Sec. 162.11. Cheddar cheese standards

(a) General.

New York State Seal of Quality grade of cheddar, washed curd or colby cheese, shall be according to the degree of curing on the basis of rating (A) flavor, (B) body and texture, (C) color, (D) finish and appearance. The rating of each quality factor shall be established on the basis of characteristics present in cheese from any sample. The final grade shall be established on the basis of the lowest rating of any one of the quality characteristics. Seal of Quality cheddar cheese conform to the following requirements and standards:

(1) Flavor.

Shall possess desirable and pleasing flavor and odor characteristics. Commensurate with its age and degree of cure, it may possess feed, acid, bitter, fruity and sulfide types of flavors to a degree detectable only upon critical examination. Fresh or uncured cheese of this grade shall not possess bitter, fruity, sulfide, utensil, yeasty or foreign flavors to any degree.

(2) Body and texture.

Cheddar cheese of this grade shall be reasonably firm bodied and smooth textured. A sample drawn for inspection shall be reasonably close, with no large, connecting or ragged openings, and shall be practically free of gas holes and may be detectably slit but not intense.

(i) Commensurate with its age and degree of cure, when cheese of this grade is worked, it shall break down to a cohesive, waxy or semi-glossy consistency and shall be free of pronounced rough, grain-like or mealy appearance which is associated with excessive acid.

(ii) Washed curd cheese of this grade shall conform to subparagraph (i) of this paragraph except that it may be definitely open and less firm bodied.

(iii) Colby cheese of this grade shall conform to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph except that it shall have numerous small mechanical openings distributed throughout the cheese.

(iv) When triers are used to draw samples, plugs shall be full and unbroken.

(3) Color.

May be colored or uncolored, but if colored, it shall be uniform throughout. May possess numerous tiny white specks, associated with aged cheese. May possess seaminess and waviness to a slight degree.

(4) Finish and appearance.

(i) Bandaged and paraffin-dipped. The rind shall be sound, firm and smooth, providing a good protection to the cheese. The bandage may be slightly uneven, overlapped or wrinkled, but not burst or torn. The surface shall be practically smooth, bright and have good coating of paraffin or wax that adheres firmly to all surfaces of the cheese, with certain allowable tolerances for mold and other defects according to the degree of curing. There shall be no indication that mold has entered the cheese. It shall be free from huffing, but may have slightly high edges and be slightly lopsided.

(ii) Rindless. The wrapper or covering shall adequately and securely envelop the cheese, be neat, unbroken and fully protect the surface but may be slightly wrinkled. The cheese shall be free from huffing but may be slightly lopsided and may have very slight mold under the wrapper or covering in medium and cured classifications. There shall be no indications that mold has entered the cheese.

(b) Flavor.

(1) Slight.

Detected only upon critical examination.

(2) Definite.

Not intense but detectable.

(3) Pronounced.

So intense as to be easily identified.

(4) Feed.

Feed flavors (such as alfalfa, sweet clover, silage or similar feed) in milk carried through into the cheese.

(5) Acid.

Sharp and puckery to the taste, characteristics of lactic acid.

(6) Bitter.

Distasteful, similar to taste of quinine. Most frequently found in aged cheese.

(7) Fruity.

A sweet fruit-like flavoring resembling apples; generally increasing in intensity as the cheese ages.

(8) Whey-taint.

A slightly acid flavor and odor characteristic of fermented whey caused by too slow expulsion of whey from the curd.

(9) Old milk.

Lacks freshness.

(10) Lipase.

A flavor suggestive of rancidity or butyric acid, sometimes associated with a bitterness.

(11) Sulfide.

An objectionable flavor of hydrogen sulfide similar to the flavor of water with a high sulfur content.

(12) Foreign.

Flavors not normally associated with cheese such as contaminants.

(c) Body and texture.

(1) Smooth.

Feels silky; not dry and coarse or rough.

(2) Reasonably firm.

Somewhat less firm but not to the extent of materially injuring the keeping quality of the cheese.

(3) Open.

Mechanical openings that are irregular in shape and are caused by workmanship and not gas fermentation.

(4) Sweet holes.

Spherical gas holes, glossy in appearance; usually about the size of BB shots; also referred to as shot or Swiss holes.

(5) Weak.

Requires little pressure to crush, is soft but is not necessarily sticky like a pasty cheese.

(6) Pasty.

Usually weak body and when the cheese is rubbed between the thumb and fingers it becomes sticky and smeary.

(7) Crumbly.

Loosely knit and tends to fall apart when rubbed between the thumb and fingers.

(8) Gassy.

Gas holes of various sizes and may be scattered.

(9) Pinny.

Numerous very small gas holes.

(10) Practically free of gas. Limited gas or sweet holes are acceptable, provided that the body of flavor meets the flavor requirements of these specifications.

(11) Slits.

Narrow or elongated openings generally associated with cheese that is gassy or yeasty.

(d) Color.

