KEN YA STANDARD  DKS 28-2:201 9 
ICS 67.10 0.30 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cheese  — Specification  
 
Part 2: 
Cheddar  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
©KEBS  2019 Third Edition 2019 KS 28-
22:2018 
2 © KEBS  2019  — All rights reserved  
  
 
TECHNICAL COMMI TTEE REPRESENTATION  
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Commit tee:  
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 Livestock (K) Limited  
New Kenya Cooperative Creameries (NKCC)  
National Public Health Labs  
Department of veterinary services  
Brookside Dairy Lt d. 
Eldoville Dairies Ltd.  
Githunguri Dairy  
Bio Food Products Ltd.  
Happy Cow Ltd.  
Kibidav Ltd  
Accelerating Agriculture and Livestock Enterprises Ltd  
Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REVISION  OF KENYA STANDARDS  
 
In order to keep abreast of progress in industry, Kenya Standa rds shall be regularly reviewed. Suggestions 
for impro vements to published standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bure au of Standards, 
are welcome. 
 
 
 
 
 
© Kenya Bureau of Standards,  2019 
 
Copyrig ht. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section  25 of the Copyright  Act, Cap. 12 of 2019 of the Laws of Kenya, copyright 
subsists in all Kenya Standards a nd except as pr ovided under Section 26 of t his Act, no Kenya Standard pro duced by Kenya Bureau of 
Standards may be re produced, st ored in a re trieval system in any form or trans mitted by any m eans without prior permiss ion in writing from 
the Man aging D irector. © KEBS  2019 — All rights reserved iii  
 KEN YA STANDARD  KS 28-2:201 9 
ICS 67.100.30 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cheese  — Specification  
 
Part 2: 
Cheddar  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KEN YA BU REAU OF  STANDARDS  (KEBS)  
 
Head  Office: P.O. Box 54974,  Nairobi-00200, Tel.: (+254 020) 605490, 602350,  Fax: (+254  020) 6040 31 
E-Mail: info@k ebs.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  
Fax: (+254 041) 229448  Tel.: (+254  057) 23549, 22396  
Fax: (+254 057) 21814 Tel.: (+254  051) 210553,  210555  KS 28-2:2018 
4 © KEBS  2019  — All rights reserved  
  
Fore word 
 
This Kenya Standard was prepared by the Milk and Milk Products Technical 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 marketed worldwide. This  Part 2 of this Kenya 
Standard specifies the requirements for the type of hard cheese being marketed in Kenya as cheddar cheese. 
 
During the preparation of this standard, reference was made to the following document:  
 
Standard for cheddar, CXS 263 -1966  
 
Acknowledgement is hereby made for the assistance derived from these sources.  DKS  28-2:2019  
2 © KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved  
  
   KENYA  STANDARD                                                               DKS 28-2:201 9 
 
 
 
Cheese  — Specification  
 
 
Part 2:  
 
Cheddar  
  
1        Scope  
 
This Ke nya Standard specifi es the requirements, sampling and test  methods for cheddar cheese  intended for 
direct consumption and/ or for  further proces sing.  
 
 
2        Normative references  DKS  28-2:2019  
 
© KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved 3  
 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 CODEX STAN 208, Codex Standard fo r cheese in brine  
KS EAS 153 –Drinking (portable) water 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 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, Microbiology of food and ani mal feed Stuffs -Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
microorganisms -colony count Technique at 30  
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 5943, Cheese and processed cheese products 
  Determination of Sodium 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 m edium  
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 s pectrometric 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 aflat oxin M content - Clean -up by immunoaffinity 
chromatography and determination by high -performance liquid chromatography  
KS ISO 7251, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escheric hia 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  
 
Cheddar is a ripened 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 orange colour and a firm-textured  (when  pressed 
by thumb), smooth and waxy texture. Gas holes are absent, but a few openings and splits are acceptable. 
The cheese is manufactured  and sold with or without1 rind which may be coated. 
 
For Cheddar ready for consumption, the ripening procedure to develop flavour and body characteristics 
is normally from 5 weeks at 7–15 °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 pro cedure. Cheddar intended for further  processing need not exhibit the same extent of DKS  28-2:2019  
4 © KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved  
 ripening when justified through technical and/or trade needs.  
 
