KENYA STANDARD                   DKS 2677: 2016 
ICS 67.100 .10 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
      
 
 
Provolone Cheese — Specification  
 
 
 
                  
 
© KEBS 2016          First Edition 2016  DKS 2677: 2016 
 
                             KEBS 2016 — All rights reserved iiTECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION 
 
The following organizations were r epresented on the Technical Committee: 
 
Kenya Dairy Board 
Ministry of Health — Public Health Department Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fi sheries — State Depart ment of Livestock  
Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fis heries — Department of Veterinary Services 
Egerton University — Department of Dairy and Food Science Technology 
Government Chemist’s Department 
National Public Health Labs Kenya Industrial Research and De velopment Institute (KIRDI)  
Consumer Information Network  
New Kenya Creameries Cooperative (NKCC) 
Brookside Dairy Ltd. 
Eldoville Dairies Limited Githunguri Dairy  
Happy Cow Ltd 
Sameer Agriculture and Livestock (K) LimitedKIBIDAV Ltd (TOGGS) 
Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat 
 
 
 
  
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS  
 
In order to keep abreast with the progress in the industry, Kenya Standards shall be regularly reviewed. 
Suggestions for improvements to publ ished standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of 
Standards, are welcome. 
 
        
© Kenya Bureau of Standards, 2010 
 Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 12 of 2001  of the Laws of Kenya, copyrig ht subsists in 
all Kenya Standards and except as provi ded under Section 26 of this Act, no Kenya Standard produced by Kenya Bureau of Standard s may 
be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or trans mitted by any means without prior permission in writing from th e Managing 
Director. 
  
KEBS 2016 — All rights reserved    iiiKENYA STANDARD                       DKS 2677: 2016 
ICS 67.100.10  
 
 
 
  
 
 
        
Provolone Cheese— Specification  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
KENYA BUREAU OF ST ANDARDS (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, Ki sumu-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 2677: 2016 
 
                             KEBS 2016 — All rights reserved iv Foreword 
 
This Kenya Standard was prepared by the Milk and Milk Products Technical Committee under the guidance of 
the Standards Project Committee and it is in accordance wi th the procedures of the Kenya Bureau of Standards. 
 Cheese is a very nutritious food which consists of a co ncentration of the constituents of milk, principally fat, 
casein and insoluble salts, together with water, in wh ich small amounts of soluble salts, lactose, and albumin 
from milk are coagulated. 
 
There are various types of cheese that are produced and marketed worldwide. This Kenya Standard specifies 
the requirements for the type of 
firm/semi-hard ripened cheese being marketed in Kenya as provolone cheese.  
 This standard includes a list of food additives, termin ology and classification of cheeses, amongst other technical 
requirements which are important in checking cheese under the regulatory system to prevent adulteration. 
 
  
In the preparation of this standard useful information was derived from members of the technical committee, 
Codex general standard for Havarti cheese (CODEX STAN 272-1969) and local manufacturers  
KEBS 2016 — All ri ghts reserved  5 
Brie Cheese— Specification  
 
 
1 Scope 
 
This Kenya Standard specifies requirements and methods of sampling and test Provolone cheese 
intended for direct consumption or for further processing, in conformity with the description in Clause 3 of 
this standard.   This Kenya Standard applies to Provolone cheese made from cow’s milk  
 2 Normative references 
 
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this standard. For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies. 
 