(1) Uncolored.

Absence of artificial coloring.

(2) Seamy.

White thread-like lines that form if the pieces of curd are not properly joined together.

(3) Wavy.

Unevenness of color which appears as layers or waves.

(4) Acid cut.

Bleached or faded appearance which sometimes varies throughout the cheese, appearing most often around mechanical openings.

(5) Tiny white specks.

Specks resembling grains of salt scattered throughout the cheese. They are generally associated with aged cheese.

(e) Finish and appearance.

(1) Wax or paraffin that adheres firmly to the surface of the cheese. Thin or thick coating with no indication of cracking, breaking or loosening.

(2) Rind.

Hard coating caused by the desiccation of the surface of the cheese.

(3) Firm sound rind.

Possessing a firmness and thickness (not easily dented or damaged) consistent with the size of the cheese and which is dry, smooth, and closely knit, sufficient to protect the interior quality from external defects; free from checks, cracks, breaks or soft spots.

(4) Burst or torn bandage.

A severance of the bandage usually occurring at the side seam or is otherwise snagged or broken.

(5) Wrapper or covering.

Transparent or opaque material (plastic film type or foil) next to the surface of the cheese, used as an enclosure or covering of the cheese.

(6) Adequately and securely enveloped. Wrapper or covering properly sealed, and entirely enclosing the cheese, with sufficient adherence for ample protection and prevention of mold.

(7) Smooth bright surface. Clean, glossy surface.

(8) Soiled surface. Milkstone, rust spots or other discoloration on the surface of the cheese.

(9) Smooth surface. Not rough or uneven.

(10) Surface mold. Mold on the paraffin or the exterior of the cheese.

(11) Mold under bandage and paraffin. Mold spots or areas that have formed under the paraffin or mold that has penetrated from the surface and continued to develop.

(12) Mold under wrapper or covering. Mold spots or areas that have formed under the wrapper or on the cheese.

(13) Rough surface. Lacks smoothness.

(14) Bandage evenly placed. Overlapping the edges evenly about one inch.

(15) Irregular bandaging. Bandage improperly placed in the hoop resulting in too much bandage on one end and insufficient on the other causing overlapping; wrinkled and loose fitting.

(16) Lopsided. One side of the cheese is higher than the other side.

(17) High edge. A rim or ridge on the follower side of the cheese, which is raised in varying degrees. In extreme cases it may bend over.

(18) Defective coating. Brittle coating of paraffin that breaks and peels off in the form of scales or flakes; flat or raised blisters or bubbles under the surface of the paraffin, checked paraffin, including cracks, breaks or hairline cracks in the paraffin or coating of the cheese.

(19) Cracks in the rind. Openings or breaks in the rind.

(20) Checked rind. Numerous small cracks or breaks in the rind, sometimes following the outline of curd particles sometimes referred to as curd openings.

(21) Soft spots. Soft to the touch and the spots are usually faded and moist.

(22) Huffed cheese. Swollen because of gas fermentation. The cheese becomes rounded or oval in shape instead of being flat.

(23) Weak rind. Thin and possessing little or no resistance to pressure.

(24) Sour rind. A fermented rind condition, usually confined to the faces of the cheese.

(25) Wet rind. A wet rind is one in which the moisture adheres to the surface of the rind and which may or may not soften the rind or cause discoloration.

(26) Rind rot. Soft spots on the rind that have become discolored and have decayed or decomposed.

(f) Degree of cure.

(1) Fresh, current, mild or any other equivalent term shall mean cheese lacking in flavor development and may possess only slight cheddar cheese flavor. Its texture may be only partially broken down.

(2) Medium cured or any other equivalent term shall mean cheese possessing only moderate degree of characteristic cheddar cheese flavor. Its texture may or may not be entirely broken down.

(3) Cured, sharp, aged or any other equivalent term shall mean moderate to well developed degree of flavor and sharpness. Its texture shall be entirely free from curdiness.

(4) Extra sharp, very sharp, tangy or any other equivalent term shall mean well developed degrees of flavor and aroma so that its sharpness is clearly discernible to taste and smell. Its texture shall be entirely free from curdiness.

(g) Packaging.

(1) Paraffin. Refined paraffin, amorphous wax, microcrystalline wax or any combination of such or any other suitable substance.

(2) Rindless. Cheese which has not formed a rind due to the impervious type of wrapper, covering or container, enclosing the cheese or by any other means of handling.

(h) Processing facility.

Seal of Quality cheese manufacturing and packaging is restricted to those facilities in compliance with Agriculture and Markets Law, article 4 or 12-A and these facilities must maintain a satisfactory inspection record.

(i) Packing.

All packages are subject to approval by the Department of Agriculture and Markets. Package approval shall be based upon the ability of the package to maintain the quality standards and integrity of the product.

(j) Markings.

Each package of cheddar cheese packaged and offered for sale under the Seal of Quality program must have affixed the official seal designation.