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 IV - Cheddar, Granular and Washed Curd Cheese; Grade Standards › Section ATCP 81.40 - Wisconsin certified premium grade AA standards

Current through June 24, 2024
Cheddar, granular and washed curd cheese labeled or sold as
					 Wisconsin certified premium grade AA shall conform to the following
					 standards:
(1) FLAVOR CHARACTERISTICS.
				  The flavor of Wisconsin certified premium grade AA cheddar, granular and washed
				  curd cheese shall be fine, highly pleasing and free from undesirable flavors
				  and odors. The cheese may possess very slight feed flavors. Flavor standards
				  are shown in the grade AA column of Table 1. The presence or absence of flavor
				  characteristics in Table 1 shall be determined organoleptically by taste and
				  smell.
TABLE 1. CHEDDAR, GRANULAR AND WASHED CURD CHEESE
GRADING STANDARDS FOR FLAVOR
								  CHARACTERISTICS
AA
A (Wisconsin State Brand)
B
IDENTIFIED FLAVOR CHARACTERISTIC IN CHEESE
								  BEING GRADED
Fresh or Current
Medium Cured
Cured or Aged
Fresh or Current
Medium Cured
Cured or Aged
Fresh or Current
Medium Cured
Cured or Aged
FEED
VS
VS
VS
S
S
S
D
D
D
ACID
VS
S
S
S
D
D
FLAT
S
S
S
BITTER
VS
S
S
D
D
FRUITY
S
D
D
UTENSIL
S
D
D
METALLIC
SOUR
WHEY-TAINT
S
D
D
YEASTY
S
S
S
MALTY
S
S
S
OLD MILK
S
S
S
WEEDY
S
S
S
ONION
VS
VS
VS
BARNY
S
S
S
LIPASE OR RANCID
VS
S
S
SULFIDE
S
VS = very slight; S = slight; D = definite; P = pronounced;
					 Blank = none
(2) Body and
				  texture characteristics. The body and texture of Wisconsin certified premium
				  grade AA cheddar, granular and washed curd cheese shall be firm and solid,
				  smooth, compact and close. The cheese may possess a few small mechanical
				  openings to a very slight degree and shall appear translucent. The texture of
				  granular cheese may be solid, compact and close, or alternatively, it may be
				  medium open with numerous small mechanical openings distributed throughout the
				  cheese. Body and texture standards are shown in the grade AA column of Table 2.
TABLE 2. CHEDDAR, GRANULAR AND WASHED CURD CHEESE
GRADING STANDARDS FOR BODY AND TEXTURE
								  CHARACTERISTICS
IDENTIFIED BODY AND TEXTURE CHARACTERISTIC
								  IN CHEESE BEING GRADED
AA
A (Wisconsin State Brand)
B
Fresh or Current
Medium Cured
Cured or Aged
Fresh or Current
Medium Cured
Cured or Aged
Fresh or Current
Medium Cured
Cured or Aged
CURDY
S
VS
D
S
D
S
COARSE
S
S
OPEN
VS
S
S
S
S
S
D
D
D
SWEET HOLES
D
D
D
SHORT
S
S
S
D
D
MEALY
S
S
S
D
D
WEAK
S
S
S
D
D
PASTY
VS
S
D
D
CRUMBLY
S
S
D
D
GASSY
S
S
S
SLITTY
S
S
S
CORKY
S
S
PINNY
VS = very slight; S = slight; D = definite; P = pronounced;
					 Blank = condition not present.
(3) COLOR CHARACTERISTICS. Wisconsin
				  certified premium grade AA cheddar, granular and washed curd cheese may be
				  uncolored or colored to any degree recognized in the cheese industry. The color
				  shall be uniform and not dull or faded. The cheese may possess numerous tiny
				  white specks associated with aged cheese. Color standards are shown in the
				  grade AA column of Table 3.
