KENYA STANDARD       DKS 2509: 201 9 
ICS 67.100.03  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Processed cheese  — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 © KEBS 201 9                   Second  Edition 201 9 
 
 DKS 2509: 201 9 
 
ii   KEBS 201 9 — 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 Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI)  
Sameer Agriculture and Livest ock (K) Limited  
New Kenya Cooperative Creameries (NKCC)  
National Public Health Labs  
Department of veterinary services  
Brookside Dairy Ltd.  
Eldoville Dairies Ltd.  
Githunguri Dairy  
Bio Food Products Ltd.  
Happy Cow Ltd.  
Kibidav Ltd  
Accelerating Agriculture a nd Livestock Enterprises Ltd  
Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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, 2019 
  
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 12 of 2001 of  the Laws of Kenya, copyright 
subs ists in all Kenya Standards and except as provided under Section 26 of this Act, no Kenya Standard produced by Kenya Bureau o f 
Standards may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any means without prior permission in  writing 
from the Managing Director . 
 
 
 
 KENYA STANDARD          DKS 2509: 201 9 
ICS 67.100.03  
KEBS 201 9 — All rights reserved     iii  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Processed cheese — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS)  
 
Head Office: P.O. Box 54974, Nairobi -00200, Tel.: (+ 254 020 ) 605490, 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 2509: 201 9 
 
iv   KEBS 201 9 — All rights reserved  Foreword  
 
This Kenya Standard has been prepared by the Techni cal Committee on Milk and Milk P roducts under the 
guidance of Standards Projects Committee , and it is in ac cordance with the Kenya Bureau of Standards.  
 
Processed cheese , cheese slice, prepared cheese , or cheese food  is a food product made from normal 
cheese and sometimes other unfermented dairy ingredients, plus emulsifiers , extra  salt, food colourings , or 
whey. Many flavors, colors, and textures of processed cheese exist.  
 
Processed cheese has several technical advantages over unprocessed cheese, including extended  shelf -
life, resistance to separation when cooked, and uniformity of product. Its production also  enjoys significant 
economic advantages over traditional  cheese making  processes, most often through the ability to 
incorporate any of a wide variety of less expensive ingredients. The use of emulsifiers in processed cheese 
results in cheese that melts smo othly when cooked. With prolonged heating, unprocessed cheese will 
separate into a molten  protein  gel and liquid  fat; processed cheese will not separate in this manner. The 
emulsifiers, typically  sodium phosphate potassium phosphate, tartrate or citrate  toreduce the tendency for 
tiny fat globules in the cheese to coalesce and pool on the surface of the molten cheese.  
 
Because processed cheese does not separate when melted, it is used as an ingredient in a variety of dishes. 
It is a popular addition to  hambu rgers , as it does not run off, nor does it change in texture or taste as it is 
heated. This standard will address the issues of quality and safety in this group of products.  
 
During the development of this standard reference was  made  to the following docum ent: 
 
General standard for cheese, CXS 283 -1978  
 
 
Acknowledgement is hereby made for the assistance received from these sources.  
 
 
 
 
  
KENYA STANDARD         DKS 2509: 201 9 
 
 
KEBS 201 8 — All rights reserved     1  
 
 
Processed cheese  — Specification  
 
 
1 Scope  
 
This Kenya Stand ard specifies the requirements and methods of sampling  and test for processed cheese 
intended for direct consumption.  
 
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 a dditives  
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) water specification  
KS EAS 38, Labelling of prepackaged foods  
KS E AS 805, Use of Nutrition and health claims  
KS 28 -1, General standard for cheese  
KS 229, Standard for edible salt  
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 - Gravimetric 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 processe d cheese products - Determination of chloride content - Potentiometric 
titration method  
KS ISO 6785:2001, Milk and 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 techn ique 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 Listeria spp. — Part 2: Enumeration method  
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 IS O 7251, Microbiology of food and animal 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 Product description  
  
2   KEBS 201 9 — All rights reserved  Processed cheese  is a product obtained by  the grinding, mixing, melting and emulsifying , with the aid of heat 
and an emulsifying agent, of one or more varieties of  cheese s    followed by heating and agitation resulting in 
either sliceable or s preadable processed cheese depending on the type of emulsifying agent  and the pH.  
 
 
4 Compositional and quality requirements  
 
4.1 General requirements  
 
Processed cheese shall meet the following general requirements:  
 
- Processed cheese shall have smooth, c lean, neat unbroken rind and attractive appearance.  
-Processed cheese shall  have  characteristic colour and flavour  of the product  
-Sliceable cheese shall be slightly elastic, break easily, and shall not be hard when crushed between fingers;  
-Spreadable che ese shall be continuous and homogenous;  
-All processed cheese shall be free from openings, holes, breaks, cracks or fissures.  
 
