KENYA STANDARD      DKS 28 -1:2019  
ICS 67.100.30  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cheese  — Specification  
 
Part 1: 
 
General  requirements  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
      © KEBS 201 9 Third  Edition , 2019 
 
 
  DKS 28 -1:2019 
 
ii  © KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved  TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRES ENTATION  
 
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee:  
Kenya Dairy Board  
Ministry of Health — Food safety Unit  
State Department of Livestock  
Government Chemist’s Department  
Egerton University — Department of Dairy and Food Science Technology  
Kenya Indu strial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI)  
Sameer Agriculture and Livestock (K) Limited  
New Kenya Cooperative Creameries (NKCC)  
National Public Health Labs  
Department of veterinary services  
Brookside Dairy Ltd.  
Eldoville Dairies Ltd.  
Githunguri Da iry 
Bio Food Products Ltd.  
Happy Cow Ltd.  
Kibidav Ltd  
Accelerating Agriculture and Livestock Enterprises Ltd 
Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretaria t 
  
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS  
 
In order to keep abreast of progress in industry, Kenya Standards shall be regularly reviewed.  Suggestions 
for improvements to published standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, 
are welcome.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© Kenya Bureau of Standards, 201 9 
 
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 130 of 2019 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 Burea u of Standards 
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any means without prior permission in writing f rom the 
Managing Director.  
  KENYA STANDARD                                           DKS 28 -1:2019 
ICS 67.100.30   
© KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved    iii  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cheese  — Specification  
 
Part 1: 
 
General  requirements  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS)  
 
Head Office: P.O. Box 54974, Nairobi -00200, Tel.: (+254  020) 6 05490, 602350, Fax: (+254 020) 604031  
E-Mail: info@kebs.org, Web:http://www.kebs.org  
 
Coast Region     Lake Region       Rift Valley Region  
P.O. Box 99376, Mombasa -80100   P.O. Box 2949, Kisumu -40100        P.O. Box 2138, Nakuru -20100  
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 28 -1:2019 
 
iv  © KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved   
Foreword  
 
This Kenya Standard was prepared by the Milk and Milk Products T echnical Committee  under the guidance 
of the Standards Projects Commit tee, and  it is in accordance with the procedures of the Kenya Bureau  of 
Standards. 
 
Cheese  is the ripened or unripened  soft, semi -hard, hard, or extra -hard milk product , which consists of high 
concentration of the constitu ents of milk, principally fat,  casein and soluble salts, together  with water in 
which small amounts of  soluble  salts, lactose, and al bumin from milk is coagulated. The milk is coagulated by 
means of rennet and/or other protease  enzymes.  it is therefore important to use milk of good quality to obtain 
high quality cheese.  
 
There  are various  types of cheese that are produced and mark eted worldwide. This standard specifies the 
general requirements for all types of cheeses produced and marketed in Kenya. 
 
During the preparation of this standard, reference was  made to the following document : 
 
General standard for cheese, CXS 283 -1978  
 
Acknowledgement is hereby made for the assistance derived from these sources . 
  
KENYA STANDARD         DKS 28 -1: 201 9 
 
 
© KEBS 2018 — All rights reserved    1 Cheese  — Specification  
 
Part 1: 
 
Gene ral requirements  
 
1        Scope 
 
This Ke nya Standard specifi es the general requirements, sampling and test  methods for cheeses  intended for 
direct consumption and/ or for  further proces sing. 
 
It applies to all products in compliance with the definition of cheese  including those varieties of cheese  for which 
individual  or group standards have been developed. Subject to the provisions of this standard, standards for  
cheeses may contain provisio ns which are more specific  than those in this standard and, in such cases, those 
more specific  provisions shall apply to the individual variety or groups of varieties of cheese. 
 
