Feta - Cheese.com Find over 1750 specialty cheeses from 74 countries in the world's greatest cheese resource Feta Feta is undoubtedly one of the most famous Greek cheeses. In fact, Feta occupies 70% stake in Greek cheese consumption. The cheese is protected by EU legislations and only those cheeses manufactured in Macedonia, Thrace, Thessaly, Central Mainland Greece, the Peloponnese and Lesvos can be called ‘feta’. Similar cheeses produced elsewhere in the eastern Mediterranean and around the Black Sea, outside the EU, are often called ‘white cheese’. To create traditional feta, 30 percent goat's milk is mixed with sheep's milk of animals grazing on pastures in the specific appellation of origin regions. Now-a-days, many stores sell goat and cow’s milk feta as well. The firmness, texture and flavour differ from region to region, but in general, cheese from Macedonia and Thrace is mild, softer and creamier, less salty with fewer holes. Feta made in Thessaly and Central Greece has a more intense, robust flavour. Peloponnese feta is dryer in texture, full flavoured and more open.

Local environment, animal breeds, cultures all have an impact on the texture, flavour and aroma of feta. On the whole, Feta is a pickled curd cheese that has a salty and tangy taste enhanced by the brine solution. The texture depends on the age which can be extremely creamy, or crumbly dry. Upon maturation of 2 months, feta is sold in blocks submerged in brine. The cheese can be used a table cheese or melted on a traditional Greek salad, spanakopita, pizza or pie. It tastes delicious with olive oil, roasted red peppers and nuts. If required, it can be washed under water to remove the extra saltiness. The salty flavour of Feta pairs well with beer, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel.

Made from pasteurized or unpasteurized goat 's and sheep 's milk Country of origin: Greece Region: Macedonia, Thrace, Thessaly, Central Mainland Greece, the Peloponnese and Lesvos Family: Feta Fat content (in dry matter): 16% Fat content: 21 g/100g DIY Feta Cheese: Homemade Fresh Cheese is Easy to Make and Better than Store Bought | Bay Area Bites | KQED Food DIY Feta Cheese: Homemade Fresh Cheese is Easy to Make and Better than Store Bought PRINT DIY feta cheese is a great introduction to home cheesemaking. Photo: Kate Williams Of all the recipes in my DIY arsenal, homemade cheese has perhaps the greatest reward. While I still stick with the experts when it comes to cheddar, blue, and Parmesan, I prefer to make fresh cheeses at home. Why? Most of the simple cheeses I make at home take little equipment, and their pure, sweet flavor is far better than most feta, cream cheese, and chèvre I buy at the store.

Ricotta (essentially curdled milk) is a fine place to start, but for not much more effort, homemade feta is a real treat. You’ll need to order a few supplies from a cheesemaking supply store—rennet, calcium chloride, and a starter culture—but you’ll be able to use these items again and again in the future. Homemade cheese is only a gallon of milk away. To make feta cheese, you’ll need a gallon of milk (goat, cow, or sheep), mesophilic starter culture, rennet, and calcium chloride. Photo: Kate Williams I like to use goat’s milk when I make feta, but you can use cow or sheep (if you can find it) instead. When looking for milk for cheesemaking, it is important to consider the level of pasteurization. Raw milk will work great (and doesn’t require starter cultures), but you can use pasteurized milk as long as it hasn’t been ultra-pasteurized. Ultra-pasteurization heats the milk to 280 degrees, effectively killing any micro-organisms in the milk.

You want these microbes in the milk in order for the cheese to curdle properly and for the final cheese product to actually have flavor. HTST pasteurization (usually just labeled “pasteurized”) only heats the milk to 161 degrees, and as such will generally produce much better cheese. Once you get the milk home, it’s time to heat it up to a proper incubation temperature. 86 to 88 degrees is ideal, and you’ll want to heat the milk slowly to avoid scalding. I like to use an enameled cast iron Dutch oven when I make cheese because its thick walls will keep the milk well-insulated. To properly incubate the milk and set the curd, the milk needs to be at a warm 86 to 88 degrees. Using a heavy Dutch oven will help keep the milk insulated. Photo: Kate Williams Now that the milk is warm, add the starter culture. You’ll need to let it hydrate for a few minutes before whisking it in to the milk using a gentle up-and-down motion to distribute thoroughly. For feta, you need to use a mesophilic starter culture.

Mesophilic bacteria like low to moderate temperatures and are used to make the vast majority of cheeses (anything from our feta to cheddar to even camembert). Thermophilic cultures are heat-loving cultures and are used to make cheeses that need to be heated above 102 degrees, like mozzarella and Parmesan. Once the culture is incorporated, let the milk ripen, covered for an hour. Next, add a diluted calcium chloride solution, stirring it into the milk in the same manner as the culture. The calcium chloride will help the milk form firmer, easier-to-work-with curds. When milk goes through the pasteurization and homogenization process, it can lose a substantial amount of calcium, which will in turn affect the clotting properties of the milk once rennet is added. In order to make sure the calcium chloride is evenly distributed, it is best to dilute it in a bit of water before adding it to the milk. Both rennet and calcium chloride are key ingredients to forming a firm curd. Photo: Kate Williams Finally, add the rennet.

