AFRICAN 
STANDARD  DARS  
1076  
First Edition 2023 
 
 Reference No. DARS 1076 :2023(E) 
ICS 67.100.30  
 
 
© ARSO 20 23 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extra hard grating cheeses  — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DARS  1076 :2023 
ii © ARSO 20 23 — All rights reserved   
Table of contents  
 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  1 
4 Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 1 
4.1 Raw materials  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................  1 
4.2 General requirement  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  2 
4.3 Principal Characteristics of the Cheese Ready for consumption  ................................ ..........  2 
5 Food Additives  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  2 
6 Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 2 
7 Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  3 
8 Labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  3 
8.1 Name of the food  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  3 
8.2 Additional Mandatory Requirements.  ................................ ................................ ....................  3 
8.3 Labelling for Non -Retail Container  ................................ ................................ ........................  4 
 9      Packaging……………………………… …………………… ………… ………………… ………. ………2  
10 Methods of Sampling and Analysis  ................................ ................................ ................................  4 
Bibliography  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  5 
 
  DARS 1076 :2023 
© ARSO 20 23 — All rights reserved  iii Foreword  
 
The African Organization for Standardization (ARS O) is an African intergovernmental organization 
established by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Organization of 
African Unity (AU)  in 1977 . One of the fundamental mandates of ARSO is to develop and harmoniz e 
African Standards (ARS) for the purpose of enhancing Africa’s internal trading capacity, increase 
Africa’s product and service competitiveness globally and uplift the welfare of African communities.  The 
work of preparing African  Standards is normally carried out through ARSO  technical committees. Each 
Member State  interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has the 
right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, Regional Economic Communities 
(RECs), governmental and non -governmental  organizations , in liaison with ARSO , also take part in the 
work.  
 
ARSO  Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.  
 
The main task of technical committees is to prepare ARSO  Standards. Draft ARSO  Standards adopted 
by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an ARSO  
Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.  
 
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of 
patent rights. ARSO  shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.  
 
This African Standard was prepared by the ARSO Technical Committee on Milk and milk products 
(ARSO/TC 04) 
 
 
 
 
 
© African Organisation for Standardisation  2023 — All rights reserved* 
 
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P. O. Box 57363 — 00200 City Square  
NAIROBI, KENYA  
 
Tel. +254 -20-2224561, +254 -20-3311641, +254 -20-3311608  
 
E-mail: arso@arso -oran.org  
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* © 2023 ARSO — All rights of exploitation reserved worldwide for African Member States’ NSBs.  DARS  1076 :2023 
iv © ARSO 20 23 — All rights reserved   
Copyright notice  
 
This ARSO document is copyright -protected by ARSO. While the reproduction of this document 
by participants in the ARSO standards development process is permitted without prior permission 
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Requests for permission to reproduce this document for the purpose of selling it should be 
addressed as shown below or to ARSO’s member body in the country of the requester:  
 
 
© African Organisation for Standardisation 20 23 — All rights reserved  
 
ARSO Central Secretariat  
International House 3rd Floor  
P.O. Box 57363 — 00200 City Square  
NAIROBI, KENYA  
 
Tel: +254 -20-2224561, +254 -20-3311641, +254 -20-3311608  
 
E-mail: arso@arso -oran.org  
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Violators may be p rosecuted.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DARS 1076 :2023 
© ARSO 20 23 — All rights reserved  1 Standard for extra hard grating cheeses  - Specification  
 
1 Scope  
 
This Standard specifies requireme nts, sampling and test methods for  extra hard grating cheeses , 
intended for direct  consumption or further processing,  
 
 
2 Normative references  
 
The following Standards are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content 
constitutes requirements of this Standard . For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For 
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced Standard  (including any amendments) applies.  
 
ARS 56, Pre -packaged foods — Labelling  
 
ARS XXX - Glossary of Dairy Terms  
 
CODEX STAN 192 -General Standard for Food Additives  
 
CXS 193 -General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed  
 
CXC 1 -General Principles of Food Hygiene  
 
CXC 57 -Code of Hygienic Practice for Milk and Milk Products  
 
CXG 21 -Establishment and Application of Microbiological Criteria Related to Foods  
 
 
ISO 6579 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the detection, enumeration and 
serotyping of Salmonella — Part 1: Detection of Salmonella spp.  
 