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 references, 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 
Spectrophotometry after microwave Digestion  
KS CODEX STAN 192, Codex general standard for food additives  
KS CODEX STAN 193, Codex general Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed  
KS CXS 206 -1999, General Standard for the Use of Dairy Terms  
KS EAS 153 –Drinking (portable) wate r specification  
KS EAS 38, Labelling of prepackaged foods  
KS EAS 805, Use of Nutrition and health claims  
KS 28 -1, General standard for cheese  
KS 229, Standard for edible salt  
KS 2850 , cheese in brine  specification  
KS 1552, Code of hygienic practice for milk and milk products  
KS ISO 707, Milk and milk products — Guidance on sampling  
KS ISO 1735, Cheese and processed cheese products - Determination of fat content  - Grav imetric 
method (Reference method) 
KS ISO 4833, Microbio logy of food and animal feed Stuffs -Horizontal  method for the enumerati on of 
microorganisms -colony count Technique at 30 
KS ISO 4832, Microbio logy 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 5943, Cheese and processed cheese products  Determination of Sodium chloride content  
Potentiometric titration method  
KS ISO 6785:2001, Milk a nd milk products – Detection of Salmonella spp 
KS ISO 6888 –1:1999 Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the enumeration 
of coagulase -positive staphylococci ( Staphylococcus aureus and other species) – Part 1: Technique using  
Baird -Parker agar medium  
KS ISO 6611, Milk and milk products — Enumeration of colony -forming units of yeasts and/or moulds — 
Colony -count technique at 25 degrees C  
KS ISO/TS 6733, Milk and milk products -- Determination of lead content -- Graphite furnace atomic absorption 
spectrometric method  
KS ISO 11290 -2, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the detection and enumeration of 
Listeria monocytogenes and of Listeri a spp. — Part 2: Enumeration method   
2  © KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved  KS ISO 14501, Milk and milk powder - Determination of aflatoxin M content - Clean -up by immunoaffinity 
chromatography and determination by high -performance liquid chromatography  
KS ISO 7251, Microbiology of food and anim al feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the  detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli — Most probable number technique  
KS ISO 55381: Milk and milk products - Sampling - Inspection by attributes .  
KS ISO 16649 –2:2001, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the  
enumeration of beta -glucuronidase -positive Escherichia coli – Part 1: Colony -count technique at  
44°C using 5 -bromo -4-chloro -3-indolyl Beta -D-glucuronide  
 
 
 
 
3 Description  
 
3.1  Cheese  
 
Is the ripened or unripened soft, semi -hard, hard, or extra -hard product, which may be coated, and in which 
the whey protein/casein ratio does not exceed that of  milk, obtained by:  
 
a)  coagulating wholly or partly the protein of milk, skimmed milk, partl y skimmed milk, cream, whey 
cream or buttermilk, or any combination of these materials, through the action of rennet or other 
suitable coagulating agents, and by partially draining the whey resulting from the coagulation, while 
respecting the principle tha t cheese -making results in a concentration of milk protein (in particular, 
the casein portion), and that consequently, the protein content of the cheese will be distinctly higher 
than the protein level of the blend of the above milk materials from which th e cheese was made; 
and/or  
 
b)  processing techniques involving coagulation of the protein of milk and/or products obtained from milk 
which give an end -product with similar physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics as the 
product defined under (a ). 
 
3.2  Ripened cheese   
 
Is cheese which is not ready for consumption shortly after manufacture but which must be held for such time, 
at such temperature, and under such other conditions as will result in the necessary biochemical and 
physical changes characterizing the cheese in question.  
 
3.3  Mould  ripened cheese   
 
Is a ripened cheese in which the ripening has been accomplished primarily by the development of 
characteristic mould growth throughout the interior and/or on the surface of the cheese.  
 
3.4  Unripened  cheese including fresh cheese  
 
Is cheese which is ready for consumption shortly after manufacture.  
 
4 Essential composition and quality factors  
 
4.1  Raw materials  
 
Milk and/or products obtained from milk complying with the relevant Kenya Standards.  
 
4.3  Permitted ingredients  
 
The following ingredients shall be permitted in cheese:  
 
a) Starter cultures of harmless lactic acid and/or flavour producing bacteria and cultures of other harmless 
microorganisms.  
 
b) Safe and suitable enzymes.  DKS 28 -1:2019 
 
© KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved    3  
c) Sodium chloride complying with KS 229  
 
d) Potable water complying with KS EAS 153. 
 