Animal rennet comes from the stomach lining of calves, lambs, or goats, and the enzymes present in the stomach cause the milk to coagulate and separate into firm curds and whey. (Acids will also cause milk to coagulate, but will not form firm, stable curds.) If animal rennet makes you squeamish, you can use vegetable rennet. Vegetable rennet contains the same enzymes as the animal version, yet is derived from a species of mold. Just like the calcium chloride, it is necessary to dilute the rennet before adding it to the milk, and to whisk it in slowly, using an up-and-down motion. Once the rennet is incorporated, cover the pot and let it sit at room temperature for another hour. At this point the milk should have transformed into a sold mass of curd surrounded by light yellow whey. To check if the milk is fully set, you’ll want to perform a “clean break” test. Simply stick an offset spatula or thin knife into the cheese and gently push it sideways. You should see a clean line of separation between the curds and the whey.

If the line of separation is still blurry, re-cover the pot and let it sit for 15 more minutes before testing again. Cutting the curd into small cubes allows it to release whey and form solid cheese. Photo: Kate Williams Now it is time to cut the curds. Using that same spatula or knife, cut the curds into a grid of 1/2-inch squares. It doesn’t have to be totally perfect, but evenly cut curd will (logically) drain more evenly than curd cut into random-sized blocks. Let the cut curd sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. To firm the curds up just a bit, you’ll need to slowly heat the whey up to 90 degrees. I like to do this over the lowest heat possible so that it takes around 20 minutes to bring the whey up to temperature. While the pot is heating, stir the curds gently using a flexible rubber spatula. This process will break the curds up into smaller pieces and allow them to release more whey. Make sure you’re checking the temperature of the yellow whey (not the curds) every few minutes to monitor its progress.

Let the curds rest for 5 minutes, undisturbed. To drain the gently cooked curds, transfer them to a colander lined with butter muslin or cheesecloth. Photo: Kate Williams While the curds rest, line a colander with damped butter muslin or a double layer of cheesecloth, letting excess cloth hang over the sides of the colander. Now gently transfer the curds to the colander using a slotted spoon. Let the curds drain for about 30 minutes, or until there’s little whey visible around the curds. Don’t throw away the drained whey—you’ll need it to make a brine later. The curds then need to drain overnight wrapped in the muslin. I like to hang the sack of curds off of a spoon on top of a stockpot. Photo: Kate Williams To let the curds drain further, gently tie the corners of the muslin into a sack, and slip a long wooden spoon through the knot. Use the spoon to hang the sack of curds over a deep stockpot or bucket.

Tie the corners of the muslin together to create a sack, slip a wooden spoon handle through the knot, and hang the sack over a stockpot or bucket. Transfer the pot to the refrigerator and let the curds continue to drain overnight. Once the cheese has firmed up, it should hold its shape in a ball. Photo: Kate Williams Sliced slabs of cheese are then heavily salted before curing in the refrigerator for 5 days. Photo: Kate Williams Now that the curds are drained, it’s time to salt the cheese. Gently unwrap the ball of cheese and slice it into slabs that are about one inch thick. Place the slabs in a rimmed baking dish (or a couple if you’ve only got small ones handy), and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of kosher salt, covering both sides. It sounds like a lot of salt, but much of it will draw moisture out of the cheese and will be drained off. Plus, feta is salty! Cover the dishes with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until the cheese has stopped extruding whey, about five days. You’ll want to drain off extruded whey and flip the slabs over once a day.

Finally, after those long five days of waiting, your feta can be ready to eat. If you prefer a saltier, brined feta, slice the slabs into 1-inch cubes and transfer to a large, 1-quart glass canning jar. Whisk the two cups of reserved whey with 3 tablespoons of kosher salt and pour the brine over the feta. (You’ll probably have extra brine.) Let the feta sit in the brine, refrigerated, for at least 24 hours or up to 3 weeks before using. I find a way to sneak my homemade feta on to and into just about everything in my kitchen. My current favorite is using the cheese as a topping for poached eggs in tomato sauce. Store the feta in a jar covered in brine (made from extruded whey and salt) for up to 3 weeks. Photo: Kate Williams Recipe: Feta Cheese Makes about 1 pound Note: You can make this cheese vegetarian by using vegetable rennet, but pay close attention to the conversion amounts on the package. Some vegetable rennets are less concentrated than animal rennet. You may need to use more than what is listed in the recipe.

