GCC STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION ( GSO )  
 
 
 
 
 
 FINAL DRAFT  
 
 
 
GSO5/  FDS / …….. : 2010 
 
 
 
Emmental cheese  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Prepared by :  
Gulf technical committee for standards of food and agriculture products  
 
 
This document is a draft Gulf standard circulated for comments, it is therefore, 
subject to change, and may not be referred to it as a Gulf standard, until 
approved by the board of directors  
 
 
 
 
ICS :  67.100  
 
 
 GSO      /2009المواصفة القياسية الخليجية
          
 
1  
 
 
 
FORWARD
 
    The Gulf Standardization Organization for GCC (GSO) is a regional organization 
which consists of the National Standards Bodies of  GCC member States. One of 
GSO main functions is to issue Gulf Standards / Technical regulation through 
specialized techni cal committees ( TCs ).  
 
GSO through the technical program of committee TC NO.5 "Gulf technical 
committee for standards of food and agriculture products  " has prepared  "  Emmental  
cheese " the draft standard has been prepared by the state of Qatar. The dr aft standard 
has been prepared based on relevant ADMO, International and national foreign 
standards and references.  
This standard has been approved as Gulf standard without any technical modifications 
by GSO Board of Direction in its  meeting  No…/…. ……held  on   /  /   /  H,  /  /  G   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 GSO      /2009المواصفة القياسية الخليجية
          
 
2 Emmental  cheese  
 
1. Scope :  
 
This Gulf Standard applies to Emmental  cheese  intended for direct consumption or for 
further processing in conformity with the description in this Standard . 
 
 
2. Complementary standards :  
 
2.1   GSO ( 9 )  " Labelling of prepackaged foodstuffs ".  
 
2.2   GSO ( 21 ) " Hygienic regulations for food plants and their personal".  
 
2.3   GSO ( 150 ) " Expiration periods at food products  ".  
 
2.4   GSO ( 171 ) " Methods for the chemical analysis of cheese  ".  
 
2.5 GSO ( 179 ) " Methods  of microbiological examination of cheese ". 
 
2.6 GSO ( 323 ) " General requirement for transportation and storage of chilled and         
frozen food ".  
 
2.7   GSO ( 570 ) " Methods for the physical and chemical analysis of milk ". 
 
2.8   GSO ( 839 ) " Food packages – Part 1 : General requirements ".  
 
2.9   GSO ( 988 ) " Limits of radioactivity levels permitted in foodstuffs – Part 1 ".   
 
2.10 GSO  (1016 ) " Microbiological criteria for foodstuffs – Part 1  ".  
 
2.11 GSO / CAC/MRL 2 "  Maximum Residue Limits for Veterinary Drugs in Food  ". 
 
2.12  GS …. " Cheese ".  
 
 
3.  Definitions :  
 
 Emmental  cheese :  
Is a ripened hard cheese ready for consumption , conformity with to the Gu lf standard 
mentioned in item   ( 2.12  ), the ripening procedure to develop f lavour and body 
characteristics is normally from 2 months at 10 –25° C ( depending on the extent of 
maturity  required ) . Alternative ripening conditions (including the addition of ripening 
enhancing enzymes) may be use d, provided a minimum period of 6 weeks is observed 
and provided the cheese exhibits similar physical, biochemical and sensory properties 
as those achieved by the previously stated ripening procedure.  
 
 
 GSO      /2009المواصفة القياسية الخليجية
          
 
3 4. Requirements :  
 
The following requirements shall be met in the product  :  
 
4.1  It shall be produced according to the hygienic standards and regulations 
mentioned in the Gulf standards given in item ( 2.2 ). 
 
4.2   Cows’ milk or buffaloes’ milk, or their m ixtures, and products obtained from 
these milks , provided that it must be comply with Gulf standard concerned to each . 
 
4.3  The body  of cheese  has a ivory through to light yellow or yellow colour and an 
elastic, sliceable but not sticky texture, with regular, scarce to plentiful distributed, 
mat to brilliant, cherry to waln ut sized (or mostly from 1 to 5 cm in diameter) .  
 
4.4  gas holes, but few openings and splits are acceptable .  
 
4.5  Emment al is typically manufactured as wheels and blocks of weigh ts from 40 kg 
or more but individual countries may on their territory permit other weights provided 
that the cheese exhibit similar ph ysical, biochemical and sensory properties.  
 
4.6  The cheese is  manufactured and sold with or without  a hard, dry rind. The typical 
flavour is mi ld, nut -like and sweet, more or less pronounced . 
 
4.7  The following ingredients are permitted  to use in the production : 
4.7.1 Starter cultures of harmless lactic acid and/ or flavour producing bacteria and 
cultures of other harmless micro -organisms  
4.7.2  Rennet or other safe and suitable coagulating enzymes  
4.7.3  Sodium chloride and potassium chloride as a salt substitute;  
4.7.4  Safe and suitable processing aids ; 
4.7.5  Potable water ; 
4.7.6  Safe and suitable enzymes to enhance the ripening process ; 
4.7.7 Rice, corn and potato flours and starches: 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  
4.7.8 The product shall be free from big  products  and its deriv atives.  
 
