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Cheese from Moldova, Slobozia-Măgura village, Bursuceni commune, Sângerei district

Brânză de Măgura

Milk from one closed-cycle goat farm is pasteurised at 74–82 °C, cooled to 32–36 °C and set with rennet in 40–60 minutes. The curd is cut, drained 3–6 hours under a press, cut into pieces, dry-salted and brined at least 72 hours in 8–12% brine. It is sold fresh, or matured more than 30 days in 10–12% brine at 12–16 °C.

Fully documentedCheese35 days – 36 daysProtected appellation of origin (Moldova, AGEPI DO-13, 2020; also on the UK GI register)Family: Uncooked or semi-cooked pressed cheese family (tomme, Saint-Nectaire, Reblochon, Morbier, Raclette)

Recipe

Amounts from a sourceThe specification gives the rennet dose per 100 litres of milk and no other amounts. Portions weigh about 200–300 g, and pieces sold in brine 0.2–1.5 kg.
Whole goat milk from the Slobozia-Măgura farm; milk from other animals is not allowed[uk-spec][agepi-caiet]
Rennet, natural or artificialabout 10 g per 100 l of milk[agepi-caiet]
Food salt, and well water for the brine[uk-spec][agepi-caiet]

Total time across the recorded steps: 35 days – 36 days

Start
Drag the bar or press Play
1–4 °C

What changes: Starting material: goat milk filtered into a cooling tank

Step 1 of 9
Filter and chill the milk
Time
up to 2 days
Set
Temperature
1–4 °C
Set
Salt
None given
Acidity
Not documented

The goats are milked by machine three times a day.

Flavour
Not documented
Texture
Not documented
Colour
Not documented

Microbes at work in this step

Not documented for this step.

Method

Measured measured in a studySet fixed by a specification or tested recipeReported one source reports itTypical a general value, not sourced for this fermentUnconfirmed not yet checked against a source

At a glance

Milk from one closed-cycle goat farm is pasteurised at 74–82 °C, cooled to 32–36 °C and set with rennet in 40–60 minutes. The curd is cut, drained 3–6 hours under a press, cut into pieces, dry-salted and brined at least 72 hours in 8–12% brine. It is sold fresh, or matured more than 30 days in 10–12% brine at 12–16 °C. Made in 9 steps over 35 days – 36 days. The longest step, mature in brine, takes at least 30 days (Caiet de sarcini pentru produsul cu Denumire…) and runs at 12–16 °C (Caiet de sarcini pentru produsul cu Denumire…). Salt is 8–12 % (Caiet de sarcini pentru produsul cu Denumire…).

Key numbers
Main stepat least 30 daysSet[agepi-caiet]Mature in brine
Temperature12–16 °CSet[agepi-caiet]Mature in brine
Salt8–12 %Set[agepi-caiet]Brine

What makes this one different

A single-farm goat cheese protected as an appellation of origin. It is sold fresh after brining, or matured more than a month in 10–12% brine, and its specification gives a shelf life of 365 days in brine at 1–6 °C.

Composition
Fat in dry matter 22–55% by season; moisture at most 50–55%
Size
Blocks 6–8 × 10–12 cm and 3–4 cm high, about 200–300 g; pieces in brine 0.2–1.5 kg
Shelf life
30 days fresh; 120 days matured in vacuum packs; 365 days in brine

Related ferments

Safety

The milk is held at 1–4 °C for no more than 48 hours and pasteurised at 74–82 °C. The specification sets microbial limits on the cheese (E. coli under 10, no Listeria monocytogenes or Salmonella), and it is stored at 1–6 °C.

Hazards the sources name: Escherichia coli (limit under 10), Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella (both must be absent).

History and sources

Every number is labelled with how it is known. How this atlas is made

The caiet traces cheese and brânză making in the area to medieval Moldavian customs. A 2018 EU-funded study for AGEPI picked the cheese out of the Moldovan products that could be registered, as one made in a closed cycle from local raw material by a traditional recipe, and named it as a candidate for appellation of origin. The study says the village name Slobozia Măgura is documented from 1803, after the nearby Movila Măgura hill. The cheese was first shown in July 2017 at the festival 'În ospeție la Movila Măgura', and AGEPI registered the appellation on 17 February 2020.

Starter
The sources we found do not say how its fermentation begins.
  1. [uk-spec] Summary technical specification, appellation of origin 'Brânză de Măgura' (UK GI register, published by Defra)spec
  2. [agepi-caiet] Caiet de sarcini pentru produsul cu Denumire de Origine Protejată 'Brânză de Măgura' (PRISVIO S.R.L., approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment of Moldova), AGEPI register DO-13spec
  3. [fala2018] Fala A. (with Pântea M., Sava P., Cibotari V.) 2018, Studiul privind identificarea produselor, băuturilor, bucatelor și obiectelor de meșteșugărit pasibile înregistrării în calitate de Indicații Geografice, Denumiri de Origine și Specialități Tradiționale Garantate în Republica Moldova, AGEPI and SARDPI, Chișinău, pp. 52, 82-83 (EU-funded project report)gov