Ingredients: 1 gallon pasteurized whole goat, sheep, or cow’s milk 1/4 teaspoon direct-set mesophilic starter culture 1/4 teaspoon liquid calcium chloride diluted in 1/4 cup cool non-chlorinated water 1/4 teaspoon liquid animal rennet diluted in 1/4 cup cool non-chlorinated water 5 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt Equipment: Non-reactive stockpot or Dutch oven Whisk Offset spatula or thin knife Rubber spatula 1-quart glass jar Instructions: In a nonreactive stockpot or Dutch oven, gently heat the milk over low heat until it reaches 86 degrees. This should take about 15 minutes. Remove the milk from the heat. Sprinkle the starter culture over the milk and let it hydrate for 2 minutes. Whisk the starter into the milk, using an up-and-down motion to distribute thoroughly. Cover and let the milk ripen at room temperature for 1 hour. Add the diluted calcium chloride, whisking it gently with an up-and-down motion for two minutes. Then add the rennet in the same way. Cover the pot and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

At this point the curds should have formed a solid mass and light yellow whey will float to the surface. The curds should show a clean line of separation when cut with a thin knife. (This is called the clean break test.) If the curds do not separate cleanly, let the curds sit for another 15 minutes, and test again. Using an offset spatula or thin knife, cut the curds into a grid of 1/2-inch squares. Let the cut curd sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. Stir the curds gently using a flexible rubber spatula for 20 minutes, while raising the temperature slowly (over low heat) to 90 degrees. This process will break the curds up into smaller pieces and allow them to release more whey. Let the curds rest for 5 minutes, undisturbed. While the curds rest, line a colander with damped butter muslin or a double layer of cheesecloth, letting excess cloth hang over the sides of the colander. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the curds to the prepared colander and let drain for 30 minutes.

Save and refrigerate 2 cups of the leftover drained whey to use in step 10. Tie the corners of the muslin together to create a sack, slip a wooden spoon handle through the knot, and hang the sack over a stockpot or bucket. Transfer the pot to the refrigerator and let drain overnight. At this point, the cheese should no longer be dripping whey. The next day, unwrap the cheese from the muslin and gently slice into 1-inch thick slabs. Place the slabs in a single layer in one or two rimmed baking dishes and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of salt on each side of the slabs. Cover and refrigerate until the feta is very firm and has stopped extruding whey, about 5 days. Drain off the extruded whey and flip the slabs over once a day. Slice the slabs into 1-inch cubes and transfer to a 1-quart canning jar. Whisk the reserved 2 cups of whey with remaining 3 tablespoons salt to create a brine. Pour the brine over feta and refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to 3 weeks.

Information: Cheesemaking supplies like starter cultures, rennet, calcium chloride, and butter muslin are available through cheesemaking.com and culturesforhealth.com . Show Comments (4) Hide Comments Marty Shulman In the North Bay, J&M Brewing Supplies in Novato carries the supplies needed for this feta. (And for cheese making in general) Mary Can you please tell me how much feta this recipe yields and how long it lasts before it has to be used? riceball1 I’ve been making this cheese recipe since last year, and I want to let you know it has always worked for me. The only thing is perhaps the brine doesn’t really keep it from becoming soggy, but I’ve found other recipes online I’ll try to make sure this doesn’t happen (so far haven’t been success). But great job and thanks for sharing! This has made it possible for me and hubby to make fresh cheese with the best possibly ingredients we can buy. Frances Quinn I am able to get raw cow’s milk. What would the directions be for that not using the cultures, please? Author Kate Williams Kate Williams grew up outside of Atlanta, where twenty-pound baskets of peaches were an end-of-summer tradition.

After spending time in Boston developing recipes for America's Test Kitchen and pretending to be a New Englander, she moved to sunny Berkeley. Here she works as a personal chef and food writer, covering topics ranging from taco trucks to modernist cookbooks. In addition to KQED's Bay Area Bites, Kate's work appears on Serious Eats, Berkeleyside NOSH, The Oxford American, America's Test Kitchen cookbooks, and Food52. Cooking with the Bible - MILK, MILK BEVERAGES, CHEESES, AND OTHER MILK PRODUCTS Cooking with the Bible MILK, MILK BEVERAGES, CHEESES, AND OTHER MILK PRODUCTS Butter The making of butter is almost as old as the milking of goats, cows, and other milk-producing animals. Butter is easily made by letting a pan of milk set quietly until the cream floats to the top. The cream is skimmed off and allowed to sour and thicken into a form called clabber cream. Churning or other techniques are then used to shake up the cream and separate it into a liquid (buttermilk) and a solid fat (butter). Butter consists of 80 percent fat.

Butter is solid but soft at room temperatures. It stores well when refrigerated and can even be frozen to extend its shelf-life. It also melts easily but resolidifies quickly. Butter is usually pale yellow, though the actual shade of yellow depends on the milk animal's diet. Butter is usually salted, though unsalted butters are now available. Sweet butter (or sweet cream butter) is made from unfermented milk in the same ways as other butters. Butter appears often in the Old Testament (e.g., Genesis 18:8; Deuteronomy 32:14; Judges 5:25; II Samuel 17:29; Job 20:17). Over the millennia, butter has been used as a medicine and a cosmetic. During the Middle Ages, butter was also used as a packing medium to protect fragile articles during transport: the item was submersed in melted butter, moved when the butter had solidified, then melted out of the butter at its destination. [ top ] Buttermilk Buttermilk is the liquid left after butter is made from full-cream milk. Buttermilk has a slightly sour taste and is a popular refreshing drink, particularly in India.

