KENYA STANDARD                                  DKS 2677: 2020  
             ICS 67.100.30  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Provolone cheese — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
©KEBS 2020         Second  Edition 20 20 
 
 
 
 
 
  DKS 2677 :2020  
 
 
                                                                                                       © KEBS 20 20 — All rights reserved  ii TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION  
 
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee:  
 
Kenya D airy Board  
Ministry of Health — Food Safety Unit  
Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries — State Department of Livestock  
Directorate of Veterinary Services  
Egerton University — Department of Dairy and Food Science Technology  
Government Chemist’s Department  
National Public Health Laboratory Services  
Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI)  
Consumer Information Network  
New Kenya Creameries Cooperative (NKCC)  
Brookside Dairy Ltd.  
Eldoville Dairies Limited  
Githunguri Dairy  
Happy Cow Ltd.  
Sun-power Products  
Sameer Agriculture and Livestock (K) Limited  
KIBIDAV Ltd (TOGGS)  
 
 
 
 
 
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS  
 
In order to keep abreast of progress in industry, Kenya Standards shall be regularly reviewed. Suggestions 
for improvements to pu blished standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, 
are welcome.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© Kenya Bureau of Standards , 2020  
 
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 130 of 2001  of the Laws of Kenya , copyright 
subsists in all Kenya Standards and except as provided under Section 25 of this Act, no Kenya Standard produced by Kenya Bure au of 
Standards may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any means without prior p ermission in writing 
from the Managing Director . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   KENYA STANDA RD                                        DKS 2677: 2020  
    ICS 67.100.30  
 
© KEBS 20 20 — All rights reserved  iii  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Provolone cheese — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS)  
 
Head Office:  P.O. Box 54974, Nairobi -00200, Tel.: (+254  020) 605490, 602350, Fax: (+25 4 020)  604031  
E-Mail: info@kebs.org,  Web:http://www.kebs.org   
 
Coast Region     Lake Region          North Rift Region  
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Tel.: (+254 041) 229563, 230939/40   Tel.: (+ 254 057) 23549, 22396        Tel.: (+254 051) 210553, 210555  
Fax: (+254 041) 229448    Fax: (+254 057) 21814               
  DKS 2677 :2020  
 
 
                                                                                                       © KEBS 20 20 — All rights reserved  iv  
 
 
 
 
Foreword  
 
 
This Kenya Standard was prepared by the Milk and Milk Products Technical Committee under the guidance 
of the Standards Projects Committee and it is in accordance with the procedures of the Kenya Bureau of 
Standards.  
 
Cheese is a very nutritious food which consists of a concentration of the constituents of milk, principally fat, 
casein and insoluble salts, together with wat er, in which small amounts of soluble salts, lactose, and albumin 
from milk are coagulated.  
 
There are various types of cheese that are produced and marketed worldwide. This standard specifies the 
requirements for the type of firm/semi -hard  ripened cheese being marketed in Kenya as provolone cheese.  
 
This standard includes a list of food additives, terminology and classification of cheeses, amongst other 
technical requirements which are important in checking cheese under the regulatory system to prevent 
adulteration.  
 
This standard c ancels and replaces KS 2677:2020 , Provolone  Cheese — Specification which has been 
technically revised.  
 
During the preparation of this standard, reference was made to the following document:  
 
CODEX STAN 272:1969 , standard for Provolone  cheese.  
 
Acknowledgement is hereby made for the assistance derived from this source.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
          KENYA STANDARD              DKS 
2677:2017  
© KEBS 2020  — All rights r eserved  1  
 
Provolone cheese — Specification  
 
 
1 Scope  
 
 
This Ke nya Standard specifi es the requirements, sampling and test methods for Provo lone cheese  intended 
for direct consumption and/ or for  further proces sing  
 
2 Normative references  
 
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes 
requirements of this document. For dated re ferences, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, 
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.  
 