4.4       Compositional  requirements  
 
The following requirements  given in Table  1 and Table 2 shall be applicable to all cheeses. However, this 
classification shall not preclude the designation of more  specific requirements  in individual cheese standards and 
those specified  in annex  B of this standard . 
 
 
 
Table 1 — Classification of cheese according to firmness and ripening/curing 
characteristics  
 
 
S/N Accordi ng to firmness: Term 1 Accordi ng to principal  ripening: 
Term 2, shall be;  If MFFB% equals ; Designati on shall be ; 
i)  
< 51  
Extra hard Ripened or cured : 
a) mainly surface  
b) mainly interior  
ii) 49 – 56 Hard  Mould ripened or cured : 
a) mainly surface  
b) mainly interior  
iii) 54 – 69 Firm/semi-hard Unripened/fresh 
iv) > 67 Soft In brine 
 
       a)   MFFB  equals  percentage  moistu re on a fat-free basis, i.e. 
 
 
weight  of moisture  in the cheese ×100  
                      total weight  of cheese  - weight  of fat in the cheese  
 
 
 
Table 2 — Classification of cheese according to fat content  
 
Requirement  Term II Term  III 
The second phrase in 
the designation shall 
be; 
 Design ation according to principal  curing 
characteristics If FDM (%), m/m, 
equals ; 
≥60% High fat 
 i)cured or ripened: 
a) mainly surface  
 b) mainly interior 
 
ii)mould  cured or ripened: 
a) mainly surface  
 b) mainly interior 
 
iii) uncured  or unripened 45% – 60% Full fat  
 
25% – 45% Medium fat 
 
10% – 25% Partially skimmed / low fat  
 
<10% Skim 
 
                    
 b) FDB equals percentage fat on the dry basis, i.e. 
  
4  © KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved   
fat content of the  cheese ×100  
                      total weight  of cheese  - weight  of moisture in the cheese  
 
 
 
Example : The description  of a cheese with moisture on a fat-free basis of 57 % and fat on a dry basis of 53 
%, which is cured in a manner similar  to that in which Roquefort is cured,  would be: 
 
semi-hard full fat interior  mould cured cheese 
(Term  I) (Term II) (Term III) 
 
 
4.5       When tested in accordance with KS ISO 5943  the limit of salt content  shall not exceed 3% 
 
 
5      Food additives 
 
Only those food additives listed below may be used and only within the limits specified. 
 
Unripened cheeses 
 
As listed in the Group Standard for Unripened Cheese Including Fresh Cheese (KS 2787).  
 
Cheeses in brine 
 
As listed in the Standard for Cheeses in Brine (KS 2850 ). 
 
Ripened  cheeses, including mould ripened  cheeses 
 
Additives not listed below but provided for in Kenya and codex  individual standards for varieties of ripened 
cheeses may also be used for similar types of cheese within the limits specified within those standards. 
 
Table 3  — List of food additive  
 
 
 
INS no.  
Name  of additive  
Maximum level 
 
Colours 
100 Curcumins (for edible cheese rind) Limited by GMP 
101 Riboflavins Limited by GMP 
120 Carmines (for red marbled cheeses 
only) Limited by GMP 
140 Chlorophyll (for green  marbled 
cheeses only) Limited by GMP 
141 Chlorophylls, copper complexes 15 mg/kg 
160a(i) Carot ene, beta-, synthetic 25mg/kg 
160a(ii) Carot enes, beta-, vegetable 600 mg/kg 
160b (ii) Annatto extracts, norbixin based 50 mg/kg 
160c  Paprika oleoresin Limited by GMP 
160e  Carot enal, beta-apo-8’- 35 mg/kg 
160f Carot enoic acid, ethyl ester, beta- 
apo-8’- 35 mg/kg 
162 Beet red Limited by GMP DKS 28 -1:2019 
 
© KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved    5 171 Titanium dioxide Limited by GMP 
 
Acidity regulators 
170 Calcium carbon ates  
 
Limited by GMP 504 Magnesium carbon ates 
575 Glucono delta-lactone 
 
Preservatives 
200 Sorbic acid  
 
3 000 mg/kg calculated as sorbic acid 202 Potassium sorbate  
203 Calcium sorbate  
234 Nisin 12.5 mg/kg 
239 Hexamethylene tetramine 
(Provolone only) 25 mg/kg, expressed as formaldehyde 
251 Sodium nitrate  
50 mg/kg, expressed as NaNO3 
252 Potassium nitrate 
280 Propionic acid  
3 000 mg/kg, calculated as propionic 
acid 281 Sodium propionate 
282 Calcium propionate 
1105  Lysozyme Limited by GMP 
For surface/rind treatment only: 
200 Sorbic acid  
 
1000 mg/kg singly or in combination, 
calculated as sorbic acid 202 Potassium sorbate  
203 Calcium sorbate  
 
 
 
INS no.  
Name  of additive  
Maximum level 
235 Natamycin (pimaricin) 2 mg/dm2 of surface. Not present in a 
depth of 5 mm 
 
Miscellaneous  additi ve 
508 Potassium chloride Limited by GMP 
Anti-caking agents (Sliced, cut, shredded or grated chee se) 
460 Celluloses Limited by GMP 
551 Silicon dioxide, amorpho us  
 
10 000mg/kg singly or in combination. 
Silicates calculated as silicon dioxide 552 Calcium silicate 
553 Magnesium silicates 
560 Potassium silicate 
 
Preservatives 
200 Sorbic acid   
6  © KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved  202 Potassium sorbate  1000 mg/kg singly or in combination, 
calculated as sorbic acid 
203 Calcium sorbate  
 
 
 
 
6         Hygiene  
 
6.1  It is recommended that the products  covered by the provisions of this standard be prepared and 
handled in accordance  with the Code  of Hygienic Practice for Milk and Milk Products (KS 1552)  and other 
relevant 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 Application of Microbiological Criteria Related to Foods (KS CXG 21-1997). 
 
6.2       The products  shall comply with microbiological criteria  established in Table 4 below;  
 
Table  4 — Microbiol ogical  requirements  for all cheese  
 
S/N Quality  Requirement
, 
 Test method  
i) Total coliforms , CFU/ g, max  100 KS ISO 4832  
 
ii) Listeria monocytogenes, CFU/25g Absent  KS ISO 11290 -2 
iii) Salmonella spp.CFU /25g 
 Absent  KS ISO 6785  
iv) Staphylococcus aureus, CFU/g Absent  KS ISO 6888 -1 
v) Escherichia c oli, cfu/g  Absent  KS ISO 7251  
  Yeast and moulds, CFU/g , max  10 KS ISO 6611  
 
 
6.3 Fresh cheese shall also comply with the microbiological requireme nts given in Table 5 below;  
 
Table  5 — Addition al microbiological  requirements  for all fresh  cheese  
 
S/N Quality Requirement Test method  
i)  Yeast and mould , CFU/g Max  100  KS ISO 6611 
ii) S.aureaus , CFU/g  Max. 10  KS ISO 6888 -1 
 
 
7        Contaminan ts 
 
The products covered by this standard shall comply with the maximum levels for contaminants that are specified 
for the product in the General Standard for Contaminants and To xins in Food and Feed (CXS 193 -1995).  
 
7.1        Heavy metals  
 
When tested in accordance with AOAC 999.10  or KS ISO/TS 6733 , the level of lead (Pb) shall not exceed  
0.02 mg/kg.  
 
7.2  Pesticide  residues  
 
All cheeses shall conform to maximum limits residues set by Codex Alimentarius Commission.  
 DKS 28 -1:2019 
 
© KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved    7 7.3  Mycotoxin  residues  
 
When tested in accordance with ISO 14501 the level of Aflatoxin M1 shall not exceed 0.50 µg/kg.  
 