Nowadays, buttermilk is cultured by adding souring agents (such as lactic acid) to whole milk. Buttermilk is an important ingredient in many Middle Eastern breads, creamy soups, and cream sauces. [ top ] Cheese Made in nearly every country where milk is produced, cheese is a solid food made from curdled milk, primarily the milk of cows, goats, sheep, reindeer, camels, and water buffalo. To make cheese, milk is first cultured with bacteria, as in the making of buttermilk. The milk is then curdled (broken into solid [curds] and liquid [whey]) by adding a curdling agent such as rennet (sometimes known as rennin, which is the pure enzyme), vinegar, or lemon juice. The whey is drained away, and the curds may be pressed to remove additional moisture before they are aged (sometimes called ripened) to allow them to dry further and develop flavor. Sometimes the curds are exposed to molds or bacteria, washed with beer or brandy, smoked over fragrant woods, coated with herbs and spices, or even encased in wax to give them particular flavors or consistencies. Cheeses are either natural or processed.

The natural cheeses include Soft, unripened (fresh) cheeses, such as Cottage Cheese, Cream Cheese, Farmer Cheese, Mascarpone, Mozzarella, Ricotta, and String Cheese. These are generally low in fat and sodium and relatively neutral in taste so that they combine readily with many other foods. Semisoft cheeses, such as Bel Paese, Brick, Edam, Fontina, Gouda, Jarlsberg, Liederkranz, Limburger, Muenster, Port Salut, Provolone, and Tilsit. These comprise the largest category of cheeses; they are relatively moist and delicatetasting, and they slice and melt well for use in sandwiches or in cooking. Soft-ripened cheeses, such as Brie and Camembert. These cheeses are aged after their surfaces are sprayed with penicillin, developing soft, edible rinds. They are generally lower in calories than firm cheeses. Firm (hard) cheeses, such as Cheddar, Colby, Gruyère, Monterey Jack, and Swiss. These cheeses are quite popular for cooking, and they have a robust flavor that makes them ideal for snacking.

Losing moisture as they age, they provide a more concentrated source of calcium than softer cheeses. Very hard (grating) cheeses, such as Asiago, Dry Jack, Parmesan, Romano, and Sapsago. These cheeses have dense textures and highly concentrated flavors. They grate finely, and can even be grated when frozen. Blue-veined cheeses, such as Gorgonzola and Stilton. These cheeses are inoculated with molds and allowed to ripen until they develop blue-green veins and intense flavors. Goat's- and sheep's-milk cheeses, such as Chèvre, Feta, and Roquefort. These cheeses tend to be higher in fat but lower in cholesterol than cow's milk cheeses. Processed cheeses are made by melting one or more ground natural cheeses to form a smooth mass, pasteurizing, adding sweeteners, pouring out, and then slicing when the cheese recongeals. Most cheeses are high in protein, vitamins A and B12, calcium, phosphorus, riboflavin, and zinc. They are also high in calories, fat, cholesterol, and sodium. The actual nutritional content varies depending on the type of cheese and the process by which it is made.

In general, the harder cheeses provide more calcium than the softer. Cheese appears at least three times in the biblical texts (I Samuel 17:18; II Samuel 17:29; Job 10:10), where it denotes curdled milk. Cheeses of all types are very common in Middle Eastern cooking. [ top ] Cheese, camel's-milk Camel's-milk cheese is made, of course, from camel's milk, though the processing of camel's milk into cheese is said to be more difficult than the processing of other milk into cheese because camel's milk is more difficult to curdle, or thicken. Furthermore, the cheesesmade fromcamel's milk tend to be soft and perishable. On the other hand, camel's-milk cheese is high in vitamins, low in cholesterol, and low in lactose. One cheese, kadchgall, is sometimes made from camel's milk clotted with yogurt, though it is usually made from sheep's milk. Camel's-milk cheese is most likely the curds indicated in Genesis 32:15 (KJV). [ top ] Cheese, cheddar Cheddar cheese is a firm cheese that is the favorite of U.S.

consumers, representing about 33 percent of the total U.S. cheese consumption. Ranging from white to deep orange, cheddar is mild and slices easily. It is used in sandwiches and salads, as a snack or appetizer, and in cooking. It is usually made from cow's or goat's milk. [ top ] Cheese, Edam Edam is the famous Dutch cheese that comes covered in red wax or red cellophane. A semisoft cheese, mild and buttery-tasting, it is made from part-skim milk. [ top ] Cheese, feta First developed in Greece, feta cheese can be made from either goat's or sheep's milk. It is chalky-white in color and very porous. Feta cheese, made in brine, has a high sodium content; the sodium can be reduced by draining the cheese and rinsing it in fresh cold water. [ top ] Cheese, ricotta curds Ricotta is a soft, unripened cheese made from whey and whole or skim milk. Finely textured, it can be eaten alone, though it is most often used as an ingredient in Italian pasta dishes (such as lasagna and cannelloni) and pastries.