AOAC 999.10, Official method for lead, cadmium, zinc, copper, and iron in foods Atomic Absorption 
Spectroph otometry after microwave digestion  
 
CAC/GL 21, Principles and guidelines for the establishment and application of microbiological criteria related 
to foods  
 
KS CODEX STAN 193, Codex general standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed  
 
KS CODEX ST AN 206, General standard for the use of dairy terms  
 
KS EAS 12, Portable drinking water  Specification  
 
KS EAS 38, Labelling of prepackaged foods  General requirements  
 
KS EAS 805, Use of Nutrition and health claims  Requirements  
 
KS 229, Edible salt  Specification  
 
KS 1552, Code of hygienic practice for milk and milk products  
 
KS 2787,  Group standard for unripened cheese including fresh cheese — Specification  
 
KS 2850, Cheeses in brine — Specification  
 
KS ISO 707, Milk and milk products — Guidance on s ampling  
 
KS ISO 1735, Cheese and processed cheese products  Determination of fat content  Gravimetric 
method (Reference method)  
 
KS ISO 4832, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs  Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coliforms -colony -count  technique  
 
KS ISO 5534, Cheese and processed cheese  Determination of the total solids content (Reference 
method)   
 
KS ISO 5538, Milk and milk products — Sampling — Inspection by attributes  
 
KS ISO 6579 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal meth od for the detection, enumeration and 
serotyping of Salmonella — Part 1: Detection of Salmonella spp.       DKS 2677 :2020  
© KEBS 2020  — All rights reserved  2  
KS ISO/TS 6733, Milk and milk products — Determination of lead content — Graphite furnace atomic 
absorption spectrometric method  
 
KS ISO 6611, Milk and m ilk products — Enumeration of colony -forming units of yeasts and/or moulds — 
Colony -count technique at 25 C 
 
KS ISO 6888 -1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coagulase -positive staphylococci ( Staphyl ococcus aureus and other species) — Part 1: Technique using 
Baird -Parker agar medium  
 
KS ISO 7251, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the  detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli — Most probable number t echnique  
 
KS ISO 11290 -2, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the detection and enumeration of 
Listeria monocytogenes and of Listeria spp. — Part 2: Enumeration method  
 
KS ISO 14501, Milk and milk powder — Determination of aflatoxin M co ntent — Clean -up by immunoaffinity 
chromatography and determination by high -performance liquid chromatography  
 
ISO 5943, Cheese and processed cheese products  Determination of Sodium chloride content  
Potentiometric titration method  
 
 
3 Description  
 
Provolone is a ripened firm/semi -hard cheese in conformity with the General Standard for Cheese ( KS 28 -1). 
The body has a near white or ivory through to light yellow or yellow colour and a fibrous texture with long 
stranded parallel -orientated protein fibres. It is suitable for cutting and, when aged, for grating as well. Gas 
holes are generally absent, but few openings and splits are acceptable. The shape is mainly cylindrical or 
pear-shaped, but other shapes are possible. The cheese is manufactured and sold w ith or without 1 a rind, 
which may be coated.   
 
For Provolone ready for consumption, the ripening procedure to develop flavour and body characteristics is 
normally from 1 month at 10 –20 °C depending on the extent of maturity required. Alternative ripening  
conditions (including the addition of ripening enhancing enzymes) may be used, provided the cheese exhibits 
similar physical, biochemical and sensory properties as those achieved by the previously stated ripening 
procedure. Provolone intended for further processing and Provolone of low weights (< 2 kg) need not exhibit 
the same degree of ripening when justified through technical and/or trade needs.  
 
Provolone is made by “pasta filata” processing which consists of heating curd of a suitable pH value, 
knead ing and stretching until the curd is smooth and free from lumps. Still warm, the curd is cut and 
moulded, then firmed by cooling in chilled water or brine. Other processing techniques, which give end 
products with the same physical, chemical and organolept ic characteristics are allowed.   
 