7.4  Veterinary drugs  residues  
 
Cheeses shall conform to maximum tolerable residue limits for antibiotics and other veterinary drugs set by 
Codex Alimentarius Commission.  
 
 
9        Packaging  
 
All cheese shall be packed in food grade material that ensures product safety and integrity.  
 
 
10     Labelling  
 
In addition to the provisions of the General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (KS EAS 38) , 
Use of Nutrition and health claims  (KS EAS 805 ), and the General Standard for the Use of Dairy Terms (KS 
CXS 206 -1999),  the following specific provisions apply  
 
10.1      Name  of the food  
 
10.1.1    The name  of the food shall be cheese or other names as defin ed in 3.3 to 3.4. However, the  word 
“cheese” may be omitted  in the designation of an individual cheese  variety reserved by a standard for 
individual cheeses, and, in the absence thereof, a variety name specified in the national legislation  of the 
country in which the product  is sold, provided th at the omission does  not create  an erroneous impression 
regarding the character of the food.  
 
10.1.2 In case the product  is not designated with a variety name but with the designation "cheese" alone, 
the designation may be accompan ied by the appropriate descriptive terms given in table  1. 
 
For example; The designation of a cheese with moisture on a fat-free basis of 57 % which is ripened in a 
manner similar  in which Danablu is ripened would be: 
 
"Mould ripened firm cheese or firm mould ripened cheese." 
 
10.2    Declaration of milk fat content 
 
The milk fat content shall be declared in a manner found acceptable in the country 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 servings is stated. 
 
Additionally, the following terms may be used: 
 
High fat                   (if the content of FDM  is above or equal to 60%) 
Full fat                     (if the content of FDM  is above or equal to 45% and less than 60%)  
Medium fat             (if the content of FDM  is above or equal to 25% and less than 45%)  
Partially skimmed  (if the content of FDM  is above or equal to 10% and less than 25%)  
Skim                        (if the content of FDM  is less than 10%) 
 
10.4    Country  of manufacture (origin)  
 
In the case of cheeses sold in the home mark et and designated by the name  of cheese not originating  in the 
producing country, the original cheese, or where not possible, the original  pack or prepared consumer  pack 
shall be marked with 'the name, or other clear indication, of the producing country'.   
 
Other clear indication c ould include things such as a clear statement of the full address  of the manufacturer 
or the name of a well-recognized state, region or province of the producing  country.  
8  © KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved   
10.5     The name and address of the manufacturer, packer, distributor, importer, exporter  or vendor of the 
food shall be declared.  
 
10.6 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.  
 
10.7 List of Ingredients  
 
A complete list of ingredients shall be declared o n the label in descending order of proportion .  
 
10.8      storage instructions  or conditions for use  
 
 
10. 9     date of manufacture  
 
10.10     Expiry date;  
 
10.11    batch code/number  
 
10.12    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. 
 
 
11     Meth ods of sampl ing and analysis  
 
11.1 Sampling shall be carried out in accordance with the latest version of  KS ISO 707"Milk and Milk 
products - Guidance  on sampling" and in KS ISO 55381: Milk and milk products - Sampling - Inspection by 
attributes .  
 
 
11.2 Analysis for cheese shall be carried out in accordance to appropriate standard methods declared in 
this standard. Other test may be performed as per the methods given in the latest AOAC/ Codex/ ISO and 
other internationally recognized methods   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                               Annex A 
(informative) 
 
Cheese characterist ics DKS 28 -1:2019 
 
© KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved    9  
A.1     Cheese  rind 
 
During ripening of the moulded cheese curd in natural creation  or in environments in  which the air humidi ty and,  
possibly, air composition are controlled, the outside of the cheese will develop into a semi-closed layer with a 
lower moistu re content. This part of the cheese is called rind. The rind is constituted of  cheese mass which, at 
the start of the ripening, is of the same composition as the internal  part of the cheese. In many cases, the 
brining  of cheese  initiates the formation of rind. Due to the influence of the salt gradient  in the b rine, of oxygen, of 
drying out and of ot her reactions, the rind successively becomes  of a somewhat different composi tion than the 
interior of the cheese and often  presents a more bitter taste. 
 