[ top ] Cheese, sheep's-milk A variety of sheep's-milk cheeses are available, from salty feta to pungent Roquefort. Sheep's-milk cheeses tend to be higher in fat than those made from cow's milk. [ top ] Cream Cream is the fatty layer that rises to the top of unhomogenized milk. (Homogenization is the process whereby the milkfat is distributed evenly throughout the milk, usually by forcing the milk through small openings to break the fat into tiny particles that remain suspended instead of rising to the surface.) There are two types of cream: sweet and sour. Sweet creams include half-and-half, light cream (also called coffee cream or table cream), light whipping cream, and heavy cream. Heavy cream will contain 36 percent milkfat, while half-and-half will contain between 10.5 and 18 percent milkfat. Sour creams include dairy sour cream, sour half-and-half, lowfat sour cream, light sour cream, and fat-free sour cream. Sour creams contain at least 18 percent milkfat, and they are made by culturing cream with lactic acid bacteria.

[ top ] Kashkaval Also known as caciocavallo, kashkaval is a type of cottage cheese, usually made from cow's or sheep's milk. It originated in Sicily, probably in the 14th century c.e., where it was most likely made from the milk of mares (hence the name caciocavallo, which means “cheese on horseback”—or the name may relate to the practice of hanging the cheese molds astride horizontal rods; in old Italian street talk, to “end up like caciocavallo” meant “to be hanged”). Now it is popular throughout southeastern Europe, from Hungary to Turkey. It has a mild, slightly salty flavor that becomes more pungent as it ages; soft when young, it is granular and ideal for grating when mature. [ top ] Kefir Kefir is a liquid drink that is somewhat like yogurt. Originally from eastern Europe, it was made from mare's milk and fermented with a cultured starter until it became slightly alcoholic. Modern versions of kefir are made from cow's or camel's milk, are nonalcoholic, are less tart than plain yogurt, and are available plain or flavored with fruit.

[ top ] Milk Milk is perhaps the one food that every human being has consumed in his or her life, as every human baby is dependent on milk—either its own mother's breast milk, the breast milk of a wet nurse, or milk from another animal—for sustenance and survival. Humans have taken milk from many mammals over the millennia: goats, sheep, mares, llamas, donkeys, buffalo, camels, reindeer, and yaks, in addition to cows, which provide the vast majority of milk for human consumption. For most of history and much of human prehistory, people (primarily young children) drank milk fresh, soon after the animals (whichever they were) had been milked; but milk is also the raw material for butter, cheese, cream, and yogurt and has been processed in many ways to suit the human palate. Perhaps the first peoples to consume the milk of another species were the nomads of the Eurasian steppes, who preferred mare's milk to all other types, even though they had sheep and goats. In historic times, the first record of milking comes from a 2900 b.c.e. frieze found at Ur, in ancient Mesopotamia.

For both the ancient Israelites and Egyptians, milk, mostly goat's milk but perhaps also from sheep and cows, was a rare treat, synonymous with wealth: thus the Promised Land was called the “land flowing with milk and honey.” The milking of buffalo in China began about 2000 b.c.e., though again, milk seems to have been accessible only to the wealthy. When the Aryans entered India about 1750 b.c.e., they brought their herds of cows along; these nomads depended so heavily on milk products that the cow became sacred on the subcontinent. The ancient Greeks had milk from goats and sheep, preferring the former, but used it primarily to make cheese. The ancient Romans seem to have preferred sheep's milk; they also used it to make cheese but did mix milk with wine for drinking. Of all the milks, donkey's (or ass's) milk is the closest to human milk. Human milk has more fat, but otherwise they are similarly digestible. Next would be mare's milk, which was probably the first that humans consumed on a regular basis, and goat's milk, which is sweeter than cow's milk, followed by sheep's, camel's, and reindeer's.

At the bottom of the scale of digestibility by humans are the milks of cows, buffalo, and yaks. Why, then, does about 90 percent of the milk consumed by humans come from cows? The reason lies both in the animals' docility and in their responsiveness to selective breeding, which has rendered certain breeds of cows mere milk-producing machines. While some people praise the practice of breastfeeding because it provides exactly the correct nutrients for a human baby and also transfers certain antibodies from the mother to the infant, others claim that mother's milk has such high levels of antibiotics, pesticides, and other pollutants that it is unsafe for human consumption. It is true that chemicals tend to become concentrated in humans, who are high on the food chain; cows and goats and other milk-producing animals also ingest high levels of antibiotics and pesticides, so their milk is also adversely affected. Additionally, the required pasteurization of milk, a process by which it is purified for human use, destroys all the vitamin C and beneficial bacteria that were present in the milk when it was produced by the milk animal. Milk does contain significant amounts of calcium, phosphorous, and riboflavin, and calcium- and vitamin-fortified milk is often available for purchase.