 
4.2 Permitted food additives  
 
Processed cheese  shall contain suitable  food additives and the following optional ingredients may  be added:  
 
a) Cream, butter and butter oil may be added in quantities to ensure compliance with the minimum fat 
requirements;  
 
b) Salt (sodium chloride);  
 
c) Vinegar;  
 
d) Citric acid;  
 
e) Lactic acid;  
 
f) Phosphoric acid;   
 
g) Nisin;  
 
h) Sodium citrate;  
 
i) Added condiments and acidifying agents;  
 
j) Permitted emulsifiers or stabilizers;  
 
k) Spices and other vegetable seasonings in sufficient quantity to characterize the product;  
 
m) Cultures of harmless bacteria and enzymes.  
 
4.3 Compositional requiremen ts/limits  
 
Processed cheese shall comply with the requirements/limits given in Table 1  below . 
 
 
 
 
 DKS 2509: 201 9 
 
KEBS 201 9 — All rights reserved     3 Table 1 — Compositional requirements for processed cheese  
 
SL 
No. Parameter  
 Requirements/limits  Test method  
i) Minimum fat in dry matter  content (%)(m/m) . 25% KS ISO 1735  
ii) Dry matter content  ((%)(m/m)  30 - 75% KS ISO 5534  
 
iii) Salt (sodium, calcium or potassium) (dry matter 
basis), % m/m, max.  3 % KS ISO 5943  
 
5 Food additives  
 
Processed cheese shall comply with CODEX STAN 192, established by the Cod ex Alimentarius Commission 
(CAC).  
 
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 appropriate sections of the General Principles of Food Hygiene (KS EAS  
39), 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 accordance  with Table 4 when 
tested in accordance w ith the test methods prescribed therein . 
 
 
Table  4 — Microbiol ogical  requirements  for Processed  cheese  
S/N Quality  Requirement 
 Test method  
i) Total coliforms ,CFU/g, max  10 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  
 
 
7        Contaminan ts 
 
The products covered by this standard sha ll 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 -1995).  
 
7.1        Heavy metals  
 
When tested in accordance with AOAC 999.10 or KS ISO/TS 673 3, the level of lead (Pb) shall not exceed 
0.02 mg/kg.   
4   KEBS 201 9 — All rights reserved   
7.2  Pesticide  residues  
 
All cheeses shall conform to maximum limits residues set by Codex Alimentarius Commission.  
 
7.3  Mycotoxin  residues  
 
When tested in accordance with ISO 14501 the level of Afla toxin 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.  
 
 
8        Packaging  
 
The product shall be pac ked in food grade material that ensures product safety and integrity.  
 
98. Labelling  
 
In addition to the provisions of the General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (KS EAS 38 ) 
and the General Standard for the Use of Dairy Terms  (KS CXS 206-1999), the following specific 
provisions apply and the General Standard for the Use of Dairy Terms  (CXS 206-1999) 
9.1 Name of the food  
 
The name ʺProcessed cheese or ‘processed cheese spreadʺ  may be applied in accordance with 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) shall apply.  
 
The designation of  produc ts in which the fat content is below or above the reference range but above the 
absolute minimum 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 ter ms 
specified in general Standard for Cheese (KS 28 -1) or a nutritional claim in accordance  with the Guidelines 
for Use of Nutr ition and Health Claims (KSEAS 805 ). 
 
The designation may also be used for cut, sliced, shredded or grated products made from cheese which 
cheese is in conformity with this Standard.  
 
9.2 Country of origin  
 
The country of origin (which means the country of manufacture, not the country in which the name 
originated) shall be declared. When the product undergoes substantial transformation in a s econd country, 
the country in which the transformation is performed shall be considered to be the country of origin for the 
purpose of labeling.  
 
9.3 Declaration of milkfat content  
 
The milk fat content shall be declared in a manner found acceptable in the  country of retail sale, either;  
 
i) as a percentage by mass,  
 
ii) as a percentage of fat in dry matter, or  
 DKS 2509: 201 9 
 
KEBS 201 9 — All rights reserved     5 iii) in grams per serving as quantified in the label, provided that the number of servings is stated.  
 
94     The name and address of the manufac turer, 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 order of proportion.  
 
9.7      storage instructions  or conditions for use  
 
 
98     date of manufacture  
 
9.9    Expiry date;  
 
9.10    batch cod e/number  
 
9.11   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     Meth ods of sampl ing and analysis  
 
10.1 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 .  
 
 
10.2 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