ISO 6888 -1, Microbiology of the food chain -Horizontal method for the enumeration of coagulase -positive 
staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species)  :Part 1: Method using Baird -Parker agar 
medium  
 
 ISO 11290 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the detection and enumeration of 
Listeria monocytogenes and of Listeria spp. — Part 1: Detection method  
 
ISO 16649 -1, Microbiology of the food chain -Horizontal method for the enumeration of beta -
glucuronidase -positive Escherichia coli : Part 1: Colony -count technique at 44 degrees C using 
membranes and 5 -bromo -4-chloro -3-indolyl beta -D-glucuronide  
 
3 Terms and definitions  
 
For the purpose of this document, the terms and definitions in ARS XXX  and the following apply:  
 
3.1       Grating cheese  
Ripened cheese  with a slightly brittle, dry texture  that is so hard that it is difficult to cut and is often served 
as shards or shredded over a dish. It has an extra hard rind which may be coated with vegetable oil, food 
grade waxes or polyfilm.  Grating cheeses have a low moisture content that they are self – stable. 
Frequently, t hey are age for a multiple years.  Period of curing is at least 6 months.  
 
4 Requirements  
 
4.1 Raw materials  
 
4.1.1  Essential Raw materials  
AFRICAN STANDARD  DARS 1076 :2023 
 
2 © ARSO 20 23 — All rights reserved  a) milk obtained from cows, goa ts, sheep, camels or their mixture  
b) cultures of harmless lactic acid producing bacteria (starter)  
c) rennet or other suitable coagulating enzymes  
d) food grade table salt ( sodium chloride ). 
4.1.2 Optional Ingredients  
a) calcium chloride, max.200 mg anhydrous/kg of the milk used  
b) harmless flavour producing bacteria  
c) harmless enzymes to assist in flavour development (solids of preparation not to exceed 0.1% of 
weight of milk used)  
d) chlorophyll, including copper chlorophyll complex, max. 15 mg/kg cheese  
e) sorbic acid or its sodium or potassium salts, maximum 1 g/kg calculated as sorbic acid in the final 
product.  
4.2 General requirement  
 
Cheese shall be free from dirt and foreign matter . 
4.3 Principal Characteristics of the Cheese Ready for consumption  
 
4.3.1  Consistency:  extra hard, suitable for grating  
 
4.3.2  Shape : various.  
4.3.3  Dimensions  and weights : various . 
4.3.4  Rind  (where present)   
4.3.4.1:  Consistency: extra hard.  
4.3.4.2 :  Appearance: dry, may be coated with vegetable oil, food grade wax or plastic materials.  
4.3.4.3 : Colour: amber.  
4.3.5  Body  
4.5.1 Texture: granular, slightly brittle.  
4.5.2 Colour: natural uncoloured to light cream colour.  
4.3.6  Holes (when holes are a typical characteristic of the variety)  
 
4.3.6.1 Number: few.  
 
4.3.6.2 Shape: small, round.  
 
4.3.6.3 Size: approximately 1 –2 mm.  
 
4.3.6.4 Appearance: characteristic gas holes  
4.3.7 Minimum fat content in dry matter : 32%  
 
4.3.8 Maximum moisture content:  36% 
5 Food Additives  
 
Food additives may be used and only within the limits specified in General Standard for Food Additives 
(CODEX STAN 192) – Category 01.6. 2 (Ripened cheese) , also the ones in Table 3 of CXS 193 considering 
its Annex . 
 
6 Contaminants  DARS 1076 :2023 
© ARSO 20 23 — All rights reserved  3  
The products covered by this African Standard shall comply with the Maximum Levels for contaminants 
that are specified for the product in the General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed 
(CXS 193).  
 