At the same time, the human habit of drinking the milk of other animals is actually contrary to nature. Milk contains a rich sugar called lactose; cow's milk has a lot of it, and goat's milk has very little of it. Human babies produce an enzyme called lactase in their intestines, and only this enzyme can serve to digest lactose. As human babies mature into childhood and then into adulthood, their systems produce less and less lactase, until they are unable to digest milk (or most milk products) at all. Fully 80 percent of the world's people of color and many Mediterranean peoples are lactose intolerant, meaning that their digestive systems are unable to handle most milks, the result being painful gas, flatulence, cramps, and diarrhea. In recent years, lactase supplements have become available for those who enjoy milk, cheese, ice cream, and butter. A more natural solution would be to avoid milk and its derivatives: the body seems to know what is healthful for it to consume. [ top ] Milk, camel's Camel's milk is heavy and sweet (some might say unpleasantly so and might compare it to evaporated milk), but it is a highly prized luxury of desert peoples.

Unfortunately, a milk camel can give only 6 to 10 quarts of milk per day, even under completely favorable conditions. For this reason, camel's milk is not a major staple of the human diet. [ top ] Milk, goat's Goat's milk is generally sweeter than cow's milk. The fat in goat's milk is present in smaller globules than that in cow's milk, making raw goat's milk more digestible by humans; however, homogenization of milk breaks the fat globules apart anyway, so in the long run homogenized cow's milk is no less digestible than goat's milk. Additionally, goat's milk has slightly less lactose than cow's milk. [ top ] Yogurt Although yogurt has been a staple food in Asia, the Middle East, and eastern Europe for millennia, it did not become popular in the United States until the 1970s. To yogurt has been attributed the ability to cure everything from insomnia to cancer, but scientific research has not substantiated any of these claims. It is true, however, that yogurt provides calcium, protein, riboflavin, phosphorus, and vitamin B12.

It is versatile, delicious alone or with fruit, and can be substituted for mayonnaise, heavy cream, whipped cream, or sour cream in many recipes. To make yogurt, pasteurized and often homogenized milk is curdled with purified cultures of Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, special bacteria that turn the milk sugar (lactose) into lactic acid. Warmed in an incubator, the yogurt thickens and develops its distinct flavor. Sometimes nonfatmilk solids are added to make the yogurt even thicker. Usually, the bacteria survive the process; sometimes, the yogurt is pasteurized again, which kills the bacteria. Because the lactose has been reduced by the bacteria, yogurt is generally more digestible for people who are lactose intolerant; yogurt with live cultures (that is, yogurt that has not been heat treated after culturing) is most easily digested by such persons. The live cultures also help digest casein and may even help restore the beneficial bacteria to a digestive system that has been cleaned out by the use of antibiotics. Yogurt is available plain or flavored, in nonfat, low-fat, and whole-milk forms.

It is also available in frozen form, often as dessert products. Yogurt makes a fine topping for cereals. Blended with fresh or frozen fruits and/or fruit juices, it makes a low-fat shake. It can be mixed with scallions, chives, curry powders, herbs, or mustards to make a tangy dip for vegetables or chips. Yogurt can add texture to soups and guacamole and is a nutritious dressing for cucumber, chicken, and tuna salads. It is a low-fat substitute for sour cream atop baked potatoes and can serve as a tangy marinade for chicken and fish. If the whey is drained from yogurt, the result is yogurt cheese, which is a soft milk product that can be used in place of cream cheese, sour cream, or crème fraiˆche. Yogurt cheese is delicious in low-fat dips and spreads, in tuna or chicken salads, and in desserts. Yogurt is a popular ingredient in many Middle Eastern recipes. TED Case Study I. Identification 1. The Issue: Feta cheese is the heart and soul of Greek cuisine.

For centuries now Greeks have relied on cheese as their main source of proteins, and since sheep and goats were the main source of milk, feta was the cheese that covered such a need. It should come as no surprise then that Greeks are the number one cheese consumers in the European Union, and that their favorite cheese is feta. Unfortunately market forces have conspired against the cheese by producing bland imitations, this paper will seek to clarify the problem and reestablish the true origin of feta cheese. 2. Description: Brief History & Process of Cheese: Man discovered cheese accidentally while transporting milk in canteens made from young calf's or sheep's stomachs. Milk curdling enzymes which are present in the stomachs of an un-weaned animal, acted as the separating enzymes for the milk and created a form of cheese. The accidental discovery of cheese is a landmark in the cheese's history. This paper focuses on FETA a purely Greek cheese, so the history of cheese within Greece will be explored. Aristotles and Dioskouridis, renown philosophers, talked about mixing milk from the leaves of a fig tree with goats milk and obtaining cheese.