During or after ripening the cheese rind can be treated or can be naturally colonized with desired cultures of 
microorganisms, for instance Penicillium candidum or Brevibacterium linens. The resulting  layer,  in some cas es 
referred to as smear, forms  a part of the rind. 
 
Rindl ess cheese is ripened by  the use of a ripening film. The outer part of that cheese  does  not develop a rind  
with lower mois ture content although  influence  of light of course can cause  some difference compared  to the  inner 
part. 
 
A.2     Cheese surface 
 
The term "cheese surface" is used for the outside layer of cheese or parts  of cheese, even in the sliced, shredded  
or grated form. The term includes the outside of the whole cheese, disregard ing whether a rind has be en formed  or 
not. 
 
A.3     Cheese  coatings  
 
Cheese  can be coated prior to the ripening,  during the ripening process or when the ripening has been 
finished. When a coating is used  during ripening the purpose  of the coating  is to regulate t he moisture content of 
the cheese and to protect the cheese against microorganisms.  
 
Coating of  a cheese after the ripening  has been finished is done to protect  the cheese against mic roorganisms 
and other  contamination, to  protect the cheese from physical damage during transport and dis tribution and/or to 
give the cheese a specific appearance  (e.g. coloured). 
 
Coating  can be distinguished very easily from rind, as coatings are made of non-cheese  mate rial, and very often  
it is possible to remove the coating  again by brushing,  rubbing or peeling it off. 
 
Cheese  can be coated with: 
 
 A film, very often  polyvi nyl acetate, but also other  artificial materi al or material composed  of natural ingredients, 
which helps to regulate  the humidi ty during ripening  and protects the cheese  against micr oorganisms (for 
exampl e, ripening  films). 
 
NOTE      Wheat gluten or wheat  protein products  should not be used for technologic al reasons e.g. coating  or processing aids for foods which 
are glu ten-free by nature - Codex Standard for Wheat Protein Products including  Wheat Gluten. 
 
   A layer, mostly  wax, paraffin or a plastic, which normally is impermeable to moisture, to protect  the cheese 
after ripening against microorganisms  and against  physical damage during retail handling  and, in some cases to 
contribute  to the presentation of the chees e. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Annex B 
(normative) 
  
10  © KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved  Classifi cation of cheese acco rding  to firmness,  fat content  and dry matter content  
 
The following classification shall be applicable to all cheeses covered by this standard. However, this classification 
shall not precl ude the designation of more  specific  requi rements in individual  cheese standards. 
 
 
Table  B.1 — Classification  of cheese  
 
Type of cheese  Class/ Class  
designation  Alternate class  
designation  Fat in dry matter  
content  Minimum  
dry matter  
content  
(%)(m/m)  Minimum  
(%)(m/m)  Maximum  
(%)(m/m)  
1. Hard cheese s High fat cheese  Unspecified  60  56 
(Full fat) cheese  Asiago  
 
Cacciocavallo  
 
Cheddar  
 
Emmental  
 
Gruyere  
 
Mature cheddar  
 
Pecorino  
 
Samso  
 
Unspecified : 
e.g Romano  
Pepato  
Swiss  
Gouda  
Cheshire  
Sapsago  
 45 
 
45 
 
48 
 
45 
 
45 
 
48 
 
45 
 
45 
 
45 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 * 
 
* 
 
* 
 
* 
 
* 
 
* 
 
* 
 
* 
 
59 
 63 
 
64 
 
61 
 
60 
 
62 
 
62 
 
60 
 
54 
 
60 
 
Medium  fat 
cheese s Medium fat cheddar  
 
Medium fat Pecorino  
 
Medium fat Samso  
 
Parmesan  
 
 Reggiano  
 
Unspecified  35 
 
25 
 
35 
 
25 
 
30 
 
10 
 
 
 
 
 
