KEN YA STANDARD  DKS 28-4: 2019 
ICS 67.100.30 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cheese  — Specification  
 
Part 4: 
Tilsiter/Tilster  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
©KEBS  2019 Third Edition 2019 DKS  28-4: 2019  
2 © KEBS 2015 — 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 Ltd.  
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 2001 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  DKS 28-4: 
2019 
ICS 67.100.30 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cheese  — Specification  
 
Part 4: 
Tilsiter 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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  DKS  28-4:2019  
4 © KEBS 2015 — All rights reserved  
  
Fore word 
 
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 marketed worldwide. This  Part 4 of this Kenya 
Standard specifies the requirements for  the type of semi-hard cheese being marketed in Kenya as tilsiter 
cheese. 
 
During the preparation of this standard, reference was made to the following document:  
 
standard for Tilster cheese, CXS 270 -1968  
 
Acknowledgement is hereby made for the assistance derived from these sources.  
 7 
© KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved  
 KENYA  STANDARD   KS 28-4: 2015  
 
 
 
 
 
Cheese  — Specification  
 
Part 4: 
Tilsiter  cheese  
 
 
 
1           Scope 
This Ke nya Standard specifi es the requirements and methods of sampling and test for tilster  cheese  intended for 
direct consumption and/ or for  further proces sing in conformity with the description in Section 3 of this Standard.  
 
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 do cument (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) water specification  
KS EAS 38, Labelling of prepackaged foods  
KS EAS 805, Use of Nut rition 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 p roducts — Guidance on sampling  
KS ISO 1735, Chee se and pro cessed cheese products - Dete rmination of fat content - Grav imetric meth od 
(Reference me thod) 
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 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 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 monocytogene s 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 ISO 7251, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the  detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli — Most probable number technique  6 © KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved  
 KS ISO 55381: Milk and milk products - Sampling - Inspection by attributes .  
KS ISO 16649 –2:2001, Micro biology 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  
 
. 
 
Tilsiter 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 firm -textured (when pressed by 
thumb) texture suitable for cutting, with irregularly shaped, shiny and evenly distributed gas holes. The cheese 
is manufactured and sold with or without well -dried smear -developed rind, which may be coated.  
 
For Tilsi ter ready for consumption, the ripening procedure to develop flavour and body characteristics is normally 
from 3 weeks at 10 –16°C depending on the extent of maturity required. Alternative ripening conditions (including 
the addition of ripening enhancing en zymes) may be used, provided the cheese exhibits similar physical, 
biochemical and sensory properties as those achieved by the previously stated ripening procedure. Tilsiter 
intended for further processing need not exhibit the same degree of ripening when justified through technical 
and/or trade needs.  
 
 
 
4           Essential  composition and quality factors  
 
4.1         Raw mater ials 
 
Cows’ milk or buffaloes’ milk, or their mixtures, and products obtained from these milks comply ing with 
relevant Kenya Standard s. 
 
4.2         Permitted  ingredients  
 
The following ingredients shall be permitted  in tilsiter cheese: 
 
   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; 
 
   Potable  water; complyi ng with KS EAS 153 
 
   Sodium chloride; and potassium chloride as a salt substitute; complying with KS 229 
 
   Safe and suitable enzymes to enhance the ripening process; 
 
   Safe and suitable processing aids; and 
 
 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 n ecessary as 
governed by Good Manufacturing Practice, taking into account any use of the anti-caking agents listed in Section 
5. 
 
 
 
4.3  Composition  
 
Tilsiter cheese shall have compositional  requirements  given in Table  1. 
 
Table  1 — Composition al requirements  for Tilsiter  cheese  
 7 
© KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved  
 Milk 
cons tituent Minimum 
cont ent (m/m)  Maximum  content  
(m/m)  Reference  level 
(m/m)  Test method  
Milk fat in dry 
matter 30 % Not restricted          45% to 55% KS ISO 1735 
Dry matter  Depending  on the fat in dry matter content, according to the table below; 
 
 Fat in dry matter  content (m/m)  Corresponding 
minimum   dry   
matter  
content (m/m)   
Equal to or above 30 % but less than 40 % 49 %  
KS ISO  5534   Equal to or above 40 % but less than 45 % 53 % 
Equal to or above 45 % but less than 50 % 55 % 
Equal to or above 50 % but less than 60 % 57 % 
Equal to or above 60 % but less than 85 % 61 % 
 
Comp ositional modifi cations  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 (CXS 
KS CXS STAN 206). 
 
5           Food  additives 
 
Only those additives classes indicated as justified in the table 3 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 in table 4 below may be used and  only within the functions and limits specified.  
 
 
 
                                                     Table 2 — Food additives classes for  Tilster cheese  
 
 
 
 
Additive functional class   
Justified use 
 
Cheese mass   
Surface/rind treatment 
Colours:  X(a)  – 
Bleaching agents:  –  – 
Acidity regulators:  X  – 
Stabilizers:  –  – 
Thickeners:  –  – 
Emulsifiers:  –  – 
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. 8 © KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved  
  
 
 
 
 
Table  3 — List of food additives  
 
 
INS no.  
Name of additive  
Maximum level 
 
Colours 
160a(i) Carotene, beta-,synthetic  
 
35 mg/kg 
singly or in combination 160a(iii) Carotene, beta-, Blakeslea trispora 
160e Carotenal, beta-apo-8’- 
160f Carotenoic acid, ethyl ester, beta-apo-8’- 
160a(ii) Carotenes, 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 (natamycin) 2 mg/dm2 Not 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 
170(i) Calcium carbonate Limited by GMP 
504(i) Magnesium carbonate Limited by GMP 
575 Glucono delta-lactone Limited by GMP 
 
Anticaking agents 
460(i) Microcrystalline cellulose (Cellulose gel) Limited by GMP 
460(ii) Powdered cellulose Limited by GMP 
551 Silicon dioxide, amorphous  
552 Calcium silicate 7 
© KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved  
 553(i) Magnesium silicate, synthetic 10 000 mg/kg singly or in 
combination 
Silicates calculated as silicon 
dioxide 553(iii) Talc 
* For the definition of cheese surface and rind see Appendix to the general Standard for Cheese (KS 28 -1) 
 
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 . 
 