Others talked about making cheese by mixing fresh milk with lemon or vinegar, cheese is still made this way in the island of Crete. Greece is not the only country with peculiar cheese manufacturing techniques, in Spain and Portugal dried caper leaves were used as rennet in the manufacturing of their high quality cheese. A simple explanation on how cheese is made would be that the solids are separated from the liquids in milk by the addition of enzymes, which are most commonly known as rennet or rennin. The addition of enzymes produces whey, a thin layered whitish liquid, and curds, solid clumps. The curds are then concentrated and produce the soft white substance which we know as cheese. The texture, aroma and taste of each cheese is unique, varying with each step of the process. Throughout the process of producing cheese the qualities of its main component milk, are conserved. Thus cheese is very rich source of proteins, fats, vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well as aminoacids, all of which are essential for a balanced and nutritional diet. Cheese & the Greeks: Greek eating customs could be said that revolve around cheese. This is very different from the rest of Europe.

This difference is also present when contrasted to the other south European countries, which share a similar climate and a great variety products with Greece. For the Greeks, cheese is not a food supplement, it is food. In Europe cheese is generally consumed after the main dish. In France for example cheese is eaten as dessert, one would never see a Frenchman eat his filet mignon with cheese. The French can not imagine eating cheese at any other moment during the day, not even spreading a soft cheese over their world famous croissants. On the other hand in Italy cheese is served as an appetizer, for example mozzarella al pesto or fresh parmesan cheese with rucula and olive oil. Cheese is not part of the Italians main dish, and if one is thinking about pizza, it should be clarified that the original pizzas from Naples and Sicily did not include cheese as an ingredient. Cheese, anchovies, jam, and all the other ingredients that are known to adorn pizza's were not added until much later when the standard of living increased and these ingredients became affordable. Contrary to its European counterparts of France and Italy, Greeks consume cheese at all times.

Cheese can be had for breakfast, lunch, dinner, alone or with other food. Anybody who has lived or been to Greece knows that the one food that can be eaten any time of the day is "tyropita"- cheese pie. Even though eating habits around the world have changed, especially since the advent of fast food restaurants, Greeks most common and favorite food is cheese. For breakfast Greeks generally prefer hard or semi-hard cheeses accompanied by a fresh loaf of bread. If they are ever hungry during the day, whether they are at the office, in the fields picking olives or at home, they will stop for a "tyropita" or a "culuri" (the Greek bagel) with cheese to quell their hunger. The first food that is brought to the table during lunch is a fresh slice of feta with olive oil and oregano. In the evening fresh fruit and a little bit of cheese is still the number one choice of a light dinner in Greece. The Greek's fascination with cheese can be explained through its economic history. Greece was never a rich country, currently it has the lowest GNP per capita of the EU, so their every day diet was frugal.

Meat was scarce and expensive, this limited the intake of animal protein to weekends and holidays. Greeks had to find a way to substitute those proteins with something nutritious and not as expensive. Cheese was the answer to the problem, partly due to Greece's limited urbanization. The vast majority of Greeks used to be farmers or have small plots of land-"perivoli". The milk that they got from their limited livestock was conserved by producing cheese with it. Cheese was thus always available to the Greeks who never failed to put it on the table when they sat down to eat. This habit has allowed Greeks to become the highest consumers of cheese within the European Union with an average consumption of 23 kg per person per year. The French with an annual per capita cheese consumption of 22 kg's, are just one kilo behind the Greeks. Of all the cheese consumed by the Greeks 60% of it is soft cheese, and 40% of all cheese consumed is feta. That is to say that for every 10 kg's of cheese that are eaten, 4 kg's are feta cheese. Greece's economic prosperity has not limited its cheese consumption in the least.

Today the combined intake of meat and cheese proteins has turned into a hazard for the average Greek. This combined intake of proteins has led to a significant rise in the level of cholesterol and fat within the Greek population, but as the Greeks say "it is easier to loose your sole than your habit". FETA Cheese & The GREEKS : Feta cheese is as old as Greece itself. Homer in one of his memorable works, the Odyssey, describes how the giant sheppard Polythimos, made his cheese. The process described by Homer thousands of years ago, closely resembles the process by which feta cheese is still elaborated in Greece. Despite the fact that thousands of years seperate modern Greece from the Ancient Greece in which Homer lived, the process of making feta remains very similar. Up until 1898 feta was produced and consumed locally in Greece. That same year the first commercialization of feta is registered in the island of Syros, Greece. Until then feta could not be traded commercially due to the lack of a preservative. When brime was introduced as a preservative, the Greek flavour of feta cheese was able to propagate across the world. The history of Greek cheese does not end with feta.

Even though Greece has a mountainous landscape that is ideal for sheep and goats to prosper in, cows have also been a part of Greek cheese history. The availability of sheep and goats allowed for the creation of cheeses based on their milk more easily, but it is a renowned fact that Greece has always had cows as well. Through Greek mythology we learn that cows were used as sacrifice for the Gods, but more specifically we know about cows through myths about Hercules. Hercules was in charge of cleaning the stables of King Angean, who had a herd of 3,000 oxen whose stable had not been cleaned for more than thirty years. In the myth cows were used for their meat and the oxen were used in the fields for ploughing and for carrying heavy loads. Despite the fact that cows were available for milking in Greece hundreds of years ago, only in the early 20th century did Greece start producing fresh cow's milk. There is one exception though, and that is the islands of the Cyclades. In these islands, cow milk had been used for producing cheese before mainland Greece ever started producing it and using it for the production of cheese. The puzzling question is how did the cows get there?

