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Cheese from Italy

Formaggella del Luinese DOPFormaggella del Luinese

Raw whole goat milk from the Varese pre-Alps is set with a mainly thermophilic starter and calf rennet at 32–34 °C, and the curd is cut to fine, maize-size grains. The small wheels drain up to 48 hours in 14 cm hoops, are salted dry or in brine, and ripen at least 20 days in cells at up to 15 °C or in natural cellars.

Fully documentedCheese23 daysPDO (EU, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 375/2011)

Recipe

No fixed amounts recordedThe specification fixes the milk, starter type, rennet and temperatures but no batch size or doses. A cheese weighs 700–900 g.
Raw whole goat milkCamosciata delle Alpi, Nera di Verzasca, Saanen and crosses; goats graze 7–8 months a year and get no silage; milk kept at most 30 hours at 4 °C or below[eu-application]
Natural or selected starterMostly thermophilic lactic bacteria, with small doses of mesophilic strains allowed[eu-application]
Natural calf rennet[eu-application]
SaltRubbed on dry or as brine[eu-application]
Starternatural or selected starter, mainly thermophilic lactic bacteria; small doses of mesophiles allowed

Total time across the recorded steps: 23 days

Start
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up to 4 °C

What changes: Starting material: raw goat milk, kept at 4 °C or below for up to 30 hours

Step 1 of 6
Hold the milk cold
Time
up to 30 h
Set
Temperature
up to 4 °C
Set
Salt
None given
Acidity
Not documented
Which microbes the steps name, step by step
Lactic acid bacteria

Output: raw whole goat milk.

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

Raw whole goat milk from the Varese pre-Alps is set with a mainly thermophilic starter and calf rennet at 32–34 °C, and the curd is cut to fine, maize-size grains. The small wheels drain up to 48 hours in 14 cm hoops, are salted dry or in brine, and ripen at least 20 days in cells at up to 15 °C or in natural cellars. Made in 6 steps over 23 days. The longest step, ripen in cells or natural cellars, takes at least 20 days (Publication of the application for registrati…) and runs at up to 15 °C (Publication of the application for registrati…). Thermophilic lactic bacteria of the starter, with some mesophilic strains and Mixed lactic flora of cocci and rods, homo- and heterofermentative, from the milk, the surroundings and the starter do most of the fermenting.

Key numbers
Main stepat least 20 daysSet[eu-application]Ripen in cells or natural cellars
Temperatureup to 15 °CSet[eu-application]Ripen in cells or natural cellars

What makes this one different

A PDO goat cheese made only from raw whole goat milk of the Varese pre-Alps. It is set with a mainly thermophilic starter, cut fine and eaten young, after as little as 20 days.

Rind
Natural, not hard, moulds may be present
Size
Cylinder 13–15 cm across with a 4–6 cm side; 700–900 g
Composition
Fat in dry matter at least 41%; dry matter at least 45%; water at most 55%

Related ferments

Safety

Made from raw goat milk held no more than 30 hours at 4 °C or below, and ripened at least 20 days, in cells at 15 °C or cooler or in cellars at natural temperature. The US FDA says ageing raw-milk cheese for 60 days may not remove E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella, and Listeria can grow in some cheeses during ageing. This cheese can be sold after only 20 days.

History and sources

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

Goat grazing shaped the woods and pastures of the Varese pre-Alps, where herders used temporary huts called casel on the slopes. The PDO was registered in April 2011 (application published in OJ C 220, 14.8.2010).

  1. [eu-application] Publication of the application for registration, 'Formaggella del Luinese', EC No IT-PDO-0005-0524-17.02.2006, Official Journal of the European Union C 220, 14.8.2010, pp. 18–21spec
  2. [eu-reg] Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 375/2011 of 11 April 2011, entering 'Formaggella del Luinese' in the register of PDOs and PGIs, Official Journal of the European Union L 102, 16.4.2011, p. 15spec
  3. [onaf] ONAF (national organisation of cheese tasters), cheese page 'Formaggella del Luinese' (id 204)web
  4. [fda-rawcheese2016] US Food and Drug Administration 2016, FY 2014–2016 Microbiological Sampling Assignment Summary Report, Raw Milk Cheese Aged 60 Daysgov