CODEX STAN 208, Codex Standard for cheese in brine 
KS CAC/GL 21, Recommended international code of hygienic practice for foods for infants and children 
KS CAC/GL 23 , Guidelines for use of nutrition claims 
KS EAS 38, Labelling of prepackaged foods  
AOAC 942.17, Arsenic in foods Molybdenum blue method 
AOAC 999.10, Lead, Cadmium,Copper, Iron, and Zinc in foods, Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry 
after dry ashing 
CAC/MRL 2 Maximum Residue Limits for Veterinary Drugs in Food  AOAC 962.16 Beta-lactam Antibiotics in milk 
AOAC 980.21, Aflatoxin M1 in milk and cheese-thin layer chromatographic method 
AOAC 980.21, organochlorine and organophosphorous pesticide residues in milk and milk products KS 2455, General Standard- Food Safety 
KS 1552: 2016; Code of hygienic practice for milk and milk products 
KS 2455, General Standard- Food Safety 
KS 2194:2009 – Good Manufacturing practice guide lines and the Dairy industry 
KS EAS 69, Pasteurized milk- Specification 
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 2962, Cheese and processed cheese products  Determination of total phosphorus content  
Molecular absorption spectrometric method  
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 6731, Milk, cream and evaporated milk - Determination of total solids content (reference method)  
KS ISO 6732; Milk and milk products -- Determinatio n of iron content -- Spectrometric method (Reference 
method) KS ISO/TS 6733; Milk and milk products -- Determination of lead content -- Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometric method 
KS ISO 11866-2:2007; Milk and milk products-Enumeration of presumptive escherichia coli - Part 2: 
Colony-co
  
KS ISO 11866‐1:2005 (IDF 170‐1:2005); Milk and milk products ‐‐ Enumeration  of presumptive  
Escherichia  coli ‐‐ Part 1: Most probable number technique  using 4‐methylumbelliferyl ‐beta‐D‐
glucuronide  (MUG.  
KS ISO 6579:2002  Microbiology  of food and animal feeding stuffs ‐ Horizontal  method for the detection  
of Salmonella  spp 
KS ISO 11866-2, Milk and milk products-Enumeration of presumptive escherichia coli - Part 2: Colony-
count technique at 44 °C using membrane  
unt technique at 44 °C using membrane  DKS 2677: 2016 
 
                          KEBS 2016 — All ri ghts reserved 6KS ISO/TS 11869:2012; Fermented milks -- Determination of titratable acidity -- Potentiometric method 
KS ISO 14501:2007 Milk and milk powder - Determination of aflatoxin M content - Clean-up by 
immunoaffinity chromatography and determination by high-performance liquid chromatography 
KS ISO 16649-1:2001; Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs -- Horizontal method for the 
enumeration of beta-glucuronidase-positive Escheric hia coli -- Part 1: Colony-count technique at 44 
degrees C using membranes and 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl beta-D-glucuronide 
KS ISO 4833-1:2013; Microbiology of the food ch ain -- Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
microorganisms -- Part 1: Colony count at 30 degrees C by the pour plate technique 
KS ISO 5738:2004 (IDF 76:2004); Milk and milk products -- Determination of copper content -- 
Photometric method (Reference method)  
KS ISO 5546:2010 (IDF 115:2010); Caseins and caseinates -- Determination of pH (Reference method 
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 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 8968-1:2014 (IDF 20-1:2014); Milk and milk products -- Determination of nitrogen content -- Part 
1: Kjeldahl principle and crude protein calculation  
 
3 Description 
 
 
 Provolone is a ripened firm/semi-hard cheese in conformity with the General Standard for Cheese 
(CODEX STAN 283-1978). The body has a near white or ivory through to light yellow or yellow colour and 
a fibrous texture with long stranded parallel-orientated protein fibres. It is suitable for cutting and, when aged, for grating as well. Gas holes are generally absent, but few openings and splits are acceptable. The 
shape is mainly cylindrical or pear-shaped, but other shapes are possible. The cheese is manufactured 
and sold with or without 1 a rind, which may be coated.    
Provolone intended for further processing and Provolone of low weights (< 2 kg) need not exhibit the 
same degree of ripening when justified through technical and/or trade needs.   
Provolone is made by “pasta filata” processing which consists of heating curd of a suitable pH value, 
kneading and stretching until the cu rd is smooth and free from lump s. Still warm, the curd is cut and 
moulded, then firmed by cooling in chilled water or brine. Other processing techniques, which give end 
products with the same physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics, are allowed
  
  
 
  
 
4 Essential composition and quality factors 
 
4.1 Raw materials 
 
Cow milk and products obtained from cow milks complying with relevant Kenya standards 
 
