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Cheese from Portugal, Beira Baixa

Travia da Beira Baixa

Travia da Beira Baixa is a boundary entry, set by heat, not by microbes. Sheep and goat whey from the three Beira Baixa PDO cheeses is heated to 80–90 °C with slow stirring until flakes float, then left still for 15–30 minutes just short of boiling. The flakes are ladled into containers and turned with some of the whey, giving a loose, grainy paste that is sold fresh and unfermented.

Fully documentedCheese15 min – 30 minPDO (EU, 2013)Family: Whey cheese (heat-precipitated whey protein) family

Recipe

No fixed amounts recordedThe single document gives no amounts. The product has no fixed shape or weight; it takes the shape of its container.
Sheep and goat whey from making the Beira Baixa PDO cheesesStrained to remove bits of curd[travia-sd2012]
Potable water and raw sheep or goat milkWater is added if the whey is salty; a little milk just before boiling gives a larger, thicker mass[travia-sd2012]
Some of the hot whey left after the flakes formStirred back in to make the paste[travia-sd2012]
Starternone; heat makes the curd, and the single document calls it unfermented

Total time across the recorded steps: 15 min – 30 min

Start
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What changes: Starting material: sheep and goat whey from Beira Baixa cheesemaking, strained

Step 1 of 5
Strain the whey
Time
Not documented
Temperature
Not documented
Salt
None given
Acidity
Not documented

The whey comes from the same dairy, straight from making the Beira Baixa cheeses.

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

Travia da Beira Baixa is a boundary entry, set by heat, not by microbes. Sheep and goat whey from the three Beira Baixa PDO cheeses is heated to 80–90 °C with slow stirring until flakes float, then left still for 15–30 minutes just short of boiling. The flakes are ladled into containers and turned with some of the whey, giving a loose, grainy paste that is sold fresh and unfermented. Made in 5 steps over 15 min – 30 min. The longest step, let the flakes rise, takes 15–30 min (European Commission 2012).

Key numbers
Main step15–30 minSet[travia-sd2012]Let the flakes rise
Temperature80–90 °CSet[travia-sd2012]Heat with slow stirring

What makes this one different

The same heat-set whey curd as Requeijão da Beira Baixa, but turned with some whey instead of drained in baskets, so it is wetter (70–80 % moisture) and has no shape.

Composition
Moisture 70–80 %; fat 5–9 g, protein 4–7 g and ash 0.6–1.4 g per 100 g (reference values)
Shape
None of its own; it takes the shape of its container
Boundary
Set by heat; sold as a fresh, unfermented product

Related ferments

Safety

The whey is very perishable, so the single document requires travia to be processed and packed at once in the same facilities as the Beira Baixa cheeses. Its protein, lactose and water content let micro-organisms increase after production. The packaging must be innocuous and inert, and vacuum packing is allowed. The document gives no storage temperature or shelf life.

Hazards the sources name: Staphylococci and spore-forming clostridia (in the Requeijão study they were severely inhibited by vacuum packing and rising acidity at 4 °C; a related product, not travia).

History and sources

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

The application for the PDO was published in the Official Journal on 17 November 2012. No objection was received, so the Commission entered 'Travia da Beira Baixa' in the register on 4 November 2013 (Regulation (EU) No 1090/2013).

  1. [travia-sd2012] European Commission 2012, publication of an application, single document 'Travia da Beira Baixa', OJ C 353, 17.11.2012, p. 14 (2012/C 353/08), via publications.europa.euspec
  2. [pintado2000] Pintado M.E., Malcata F.X. 2000, Characterization of whey cheese packaged under vacuum, Journal of Food Protection 63(2):216–221 (abstract)paper
  3. [reg1090-2013] Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1090/2013 of 4 November 2013 entering a name in the register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications [Travia da Beira Baixa (PDO)], OJ L 293, 5.11.2013, p. 34, via publications.europa.euspec