4 Essential compositional and quality requirements  
 
4.1 Raw materials  
 
Cows’ milk or buffaloes’ milk, or their mixtures, and products obtained from these milks.  
4.2  Permitted ingredients  
 
a) Starter cultures of harmless lac tic acid and/ or flavour producing bacteria and cultures of other 
harmless micro -organisms including either of the following;  Lactobacillus helveticus, Streptococcus 
salivarius subsp. thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Lactobacil lus casei  
 
b) Rennet or other safe and suitable coagulating enzymes.  
 
c) Sodium chloride and potass ium chloride as salt substitute; complying with KS 229  
 DKS 2677 :2020  
 
© KEBS 20 20 — All rights reserved  3 d) Calcium chloride in an amount not more than 0.02 % (calculated as anhydrous calcium chloride) of 
the weigh t of the dairy ingredients, used as a coagulation aid.  
 
e) Safe and suitable enzymes to enhance the ripening process.  
 
f) Safe and suitable processing aids.  
 
g) Potable water; complying with KS EAS 12  
 
h) Rice, corn and potato flours and starches: Notwithstanding the provisions in CODEX STAN 283, 
these substances can be used in the same function as anti -caking agents for treatment of the 
surface of cut, sliced, and shredded products only, provided they are added only in amounts 
functionally necessary as governed by Goo d Manufacturing Practice, taking into account any use of 
the anti -caking agents listed in  Clause 5.  
 
4.3  Compositional requirements  
 
Provolone cheese shall comply with the compositional requirements given in Table 1 when tested in 
accordance with the test  methods prescribed therein.  
 
Table 1 — Compositional requirements for provolone cheese  
 
Milk 
constituent  Minimum 
content (m/m)  Maximum 
content (m/m)  Reference 
level (m/m)  Test method  
 
Milkfat in dry 
matter  
 45% Not restricted  45% to 50%   
 
 
KS ISO 1735  
Dry matter 
(total solids)  content (m/m) Maximum content (m/m) Reference 
level (m/m)  
Depending on the fat in dry matter content according 
to the table below  
  
KS ISO 5534  
Fat in dry matter content 
(m/m)  Corresponding 
minimum dry matter 
content  
(m/m  
 
Equal to or above 45 % 
but less than 50 %  51 %  
Equal to or above 50  % 
but less than 60  % 53 %  
Equal to or above 60  % 60 %  
b) Smoked cheese  45 %  
 
Salt, % max.  3% KS ISO 5943 or  
AOAC 975.20  
 
5 Food additives  
 
Food additives may be added in Provolone  cheese in accordance with CODEX STAN 192.  
 
 
6         Hygiene       DKS 2677 :2020  
© KEBS 2020  — All rights reserved  4  
6.1  It is recommended that Provolone  cheese shall be prepared and handled in accordance  with the 
appropriate sections of KS EAS 39,  KS 1552  and other relevant standards such as codes of  hygienic 
practice and codes of practice. The products shall comply with the microbiological criteria established in 
accordance with CAC/GL  21. 
 
6.2 Provolone  cheese  shall also comply with the microbiological requirements given in  Table 3 when 
tested in accordance  with the test methods prescribed therein . 
 
 
Table  3 — Microbiol ogical  requirements  for Provolone  cheese  
 
S/N Microorganism  
 Requirement  Test method  
i.  Total coliforms, cfu/g, max.  100 KS ISO 4832  
ii.  Listeria monocytogenes, cfu/25 g  Not detected  KS ISO 11290 -2 
iii.  Salmonella spp. cfu/25 g  Not detected  KS ISO 6579 -1 
iv.  Staphylococcus aureus, cfu/g  Absent  KS ISO 6888 -1 
v.  Escherichia c oli, cfu/g  Absent  KS ISO 7251  
 
7        Contaminan ts 
 
Provolone  cheese  shall comply with the maximum levels for contaminants that are specified for the product 
in KS CODEX STAN 193.  
 
7.1        Heavy metals  
 
When tested in accordance with AOAC 999.10 or KS ISO/TS 6733, the level of lead (Pb) in Provolone  
cheese  shall not exceed 0.02 mg/kg.  
 
7.2  Pesticide  residues  
 
Provolone  cheese  shall comply with the maximum limits for pesticide residues set by Codex Alimentarius 
Commission.  
 
7.3  Mycotoxin  residues  
 
When tested in accordance with KS ISO 14501, the level of Aflatoxin M1 in  Provolone  cheese  shall not 
exceed 0.50 µg/kg.  
 