4.2  Permitted ingredients 
 
 – Starter cultures of harmless lactic acid and/ or flavour producing bacteria and cultures of other 
harmless micro-organisms includin g either of the foll owing;; Lactobacillus helv eticus, Streptococcus 
salivarius subsp. thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Lactobacillus casei 
– Rennet or other safe and suitable coagulating enzymes;  
– Sodium chloride and potassium chloride as salt substitute;  
- Calcium chloride in an amount not more than 0.02 percent (calculated as anhydrous calcium chloride) of 
the weight of the dairy ingredients, used as a coagulation aid.  
KEBS 2016 — All ri ghts reserved  7– Safe and suitable enzymes to enhance the ripening process;  
– Safe and suitable processing aids;  
– Potable water;  – Rice, corn and potato flours and starches: Notwithstanding the provisions in the General Standard for 
Cheese (CODEX STAN 283-1978), 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
 Clause  5. 
 
4.3  compositional requirements 
 
Table 1: compositional re quirements for Provolone 
 
Milk 
constituent Minimum 
content (m/m) Maximum 
content (m/m)Reference 
level (m/m)Methods of Analysis 
 
Milkfat in dry matter:  45%  Not restricted  45% to 50%   
  
KS ISO 1735 
Dry matter 
(Total Solids): content (m/m) Maximum content (m/m) Reference 
level (m/m) 
Depending on the fat in dry matter content 
according to the table below 
  
KS ISO 5534  
                                    
Fat in dry matter content (m/m) :) Corresponding minimum 
dry matter content  (m/m 
Equal to or above 
45% but less than 
50%:  51%  
Equal to or above 
50% but less than 
60%:  53%  
Equal to or above 
60%:  60%  
Moisture%, 
Max a) Unsmoked 
Cheese  47% 
   KS ISO 5534 or AOAC  
977.11 /AOAC 969.19 
(b) Smoked Cheese  45%  
 
Salt % Max 3% KS ISO 5943 or 
AOAC 975.20 
 
 
 
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.  
 
  DKS 2677: 2016 
 
                          KEBS 2016 — All ri ghts reserved 8Table 2 
 
  Justified use:  
Additive functional class:  Cheese mass  Surface/rind treatment 
Colours:  Xa 
  
Bleaching agents:    
Acidity regulators:  X  
Stabilizers:    
Thickeners:    
Emulsifiers:    
Antioxidants:    
Preservatives:  X X 
Foaming agents:    
Anti-caking agents:   Xb 
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 3 
                 KENYA STANDARD                          DKS 2677: 2016  
   KEBS 2016 — All rights reserved    1 
   
  
   
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 este, beta-apo-
160a(ii) Carotenes, beta-, vegetable 600 mg/kg 
160b(ii) Annatto extracts – norbixin based 25 mg/kg 
171 Titanium dioxide Limited by GMP 
 
Preservatives1105 Lysozyme Limited by GMP 
200 Sorbic acid  
 
1 000 mg/kg based on sorbic acid. Surface treatment only * 201 Sodium sorbate 
202 Potassium sorbate 
203 Calcium sorbate 
234 Nisin 12.5 mg/kg 
235 Natamycin (pimaricin) 2 mg/dm2 Not present at a depth of 5 
mm. Surface treatment only *
239 Hexamethylene tetramine 25 mg/kg expressed as formaldehyde 
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 regulators170(i) Calcium carbonate Limited by GMP 
504(i) Magnesium carbonate Limited by GMP 
575 Glucono delta-lactone Limited by GMP 
 
Anticaking agents460(i) Microcrystalline cellulose  (CelluloseLimited by GMP 
460(ii) Powdered cellulose Limited by GMP 
551 Silicon dioxid e, amorphous  
 
10 000 g/kg singly or in combination Silicates calculated as silicon dioxide 552 Calcium silicate 
553(i) Magnesium silicate, synthetic 
553(iii) Talc 
 * For the definition of cheese surface and rind see Ap pendix to the General Standard for Cheese (CODEX STAN 
28-1  
 
    DKS 2677: 2016 
 
2     KEBS 2016 — All rights reserved 6.          Hygiene Requirements 
 6.1         
It is recommended that the products covered by th e provisions of this standard be prepared and 
handled in accordance with the approp riate sections of KS 1552:2016 and othe r relevant Kenya standards and 
regulations. The products should comply with any microbi ological criteria established in accordance with KS 
CAC/GL 21 
 6.2   The products shall comply with any microbiological criteria established in accordance with Table 2 below. 
 