4. Essential composition and quality factors  
 
 
4.1  Raw materials  
 
 Cows’ milk or buffaloes milk, or their mixtures, and products obtained from these milks, complying with 
the relevant Kenya Standards  
 
4.3  Permitted  ingredients  
 
– Starter  cultures  of harmless lactic acid and/ or flavour producing bacteria and 
cultures of other harmless microorganisms;  
–     Rennet or other safe and suitable coagulating enzymes;  
–     Sodium chloride; and potassium chloride as a salt substitute; com plying with KS 229 
 
–     Potable water; complying with KS EAS 153  
–     Safe and suitable enzymes to enhance the ripening process;  
–     Safe and suitable processing aids;  
– Rice, corn and potato flours and starches: Notwithstanding the provisions in the 
General Standard for Cheese (KS 28 -1), 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 Good Manufacturing Practice, taking into account any use of the anti-
caking agents listed in section 6. 
 
 
 
 
1) This is not to mean that the rind has been removed before sale, instead the cheese has been ripened and/or kept in 
such a way that no rind is developed (a “rindless” cheese). Ripening film is used in the manufacture of rindless cheese. 
Ripening film may also constitute the coating that protects the cheese. For rindless cheese  see also the Annex to the KS 
28-1. © KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved 5 DKS  28-2:201 9 
 
  
 
4.3  Compositional  requirements  
 
The following compositional requirements in table 1 shall be applicable for cheddar cheese. 
 
Table  1 — Compositional  requirements  for cheddar  cheese  
 
 
Milk 
constituent Minimum 
content 
(m/m) Maximum  
content (m/m) Reference  level (m/m)  Test method 
Milkfat in dry 
matter 22% Not restricted 48% to 60% KS ISO 1735 
Dry matter Depe nding on the fat in dry matter  content, according to 
the ta ble below.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
KS ISO 5534 Fat in dry matter  content 
(m/m)  Corresponding minimum 
dry matter  content (m/m) 
Equal to or above 22% but 
less th an 30 % 49% 
Equal to or above 30% but 
less th an 40 % 53% 
Equal to or above 40% but 
less th an 48% 57% 
Equal to or above 48% but 
less th an 60% 61% 
Equal to or above 60% 66% 
Salt % max.                                                       3 %   KS ISO 5943  
 
Compositional modifications beyond the minima and maxima specified above for milk fat and dry matter 
are not considered to  be in compliance with section 4.3.3 of the General Standard for the Use of Dairy 
Terms (KS CXS 206-1999). 
 
5  Food additives  
 
Only those additives classes indicated as justified in the table below may be used for the product 
categories specified. Within each additive class, and where permitted according to the table, 
only those food additives listed below may be used and only within the functions and limits 
specified. 
 
 
 
Additive functional class:   
Justified use 
 
Cheese mass   
Surface/rind treatment 
 
Colours:   
X(a)   
– 
Bleaching agents:  –  – 
Acidity regulators:  X  – 
Stabilizers:  –  – 
Thickeners:  –  – 
Emulsifiers:  –  – 6 © KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved DKS  28-2:2019  
 
 Antioxidants:  –  – 
Preservatives:  X  X 
Foaming agents:  –  – 
Anti–caking agents:  –  X(b) 
 
(a) Only to obtain the colour characteristics, as described 
in Section 2. (b) For the surface of sliced, cut, shredded 
or grated cheese, only. 
X The use of additives belonging to the class is technologically justified. 
–  The use of additives belonging to the class is not technologically justified. 
 
 
 
Table 4 — List of food  additives  
 
 
INS no.  
Name  of additive  
Maximum level 
 
Colours 
101(i) Riboflavin, syntenthic 300 mg/kg 
140 Chlorophylls Limited by GMP 
160a(i) Carot ene, beta-, synthetic  
 
 
35 mg/kg 
singly or in combination 160a(iii) Carot ene, beta-,Blakeslea trispora 
160e  Carot enal, beta-apo-8’- 
160f Carot enoic acid, ethyl ester, beta-apo- 
8’- 
160a(ii) Carot enes, beta-,vegetable 600 mg/kg 
160b(ii) Annatto extracts – norbixin-based 25 mg/kg 
 