 47 
 
44 
 
44 
 
44 
 
45 
 
44 48 
 
56 
 
46 
 
64 
 
67 
 
52 
2. Semi hard cheese s High fat cheese  
 Drakensberg  
Unspecified  56 
60 * 
* 56 
60 
High fat blue  
mould cheese  Unspecified  60 * 52 DKS 28 -1:2019 
 
© KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved    11 High fat blue  
mould cheese  Baby Gouda  
 
Cheshire  
 
Danbo  
 
Edam  
 
Feta 
 
Gouda or sweet milk  
 
Halloumi  
 
Harvarti  
 
Mozzarella  
 
Provolone  
 
Tilsiter  
 
Washed curd cheese  
 
Unspecified:  
e.g.  
Pizza cheese  
String cheese  
Baby swiss cheese  
Processed cheeses  
Lancashire  
Limburger  
Munster  
Brick  48 
 
48 
 
45 
 
38 
 
45 
 
48 
 
45 
 
45 
 
45 
 
45 
 
45 
 
45 
 
45 60 
 
* 
 
* 
 
* 
 
* 
 
* 
 
* 
 
* 
 
* 
 
* 
 
* 
 
* 
 
59 55 
 
56 
 
52 
 
47 
 
* 
 
55 
 
52 
 
50 
 
31 
 
51 
 
55 
 
52 
 
50 
(Full fat) blue Blue  Stilton  
 
Wensleydale  
 
unspecified  45 
 
56 
 
50 * 
 
* 
 
59 56 
 
56 
 
52 
(Full fat) white  
mould cheese  Stilton , White Stilton  
 
Wensleydale  
 
Unspecified  50 
 
45 
 
50 * 
 
* 
 
59 56 
 
56 
 
50 
Medium fat cheese  Cumin  
 
Medium fat Danbo  
 
Medium fat feta  
 
Medium fat Gouda  
 
Medium fat Harvati  
 
Medium fat Mozarrella  
Medium fat Tilsiter  
 
Unspecified  40 
 
35 
 
30 
 
38 
 
38 
 
30 
35 
 
10 44 
 
44 
 
44 
 
47 
 
44 
 
44 
44 
 
44 53 
 
44 
 
34 
 
48 
 
46 
 
26 
49 
 
34 
Medium fat white  Unspecified  * 10 *  
12  © KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved  mould cheese  
3. Semi -Soft cheeses  High fat cheese  Unspecified  60 * 55 
(Full fat) cheese  Unspecified  45  59  48 
(Full fat)  white mould 
ripened cheese  Brie 
 
Bel Paese  
 
Camembert  
 
Saint (St) Paulin  
 
Unspecified :  
e.g. White -veined 
cheese  
 45 
 
45 
 
45 
 
40 
 
40 * 
 
* 
 
* 
 
* 
 
* 43 
 
50 
 
43 
 
44 
 
43 
(Full fat) blue mould  
ripened cheese  Gorgonzola  
 
Roquefort  
 
Unspecified  
 
Blue- veined cheese  50 
 
50 
 
48 60 
 
60 
 
54 5 
 
56 
 
40 
Medium fat cheese  Robiola  
 
Unspecified  
 35 
 
25 44 
 
44 35 
 
* 
Medium fat white 
mould cheese  Medium fat brie  
 
Medium fat camembert  
 
unspecified  40 
 
40 
 
10 44 
 
44 
 
44 44 
 
41 
 
20 
4. Soft cheese  High-fat cheese  Unspecified  60 * 50 
(Full fat) cheese  Coulommiers  
 
Limburger  
 
Ricotta  
 
Romadur  
 
Unspecified : 
e.g. 
Cottage cheese  
Cream cheese  
Paneer  
Ricotta  
Mascarpone  
Queso blanco  
Fresh goat  cheese  
Liptau  
Romadur  40 
 
45 
 
50 
 
45 
 
45 * 
 
* 
 
59 
 
* 
 
59 42 
 
38 
 
45 
 
40 
 
40 
Medium fat cheese  Medium fat ricotta  
 
Unspecified : 25 
 
10 44 
 
44 25 
 
20 
* Not specified