7.4  Veterin ary drugs residues  
 
Provolone  cheese  shall comply with the maximum tolerable residue limits for antibiotics and other veterinary 
drugs set by Codex Alimentarius Commission.   
 
8 Packaging   
 
Provolone  cheese shall be pack aged  in food gra de mat erial that ensu res prod uct safety and integrity.  
 
9 Labelling  
 
In addition to the provisions of KS EAS 38  and KS CODEX STAN  206, the following specific provisions 
apply. 
 
9.1 Name  of the food  
 
8.2.1 Name of the food  
 DKS 2677 :2020  
 
© KEBS 20 20 — All rights reserved  5 The name Provolone may be applied in accordance with S ection 4.1 of the General Standard for the 
Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (KS EAS 38 ), provided that the product is in conformity with this Standard. 
Where customary in the country of retail sale, alternative spelling may be used.  
 
 The use of the name is an option that may be chosen only if the cheese complies with this standard. Where 
the name is not used for a cheese that complies with this standard, the naming provisions of the General 
Standard for Cheese ( KS 28 -1) apply.  
 
 The designation of products i n which the fat content is above the reference range specified in Section 4.3 of 
this Standard shall be accompanied by an appropriate qualification describing the modification made or the 
fat content (expressed as fat in dry matter or as percentage by mass  whichever is acceptable in the country 
of retail sale), either as part of the name or in a prominent position in the same field of vision. Suitable 
qualifiers are the appropriate characterizing terms specified in Section 7.3 of the General Standa rd for 
Cheese (KS 28 -1) or a nutritional claim in accordance with the Guidelines for Use of Nutrition and Health 
Claims ( KS CXG 23 -1997).2 The designation may also be used for cut, sliced, shredded or grated products 
made from cheese which cheese is in conformity w ith this Standard.  
 
9.2   Country  of origin  
 
The coun try of origin (wh ich means the country of manufacture, not the country in which the name 
originated) shall  be declared.  When the product undergo es substantial  transformati on (see note) in a 
second  country, the country in wh ich the tr ansformation is perf ormed shall be co nsidered to  be the country 
of origin for the purpose of la belling.  
 
NOTE  For instance,  repackaging,  cutting,  slicing, shredding and grating  is not  regar ded as substantial  transformatio n. 
 
9.3   Declaration  of milk fat content  
 
The milk fat content shall be declared in a mann er found a cceptable in the coun try of sale to the final 
consumer, either  i) as a percentage  by mass,  ii) as a percentage of fat in dry matter,  or iii) in grams 
per serving as quantified in the label provided that the number of ser vings is stated.  
 
9.4     Name and address  
 
The name and address of the manufacturer, packer, distributor, importer, exporter or vendor of the food shall 
be declared.  
 
9.5 Net contents  
 
The net contents shall be declared by weight in either the metric ("Système International" units) or as 
required by the country in which the product is sold.  
 
9.6 List of ingredients  
 
A complete list of ingredients shall be declared on the label in descending orde r of proportion.  
 
9.7 Storage instructions  or conditions for use.  
 
9.8      Date of manufacture.  
 
9.9     Expiry date. 
 
9.10 Batch code/number or lot identification.   
 
However, lot identification, and the name and address  of the manufacturer or packer may be replaced by an 
identific ation m ark, provided that such a mark  is clearly identifi able with the accompanyi ng documents. 
 
10     Sampl ing  
 
Sampling shall be carried out in accordance with KS  ISO 707 and in KS ISO 5538.       DKS 2677 :2020  
© KEBS 2020  — All rights reserved  6  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Annex A 
(informative)  
 
Additional information  
 
The additional information below does not affect the provisions in the preceding sections which are those 
that are essential to the product identity, the use of the name of the food and the safety of the food.  
 
B.1 Appearance char acteristics  
 
B.1.1  Typical shapes : Cylindrical (Salame), pear -shaped (Mandarino), pear -shaped cylinder (Gigantino) 
and flask (Fiaschetta).  
 
B.1.2  Typical packing : The cheese is typically encased in ropes.