 
 
 Table 4 ▬ Microbiological requirements for Provolone cheese 
S/N Quality Requirements Test method 
 Total plate count /g, Max  20000 cfu/g KS  ISO 4833  
 Listeria monocytogenes 
 max,  Nil per gram KS  ISO 4833 
 Salmonella spp in 
25g or  (ml) Nil  KS ISO 4833 
 Shigella in25g or  (ml) Nil  KS ISO 21567 
or 
KS ISO 4833 
 Clostridium botulinum    Nil per gram KS ISO 4833 
 Staphylococcus aureus in 25g 
or  (ml) 
 Nil  KS ISO 4833 
 E.coli in 25g or  (ml) 
 Nil  KS ISO 4833 
 Faecal coliforms:, max Nil per gram KS  ISO 4832 
 Non-faecal coliforms, max 10 cfu/g KS  ISO 4832 
 Mould, max 100 cfu/g gram KS ISO 6611 
 Yeast, max 100 cfu/g KS ISO 6611 
 
  
 
7 Contaminants 
 
The products covered by this Standard shall comply with the maximum levels of CODEX STAN 193 and the maximum residue limits for pesticides and veterinary drug s established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission 
(CAC  
 
 
7.1  Heavy metals 
 
The products covered by this standard shall comply with the maximum limits in Table 5 
  
  
        DKS 2677: 2016 
 
   KEBS 2016 — All rights reserved    3 
 Table 5 — Limits for heavy metal contaminants for Provolone cheese 
 
 
SL No   
Heavy metal   
MRL 
              (Max.)   
Test method  
i).  Arsenic (AS)  
                0.1 mg/kg  
  AOAC 942.17  
ii).  Lead (PH)  
 0.02 mg/kg 
 
 AOAC 972.25 / 
KS ISO 6733 
iii).  Mercury (Hg)                 1.0 mg/kg 
 
 
 AOAC 999.10 
iv).  Copper (Cu) 
 5.0 mg/kg 
 
         AOAC972.25 / 
KS ISO 5738 
v).  Zinc (Zn) 
 
  
50 mg/kg AOAC 999.10 
vi).   
Tin (Sn) 
                   250   mg/kg  AOAC 999.10 
vii).  Cadmium as Cd,  
 
                   1.5 mg/kg 
 
        AOAC 999.10 
 
viii).  Iron (fe),  
                    0.5 mg/kg AOAC 999.11/ 
KS ISO 6732 
  
 
 
 
 
 
7.2 Pesticide residues 
In addition to the maximum limits in table 5 below; the prod ucts covered by the provisions of this standard shall 
conform to those maximum limits for pesticides est ablished by the Codex Aliment arius Commission for these 
products in codex Stan 193;   
 
 Table 6- maximum pesticide residue limits for Provolone cheese  
 
 
S/N Parameter Requirements Test method 
i ORGANOCHLORINE Group  0.01 ppm  KS ISO 3890-
1:2009 OR 
AOAC 970.52  
ii ORGANOPHOSPHOROUS 
Group  0.01 ppm  AOAC 970.52  
  DKS 2677: 2016 
 
4     KEBS 2016 — All rights reserved 7.3        Mycotoxin residues 
 
Provolone cheese shall not have more than 0.05ppb afla toxin m1 content when tested according to KS ISO 
14501:2007/ AOAC 974.17 and AOAC 980.21  , Aflatoxin M1 in milk and cheese-thin layer chromatographic 
methods 
 
7.4        Total Antibiotic residues 
 
Provolone cheese shall not have more than 10.0 ppb tota l antibiotic residues as (beta lactam) content when 
tested according to AOAC 982.14, 15, 16, 17 and18 and AOAC 962.14, Beta-lactam Antibiotics in milk 
 
 
7.5            Veterinary Drug Residues      
In addition to the maximum limits in table 6 below; the prod ucts covered by the provisions of this standard shall 
conform to those maximum limits for veterinary drug re sidue limits established by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission for these products in codex Stan 193;  
 
