dei formaggi con particolare riferimento agli aspetti microbiologici. Alimenta, 8 (7,8): 147-165. 155