 6.1 Veterinary drug res idue and pesticides shall comply to those listed in the  Codex database . 
 
7 Hygiene  
 
It is recommended that the products covered by the provisions of this standard be prepared and handled 
in accordance with the appropriate sections of the General Principles of Food Hygiene (CXC 1 -1969), the 
Code of Hygienic Practice for Milk and Milk Produ cts (CXC 57 -2004) and other relevant Codex texts such 
as Codes of Hygienic Practice and Codes of Practice. The products should comply with any microbiological 
criteria established in accordance with the Principles and Guidelines for the Establishment and A pplication 
of Microbiological Criteria Related to Foods (CXG 21 -1997).  
 
Table 1 - Microbiological limits for extra hard grating cheeses  
 
Food 
Category  Micro -organisms  Sampling plan  Limits  Test method 
reference  n c m M 
Ripened 
cheese   Salmonella  5 0 Absence in 25 g  ISO 6579 -1 
Listeria 
monocytogenes  5 0 Absence in 25 g  ISO 11290 -1 
Coagulase -positive 
staphylococci  5 0 102 
cfu/gm  103cfu/g
m ISO 6888 -1 
Escherichia Coli  5 1 102 
cfu/gm  103cfu/g
m ISO 16649 -1 
 
8 Labelling  
 
In addition to the provisions of the ARSO standard ARS 56 , the following specific provisions shall apply:  
 
8.1 Name of the food  
 
Only cheese conforming with this standard may be designated Extra Hard Grating Cheese or any 
recognized variety name in the consuming country. A “coined” or “fanciful” name, may be used however, 
provided it is not misleading and is accompanied by the phras e “Extra Hard Grating Cheese”.  
 
It shall be labelled in conformity with the appropriate sections of the ARS 1073.  
 
8.2 Additional Mandatory Requirements.  
 
i. List of ingredients including ingredients or food additives; if vitamins or minerals are added, these 
should be indicated.  
 
ii. Name and address of manufacturer, distributor, importer or packer.  
 
iii. Net weight in metric unit.  
 
iv. Country of origin.  
 
v. ‘Best before date’ (dd/mm/yy).  
 
vi. storage Conditions and instructions.  DARS 1076 :2023 
 
4 © ARSO 20 23 — All rights reserved   
vii. lot identification, batch or code number.  
 
viii. Allergen information  
 
8.3 Labelling for Non -Retail Container  
 
Information required in Section 8 of this Standard and Sections 4.1 to 4.8 of the General Standard for the 
Labelling of Pre -packaged Foods (CXS 1 -1985), and, if necessary, storage instructions, shall be given 
either on the container or in accompanying documents, except that the name of the product, lot 
identification, and the name and address of the manufacturer or packer shall  appear on the container, and 
in the absence of such a container on the cheese itself. However, lot identification, and the name and  
address of the manufacturer or packer may be replaced by an identification mark, provided that such a 
mark is clearly identifiable with the accompanying documents . 
 
 
9 Packaging  
Extra hard grating cheeses shall be packaged in suitable food grade containers or outer containers that 
are: 
 (a) be made from a material that is:  
 (i) is suitable for this purpose;  
 (ii) will protect the contents thereof from contamination; and  
(iii) will not impart any undesirable flavour or taste to the contents thereof;  
 
(b) be so strong that it will not be damaged or deformed during normal storage, handling and transport 
practices;  
(c) in the case of a container that is re -used, be thoroughly cleaned and sterilized before a dairy product is 
packed therein;  
(d) be intact; and  
(e) be closed properly in a manner permitted by the nature thereof.  
 
10 Methods of Sampling and Analysis  
 
For checking the compliance with this standard, the methods of analysis and sampling contained in the 
Recommended Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CXS 234 -1999) relevant to the provisions in this 
standard, shall be used . 
 
  DARS 1076 :2023 
© ARSO 20 23 — All rights reserved  5 Bibliography  
 
 
CXS 278 - Standard for extra hard grating cheeses . 
 
 DARS 1076 :2023 
© ARSO 202 3 — All rights reserved