TABLE 3. CHEDDAR, GRANULAR AND WASHED CURD CHEESE
GRADING STANDARDS FOR COLOR
								  CHARACTERISTICS
IDENTIFIED COLOR CHARACTERISTIC IN CHEESE
								  BEING GRADED
AA
A (Wisconsin State Brand)
B
Fresh or Current
Medium Cured
Cured or Aged
Fresh or Current
Medium Cured
Cured or Aged
Fresh or Current
Medium Cured
Cured or Aged
SEAMY
VS
VS
S
S
S
D
D
D
WAVY
VS
S
S
S
ACID CUT
S
S
S
UNNATURAL
S
S
S
MOTTLED
S
S
S
SALT SPOTS
S
S
S
DULL or FADED
S
S
S
BLEACHED SURFACE (rindless)
VS
S
VS = very slight; S = slight; D = definite; P = pronounced;
					 Blank = condition not present.
(4) FINISH AND APPEARANCE CHARACTERISTICS.
				  Wisconsin certified premium grade AA cheddar, granular and washed curd cheese
				  shall have the following finish and appearance characteristics:
(a)
Bandaged and paraffin-dipped
				  cheese.
The rind shall be sound, firm and smooth, providing good
				  protection to the cheese. The bandage shall be evenly placed on the ends of the
				  cheese, shall be free from unnecessary overlapping and wrinkles, and shall not
				  be burst or torn. The cheese surface shall have a good coating of paraffin or
				  wax that adheres firmly to all surfaces of the cheese. A slight amount of mold
				  may be present under the bandage and paraffin within reasonable limited
				  tolerances for the degree of curing, with no indication that mold has entered
				  the cheese. The exterior appearance of the cheese shall be free from high
				  edges, huffing and lopsidedness. Finish and appearance standards are shown in
				  the grade AA column of Table 4.
TABLE 4. CHEDDAR, GRANULAR AND WASHED CURD CHEESE
GRADING STANDARDS FOR FINISH AND APPEARANCE
								  CHARACTERISTICS
AA
A (Wisconsin State Brand)
B
IDENTIFIED FINISH AND APPEARANCE
								  CHARACTERISTIC IN CHEESE BEING GRADED
Fresh or Current
Medium Cured
Cured or Aged
Fresh or Current
Medium Cured
Cured or Aged
Fresh or Current
Medium Cured
Cured or Aged
SOILED SURFACE
VS
S
S
VS
S
S
S
D
D
SURFACE MOLD
S
D
VS
S
D
S
S
D
MOLD UNDER BANDAGE and PARAFFIN
VS
S
VS
S
VS
S
D
MOLD UNDER WRAPPER or COVERING
VS
VS
VS
VS
S
S
ROUGH SURFACE
S
S
S
D
D
D
IRREGULAR BANDAGING (uneven, wrinkled and
								  overlapping)
S
S
S
D
D
D
LOPSIDED
S
S
S
D
D
D
LOPSIDED (rindless)
S
S
S
S
S
S
HIGH EDGES
S
S
S
D
D
D
HUFFED
S
S
S
DEFECTIVE COATING (scaly, blistered &
								  checked)
CRACKS IN RIND
CHECKED RIND
S
S
S
SOFT SPOTS
WEAK RIND
S
S
S
SOUR RIND
S
S
S
WET RIND
RIND ROT
VS = very slight; S = slight; D = definite; P = pronounced;
					 Blank = condition not present.
(b) Rindless. The wrapper or covering of
				  rindless cheese graded as AA shall adequately and securely envelop the cheese,
				  shall be unbroken, and shall fully protect the surface. The wrapper or covering
				  may be slightly wrinkled. The cheese shall be free from huffing and
				  lopsidedness. It may have very slight mold under the wrapper or covering in the
				  medium cured and cured classifications, with no indication that mold has
				  entered the cheese. Finish and appearance standards are shown in the grade AA
				  column of Table 4 under par. (a).