 
Table  4 — Microbiol ogical  requirements  for Tilsiter  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  
 
 
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  
 
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.  
 
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  
 1
0 © KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved  
 Cheeses shall conform to maximum tolerable residue limits for antibiotics and other veterinary drugs set by 
Codex Alimentarius Commission.  
 
 
 
8           Packag ing  
 
All 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 tilsiter may be applied in acco rdance with KS EAS 38, provided that the product is in compliance 
with this standard. Where custo mary 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) or a nutritional  claim in accordance with the Use of Nutrition and health claims (KS EAS 
805: 2013 ). 
The designation of products in which the fat content is below or above the reference range but above the 
absolute minimum  specified in 3 of this standard shall be accompanied by  an appropriate qualifi cation d escribing 
the modifi cation 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 KS 28-1:2014 
 
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 originate d) 
shall be declared. When the product undergoes  substantial transformati on in a second country,  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  
 
2)   For instance, repackaging, cutting, slicing, shredding and grating is not regarded as substantial transformation. 7 
© KEBS 2019 — All rights reserved  
  
 
 
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) (ii) as a percentage of fat in dry matter, or  
(iii) (iii) in grams per serving as quantified in the label, provided that the number of servings is stated. 
 
9.4     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 ingredient s shall be declared on the label in descending order of proportion.  
 
9.7      storage instructions  or conditions for use  
 
 
9.8     date of manufacture  
 
9.9   Expiry date;  
 
9.10    batch code/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   
. 
 
  
   
 
KENYA BURE AU OF STANDARDS  (KEBS)  
 
 
 
KEBS  CERTIFICATION MARKS  
 
 
 
1. Produc t Certification  Marks 
 
KEBS Standardizatio n Mark (S-Mark ) is issued 
for use on product s that compl y with the minimum 
qualit y requirement s prescribe d in Kenya 
standards . It uses standard s as a benchmar k for 
qualit y complianc e and aims at givin g 
manufacturer s improve d marke t acces s and also 
giving consumer s an assuranc e of qualit y for the 
product s bearin g the mark.  
 
 
 
Standardization  Mark  
 
SYM BOL FOR  PRODUCT  QUALIT  Y 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Diamon d Mar k of Qualit y Impor  t Standa rdization  Mark 
SYMBOL  FOR  PRODUCT  QUALIT  Y EXCELLENCE  SYMBOL  FOR  PRODUCT  QUALIT  Y 
 
2. Systems Certification  Marks 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ISO 900 1 REGISTERE D FIRM OCCU PATIONAL HEAL TH AND SAFET Y 
QUALIT Y MANAGEMEN T SYSTE M OHSAS  18001  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ISO 1400 1 REGISTERE D FIRM ISO 2200 0 REGISTERE D FIRM  
ENVIRONMENTA L MANAGEMEN T SYSTE M FOO D & SAFE T Y MANAGEMEN T SYSTEM  KEBS  is mandated  to provide  Standardization,  
Metrology  and Con formity  Assessment  Ser vices 
through:  
• Promotio n of standardizatio n in commerc e and industry  
 
• Provisio n of testin g and calibratio n facilities  
 
• Contro l of the use of standardizatio n marks  
 
• Undertakin g educationa l work in standardization  
 
• Facilitatio n of the implementatio n and practica l applicatio n of standards  
 
• Maintenanc e and disseminatio n of the Internationa l Syste m of 
Units (SI) of measurements  
 
 
  KEBS  offers the followin g ser vices :   
• Standard s developmen t and harmonization  
• Testing  services  
• Measuremen t service s (Calibration)  
• Enforcemen t of standards  
• Produc t inspectio n services  
• Educatio n and Trainin g in Standardization , Metrolog y and Conformit y Assessment  
• Produc t and Managemen t System s Certificatio n Services  
 
INFORM ATION  ON STANDARDS  
Standard s are document s that provid e a commo n referenc e point for the assess - 
ment of the qualit y of good s and services . Standard s facilitat e tranparenc y in the 
exchang e of product s and enhanc e marke t acces s of Kenya n product s into local, 
regiona l and internationa l markets.  
Information  on standards  and related  documents  is available  at the KEBS  stan- 
dards informatio n centre.  
KEBS  houses  the WTO -TBT National  Enquiry  Point  (NEP)  which  disseminates 
notificatio n likely to affect internationa l trade to the industr y. 
KEBS  also provides  technical  advice  on installation  and improvement  of quality  
goods  and services  to the industry  so as to facilitate  efficient  implementation  of 
standards . Some of the advantage s of standard s include : enhancemen t of quality 
assurance , safet y and environmenta l protectio n measures , minimizatio n of wast- 
age, reductio n of costs and unecessar y varietie s and promotio n of interchange - 
ability and increase d productivit y in industr y. 
For further  Information  please  contact  
 
The Managin g Director Keny a 
Burea u of Standards P opo 
Road,  Off Mombasa  Road 
P.O. Box 54974  - 00200  
NAIROBI,  KENYA   
 
Tel.: +254  (0) 20 6948000  
Fax: +254  (0) 20 604031 
E-Mail:  info@kebs.org  
E-Mail:  customercare@kebs.org  
Website:  http://www.kebs.org