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 V - Colby and Monterey (Jack) Cheese; Grade Standards › Section ATCP 81.50 - Wisconsin certified premium grade AA standards

Current through June 24, 2024
Colby and monterey (jack) cheese labeled or sold as
					 Wisconsin certified premium grade AA shall conform to the following
					 standards:
(1) FLAVOR CHARACTERISTICS.
				  Wisconsin certified premium grade AA colby and monterey (jack) cheese may be
				  lacking in flavor development, or may possess characteristic cheese flavors.
				  The flavor shall be fine, highly pleasing and free from undesirable flavors and
				  odors, except it may possess a very slight feed flavor. Flavor standards are
				  shown in the grade AA column of Table 5. The presence or absence of flavor
				  characteristics shall be determined organoleptically by taste and smell.
TABLE 5. COLBY AND MONTEREY (JACK) CHEESE
GRADING STANDARDS FOR FLAVOR
								  CHARACTERISTICS
IDENTIFIED FLAVOR CHARACTERISTIC IN CHEESE
								  BEING GRADED
AA
A
(Wisconsin State
Brand)
B
FEED
VS
S
D
ACID
VS
FLAT
S
BITTER
VS
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
VS = very slight; S = slight; D = definite; P = pronounced;
					 Blank = none detectable.
(2) BODY AND TEXTURE CHARACTERISTICS.
				  Wisconsin certified premium grade AA colby and monterey (jack) cheese shall be
				  reasonably firm. The cheese may have evenly distributed small mechanical
				  openings or a closed body. The cheese may not contain any sweet holes, yeast
				  holes or other gas holes. The cheese may be definitely curdy or partially
				  broken down if it is more than 3 weeks old. Body and texture standards are
				  shown in the grade AA column of Table 6.
TABLE 6. COLBY AND MONTEREY (JACK) 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
COARSE
S
SWEET HOLES
S
SHORT
S
MEALY
S
WEAK
S
PASTY
S
CRUMBLY
S
GASSY
S
SLITTY
S
CORKY
S
VS = very slight; S = slight; D = definite; P =pronounced;
					 Blank = condition not present.
(3) COLOR CHARACTERISTICS.
(a) Wisconsin certified premium grade AA
				  colby cheese may be uncolored or colored to any degree recognized within the
				  cheese manufacturing industry. The color shall be uniform, bright and
				  attractive.
(b) Wisconsin certified
				  premium grade AA monterey (jack) cheese may not be colored.
(c) Color standards for Wisconsin certified
				  premium grade AA colby and monterey (jack) cheese are shown in the grade AA
				  column of Table 7.
TABLE 7. COLBY AND MONTEREY (JACK) CHEESE
GRADING STANDARDS FOR COLOR
								  CHARACTERISTICS
IDENTIFIED COLOR CHARACTERISTIC IN CHEESE
								  BEING GRADED
GRADE AA
GRADE A
(Wisconsin
State
Brand)
GRADE B
WAVY
VS
S
ACID-CUT
S
UNNATURAL
S
MOTTLED
S
SALT SPOTS
S
DULL OR FADED
S
BLEACHED SURFACE (rind-less)
S
VS = very slight; S = slight; D = definite; P =pronounced;
					 Blank = condition not present.