 
 Table 7- maximum veterinary drug residue Limits for Provolone cheese 
 
 
S/N Parameter Requirements/ 
MRL Test method 
i ChloramPhenical  ND AOAC 972.17 
ii Nitrofunas(including 
metabolites)  ND AOAC  
 Ronidazole  ND AOAC  
 Metronidazole  ND AOAC 991.17 
 Fenbendazole  100ppb AOAC 991.17 
 Albendazole  100ppb AOAC 991.17 
 Phenylbutazone  ND   AOAC 
991.17 
 
 
 8        PACKAGING AND LABELLING 
 
 
8.1           Packaging 
 
The product shall be packed in food grade materi al that ensures product safety and integrity. 
 
 
8.2 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 (CODEX STAN 206-1999), the following specific provisions 
apply:   
8.2.1 Name of the food        DKS 2677: 2016 
 
   KEBS 2016 — All rights reserved    5 
  
The name Provolone may be app lied in accordance with KS EAS 38, provided  that the product is in conformity 
with this standard.  
 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 provisio ns of the KS 28, General 
standard for cheese shall apply.  
 
The designation of Provolone in which the fat content  is below or above the reference range but above the 
absolute minimum specified in section 4.3 of this St andard shall be accompanied by an appropriate qualification 
describing the modification made or the fat content (exp ressed as fat in dry matter or as Percentage by mass 
whichever is acceptable in the country of retail sale). 
 
The designation may also be used for cut, sliced, shredded or grated products made from cheese which cheese is in conformity with this Standard. 
 
8.2.2 Country of origin 
 The country of origin (which means the country of m anufacture, not the country in which the name originated) 
shall be declared. When the product undergoes substantial transformation 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  labeling. 
 
8.2.3 Declaration of milkfat content 
 The milk fat content shall be declared in a manner fo und acceptable in the country of retail sale, either; 
 
i) as a percentage by mass,   
ii) as a percentage of fa t in dry matter, or  
 
iii) in grams per serving as quantified in the label, provided that the number of  servings is stated. 
 
8.2.3 Nutrient Declaration  
 Nutritional claim shall be made in accordance with th e Guidelines for the Use of Nutritional Claims 
(CAC/GL 23-1997) 
 
8.2.4 Date marking: 
        
       i)  Date of manufacture 
 
       ii) Expiry date;  
      ii)   Storage instructions and / or conditions 
 
8.2.5     Name and address of manufacturer 
 8.2.6     Net weight content 
 
8.2.7     Brand name of the product 
 
8.2.8     Batch or code number 
 
8.2.9 Labelling of non-retail containers 
  DKS 2677: 2016 
 
6     KEBS 2016 — All rights reserved 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 of the manufacturer or packer shall appear on the 
container, and in the absence of such a container, on t he product itself. However, lot identification and the name 
and address may be replaced by an identification mark, provi ded that such mark is clearly identifiable with the 
accompanying documents. 
 
9 Methods of Analysis and Sampling 
 The methods of sampling and analysis shall be those provided in the normative references listed in Clause 2 of 
this standard.  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
        DKS 2677: 2016 
 
   KEBS 2016 — All rights reserved    7 
 ANNEX A 
(Normative )  
 
Ripening procedure   
 
 The ripening procedure to develop flavour and body char acteristics is normally from 1 month at 10–20 °C 
depending on the extent of maturity required. Alternat ive 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 stat ed ripening procedure. Provolone intended for further 
processing and Provolone of low weights (< 2 kg) need not exhibit the same degree of ripening when justified 
through technical and/or trade needs. 
  
 
ANNEX B 
(Informative )  
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION  
The additional information below does not affect the prov isions in the preceding sections which are those that 
are essential to the product identity, the use of the name of the food and the safety of the food.  
1. Appearance characteristics  
1.1 Typical shapes : Cylindrical (Salame), pear-shaped (Mandarino ), pear-shaped cylinder (Gigantino) and flask 
(Fiaschetta).  1.2 Typical packing : The cheese is typically encased in ropes.