Preservatives 
1105  Lysozyme Limited by GMP 
200 Sorbic acid  
1 000 mg/kg based on sorbic acid. 
Surface treatment only * 202 Potassium sorbate  
203 Calcium sorbate  
234 Nisin 12.5 mg/kg 
235 Natamycin (pimaricin) 2 mg/dm2Not present at a depth of 
5 mm. Surface treatment only * 
251 Sodium nitrate 35 mg/kg 
singly or in combination 
(expressed as nitrate ion) 252 Potassium nitrate 
280 Propionic acid  
3 000 mg/kg 
surface treatment only * 281 Sodium propionate 
282 Potassium propionate 
 
Acidity regulators © KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved 7 DKS  28-2:201 9 
 
 170(i) Calcium carbon ate Limited by GMP 
504 (i) Magnesium carbon ate Limited by GMP 
575 Glucono delta-lactone Limited by GMP 
Anticaking agen ts 
460(i) Microcrystalline cellulose (Cellulose gel) Limited by GMP 
460(ii) Powdered cellulose Limited by GMP 
551 Silicon dioxide, amorpho us  
 
10 000 mg/kg 
singly or in combination, silicates 
calculated as silicon dioxide 552 Calcium silicate 
553(i) Magnesium silicate, synthetic 
553(iii) Talc 
 
 
 
 
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 with the test methods prescribed therein . 
 
 
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  
 
 
 
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 Toxins in Food and Feed (CXS 193 -1995).  
 
7.1        Heavy metals  
 8 © KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved DKS  28-2:2019  
 
 When tested in accordance with AOAC 999.10, 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.  
 
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.  
 
8        Packag ing  
 
Cheddar cheese shall be packed in food grade material that ensures product safety and integrity.  
 
9      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 
 
9.1    Name of the food  
 
The name cheddar may be applied  in accordan ce with KS EAS 38, provided that the product is in complian ce 
with this standard. Whe re 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  KS 28-1 shall 
apply.  
 
The designation of products in which the fat content is below or above the reference range but above the 
absolute minimum  specified in 4.3 of this standard shall be accomp anied by an appropriate qualifi cation 
describing the modification  made or the fat content expressed as percentage by mass, either as part of the 
name or in a prominent p osition in the same field of vision. Suitable qualifiers are the appropriate ch aracterizing  
terms specified in KS 28-1 or nutritional claim in accordance with the Guidelines for Use of Nutr itional and 
Health Claims (KS EAS 80 5). 
 
 
The designation may  also be used for cut, sliced, shredded or grated  products made from cheese which 
cheese is in conformity with this standard. 
 
1)For instance, repackaging, cutting, slicing, shredding and grating are not regarded as substantial transformation. © KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved 9 DKS  28-2:201 9 
 
  
the country in which the transformation is performed shall be considered to be the country  of origin for the 
purpose of labelling. 
 
9.3    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 quantifi ed in the label provided that the number  of servings is state d. 
9.4    Country  of manufacture (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 transformation1) in a second countr y, 
 
9.5     The name and address of the manufacturer, packer, distributor, importer, exporter or vendor of the 
food shall be declared.  
 
9.6 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.  
 
9.7 List of Ingredients  
 
A complete list of ingredients shall be declared on the label in descending order of proportion.  
 
9.8      storage instructions  or conditions for use  
 
 
9. 9     date of manufacture  
 
9.10    Expiry date;  
 
9.11    batch code/number  
 
9.12    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. 
 
 
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 55381IDF 113: Milk and milk products - Sampling - 
Inspection by attributes .  
 
 
10.2 Analysis for cheese shall be carried out in accordance with the standards listed in Clause 2  of 
this standard. 
 1
0 © KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved DKS  28-2:2019  
 
  
Annex A 
(informative) 
 
Information  on usual patterns  of manufacturing  cheddar  
 
The inform ation below is intended for voluntary application by commercial partners  and not for application by 
government s. 
 
A.1     Method  of manufact ure 
 
A.1.1    Start er cultures consist of non-gas forming  lactic acid producing bacteria. 
 
A.1.2    After  coagulation, the curd is cut and heated in its whey to a temperatu re above the coagulation 
temperature. The curd is separated from the whey and stirred or cheddar ed. In traditional manufacture the 
curd is cut into blocks which are turned and progressive ly piled, keeping the curd warm, which results in the 
curd becoming  compressed, smo oth and elastic.  After cheddaring  the curd is milled.  When the desired a cidity 
is reached the  curd is salted. The curd and salt are then mixed and moulded. Other processing techniques, 
which give end products with the same physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics, may be  applied.