4.8 The composition of the product must be comp ly to table ( 1 )  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 GSO      /2009المواصفة القياسية الخليجية
          
 
4 Table ( 1 )  
Composition of  Emmental  cheese  
 
Reference level 
( m/m ) Maximum content  
( m/m ) Minimum content 
( m/m )  Milk constituent 
45% to 55%  Not restricted 45% Milkfat in dry matter:
Depending on the fat in dry ma tter content, according to the table below  : Dry matter: 
Corresponding minimum dry matter 
content  ( m / m )Fat in dry matter content (m/m):
06 Equal to or above 4 5% but less than 50%: 
06 Equal to or above 50% but less than 60%: 
06 Equal to or above 60%   
minimum150 mg/100g  Propionic acid in cheese 
ready for sale:  
minimum 800 mg/100g  Calcium content:  
 
4.9  Emmental is obtained by microbiological fermentation, using thermophilic lactic 
acid producing bacteria for the primary (lactose) fermentation; the secondary (lactate) 
fermentation is char acterized by the activity of  propionic acid producing bacteria.  
 
4.10  Food additives :   
Those food additives listed in table ( 2 ) used and only within the functions and limits 
specified  
 
 
Table ( 2 )  
Food additive that are permitted to use  
 
Justified use  Additive functional class  
Surfaces / rind treatment Cheese mass 
- X1 Colours 
- X Acidity regulators  
X X Preservatives  
X2 - Anti-caking agents  
1 Only to obtain the colour characteristics, as described in Section 3.  
2 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. GSO      /2009المواصفة القياسية الخليجية
          
 
5 INS No. Name of additive  Maximum level  
colours  
160a ( i) beta-Carotene (synthetic)   
 
35 mg/kg  
singly or in combination  
 160a (iii) beta-Carotene ( Blakeslea trispora )  
160e beta-apo-8’-Carotenal  
160f beta-apo-8’-Carotenoic acid, methyl 
or ethyl esters 
160a (ii) Carotenes, 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  201 Sodium sorbate  
202 Potassium sorbate  
203 Calcium sorbate  
234 Nisin  12.5 mg/kg  
235 Pimaricin ( 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  
Acidity regulators  
170(i) Calcium carbonate  Limited by GMP  
504(i) Magnesium carbonate  Limited by GMP  
565 Glucono delta -lactone  Limited by GMP  
Anticaking agents  
460(i) Microcrystalline cellulose  Limited by GMP  
460(ii) Powdered cellulose  Limited by GMP  
551 Silicon dioxide, amorphous   
 
 
 
10 000 mg/kg  
singly  or in combination  
Silicates calculated as silicon 
dioxide  552 Calcium silicate  
553(i) Magnesium silicate  
553(iii) Talc 
554 Sodium aluminosilicate  
556 Calcium aluminium silicate  
559 Aluminium silicate  GSO      /2009المواصفة القياسية الخليجية
          
 
6 4.11  The microbiological limits for the product  shall be as given in the Gulf standard 
mentioned in ( 2.10 ). 
 
4.12   The radiation limits  for the product shall be as given in the Gulf standard 
mentioned in (  2.9 ) . 
 
4.13   The Maximum Residue Limits for Veterinary Drugs in the product  shall be  as 
given in the Gulf standard mentioned in  (  2.11 ) . 
 
 
5. Sampling :  
Samples shall be taken according to the Gulf standard mentioned in ( 2.7 ).  
 
 
6. Methods of  the test  
Methods of the test  shall be according to the Gulf standards mentioned in ( 2.4 ) and    
( 2.5 ) . 
 
 
7. Packaging, translation and storage :  
7.1 The product shall be packaged in suitable hygienic tightly closed containers to 
protect it from contamination and spoilage accordance with the Gulf standard 
mentioned in ( 2.8 ).  
 
7.2 The pr oduct must be translation and storage accordance with the Gulf standard 
mentioned in ( 2.6 ).  
 
 
8. Labelling :  
Without prejudice to what is stated in the Gulf standards mentioned in ( 2.1 ) and        
(  2.3 ), the following information shall be labelled  on the product in packages or in 
bulks : 
8.1 Name  of the product.  
8.2 Fat content  and the product type of fat content . 
8.3 Country of origin . 
8.4 Source of rennet . 
8.5   I f the product is processing from dry or concentrated milk, the name of the 
product  must be written with clear font and in the same size of the production 
name ( processed from dry or concentrated milk ).  
8.6    The expiration dates shall be declared on the label of the package in an uncoded  
         manner [Day -Month -Year ] for food pro ducts  as it mentioned in item ( 2.3 ).  GSO      /2009المواصفة القياسية الخليجية
          
 
7  
APPENDIX  
 
 
 
Information on usual patterns of manufacturing Emmental  
The information below is intended for voluntary application by commercial partners 
and not for application by governments.  
 
1. Appearance characteristics  
 
Usual dimensions:  
 
Shape:                                     Wheel                            Block  
Height:                                   12 –30 cm                       12 –30 cm  
Diameter:                               70 –100 cm                          – 
Minimum weight:                     60 kg                              40 kg  
 
2. Method of manufacture  
 
2.1 Fermentation procedure: Microbiologically derived acid development.