Wisconsin Administrative Code › Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection › ATCP 55-89 - Food, Lodging, and Recreation Safety › Chapter ATCP 81 - Cheese Grading, Packaging And Labeling › Subchapter VI - Brick and Muenster Cheese; Grade Standards › Section ATCP 81.60 - Wisconsin certified premium grade AA standards

Current through June 24, 2024
Brick and muenster cheese labeled or sold as Wisconsin
					 certified premium grade AA shall conform to the following standards:
(1) FLAVOR CHARACTERISTICS. Wisconsin
				  certified premium grade AA brick and muenster cheese shall be fine, highly
				  pleasing and free from undesirable flavors and odors, except that the cheese
				  may have a very slight feed flavor. Flavor standards are shown in the grade AA
				  column of Table 9. The presence or absence of flavor characteristics shall be
				  determined organoleptically by taste and smell.
TABLE 9. BRICK AND MUENSTER CHEESE
GRADING STANDARDS FOR FLAVOR
								  CHARACTERISTICS
IDENTIFIED FLAVOR CHARACTERISTIC IN CHEESE
								  BEING GRADED
GRADE AA
GRADE A
(Wisconsin State
Brand)
GRADE B
FEED
VS
S
D
ACID
S
FLAT
VS
S
BITTER
S
FRUITY
S
UTENSIL
S
SOUR
VS
WHEY-TAINT
S
YEASTY
S
MALTY
S
OLD MILK
S
WEEDY
S
ONION
VS
BARNY
S
LIPASE or RANCID
VS
METALLIC
S
VS = very slight; S = slight; D = definite; P = pronounced;
					 Blank = none detectable.
(2) BODY AND TEXTURE CHARACTERISTICS.
				  Wisconsin certified premium grade AA brick and muenster cheese shall have good
				  body and texture. The cheese may be close or have even distribution of
				  mechanical openings and shall be slightly translucent. The cheese shall also be
				  free from sweet holes, pin holes and other gas holes. The texture may be
				  slightly curdy or partially broken down depending on the age of the cheese. The
				  cheese shall have a uniform distribution of salt. Body and texture standards
				  are shown in the grade AA column of Table 10.
TABLE 10. BRICK AND MUENSTER CHEESE
GRADING STANDARDS FOR BODY AND TEXTURE
								  CHARACTERISTICS
IDENTIFIED BODY AND TEXTURE
CHARACTERISTIC IN CHEESE BEING
								  GRADED
GRADE AA
GRADE A
(Wisconsin
State
Brand)
GRADE B
CURDY
D
D
SWEET HOLES
VS
S
SHORT
S
MEALY
S
CRUMBLY
S
CORKY
S
WEAK
S
PASTY
S
GASSY
S
PINNY
S
SLITTY
S
VS = very slight; S = slight; D = definite;P = pronounced;
					 Blank = condition not present.
(3) COLOR CHARACTERISTICS. Wisconsin
				  certified premium grade AA brick and muenster cheese may be either uncolored or
				  colored to any degree recognized within the cheese manufacturing industry. The
				  color shall be uniform, bright and attractive. Color standards are shown in the
				  grade AA column of Table 11.
TABLE 11. BRICK AND MUENSTER CHEESE
GRADING STANDARDS FOR COLOR
								  CHARACTERISTICS
IDENTIFIED COLOR CHARACTERISTIC IN CHEESE
								  BEING GRADED
GRADE AA
GRADE A
(Wisconsin
State
Brand)
GRADE B
UNEVEN COLOR
S
ACID-CUT
VS = very slight; S = slight; D = definite; P = pronounced;
					 Blank = condition not present.
(4) FINISH AND APPEARANCE CHARACTERISTICS.
				  Wisconsin certified premium grade AA brick and muenster cheese shall be
				  well-shaped and uniform in size with a smooth and well closed surface. The
				  wrapper or covering shall be practically smooth and properly sealed with
				  adequate overlapping to securely envelop the cheese, or shall be sealed by an
				  alternative and satisfactory type of closure. Allowance shall be made for
				  slight wrinkles caused by crimping or sealing when vacuum packaging is used.
				  The cheese shall be free from mold under the wrapper or covering and shall not
				  be misshaped or huffed. Finish and appearance standards are shown in the grade
				  AA column of Table 12.
TABLE 12. BRICK AND MUENSTER CHEESE
GRADING STANDARDS FOR FINISH AND APPEARANCE
								  CHARACTERISTICS
IDENTIFIED FINISH AND APPEARANCE
								  CHARACTERISTIC IN CHEESE BEING GRADED
GRADE AA
GRADE A (Wisconsin State
								  Brand)
GRADE B
SURFACE DEFECTS
VS
S
SURFACE MOLD
MOLD UNDER WRAPPER OR COVERING
ROUGH SURFACE
VS
S
LOPSIDED
VS
SOFT SPOTS
HUFFED
VS = very slight; S = slight; D = definite; P = pronounced;
					 Blank = condition not present.