The Venetianï¿½s and the Italianï¿½s repeatedly conquered the islands of the Cyclades, therefore becoming protectorates and ducats of these European states for hundreds of years. The conquerors generally brought with them Catholic priests and monks in their effort to convert the predominantly Orthodox population. Catholic monks are renowned for their strong working habits. So not only did they bring their customs and their utensils, they also brought with them their animals which included cows. This is how the islands of Tinos, Naxos and Syros were able to produce their renowned cheeses from cow's milk. FETA CHEESE- The Process: Feta is a soft white cheese full of uneven small holes, it does not have an outer layer as some cheese's do. Feta in Greek means slice, the name comes from the cutting of the curd into pieces after elaboration. It used to be called 'barrel' cheese or 'tsadila' cheese. The names came to be because 'tsadila' is the cloth that is used in the process of draining the curd, and 'barrel' because it is usually conserved in barrels or tins full of brime.

Feta cheese is stored in rectangular pieces of 1 to 2 kilos, preserved in brime in barrels or tins of 25 to 50 kilos. In the super markets it is sold in indivudual prepackaged pieces, or can be bought from the deli directly from the barrel. Tasty mature feta has the following chemical breakdown: humidity 52%, fat 25-26%, proteins 17%, and salt 1.8-2.75%. Feta cheese matures after a period of 2 months in the brime, and should be conserved in the fridge at 2ï¿½-5ï¿½ celsius. Feta cheese is traditionally made from unpasteurized milk, but can also be produced with pasteurized milk. During curdling no heat is used and the temperature must remain between 24ï¿½-36ï¿½ degrees celcius during the process. The milk used has to be natural or processed sheep's milk, and in some cases even sheep yogurt may be used.

After the curdling in complete, the whey is removed and the curd is cut into large pieces and placed in molds to drain., once fully drained it is salted and left to repose in low temperatures. It is then placed in barrels or tins which are filled with brime and is left to mature for no less than 60 days. The production of feta is still a traditional a traditional skill as the salt content, temperature at which the enzymes are added, acidity, way of straining are determined by each cheese maker to give a distinct character to his own particular product. Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) & its Specifications for Cheese: The European Union (EU) with its open borders and common currency has united 15 very different countries politically and economically. Socially however the EU will never be able to blend its current or eventual members in one big 'melting pot' like the United States is. Each country, in spite of this union, maintains its individuality with its customs, religion, local tradition and products. Out of all these the one that needed protection from such an all encompassing union were each country's unique products.

For this purpose in 1992 the EU past the regulation 1208, which explicitly clarified under which conditions a product may be determined as a PDO for either its name or its geographic origin. This regulation was established in order to defend the position of a product within its particular market. The importance of having a product labeled as PDO is that it serves as a guarantee of quality and tradition. In the feta case it would guarantee that the consumer is getting feta cheese made from sheep's and goats milk not partially skimmed cow's milk. Currently only 15% of the consumers within the EU know what PDO stands for.(Mamalakis, 35) The designation of PDO for a product is not limited only to cheese. Sweets, sausages, a kind of meat produced in a certain area, the water from a particular spring, a fruit, olives, olive oil, and many other products may be PDO. Champagne, Cognac, Roquefort are only some examples of products that enjoy a PDO. The conditions needed for a cheese to become a Protected Designation of Origin are: A) The cheese must be produced and matured in a specific geographical region.

The animals that whose milk is used in making the cheese have to adhere to the predetermined species and they must live, graze and be milked in the same area. B) The use of chemical substances for the maturing and coloring of the cheese is prohibited. The milk must not contain any antibiotics. C) It must be produced in the traditional manner.(Mamalakis, 35) The specifications are quite clear as to what constitutes a cheese under the label of PDO. Greece has submitted several products to be considered as PDO, amongst them feta cheese. Feta cheese due to its popularity and prominence within the cheese category has encountered several barriers which impede its categorization as a PDO. Greece has managed to protect 20 other cheeses, out of a total of 126 cheeses which are protected as PDO by EU regulation. If a product is classified as PDO it means that no one in the same country but different area, or abroad may produce the product and give it the protected designation of origin name. When a product is labeled as a PDO both the consumer and the producer are protected and the traditional production and taste of the product is promoted.

Judgement of the European Court of Justice (ECJ): To obtain the necessary data needed for a possible registration of the name "feta" as a protected designation of origin-"PDO"-or its inclusion in the list of generic names, as demanded by a majority of other Member States, the European Commission arranged for a Eurobarometer survey to be carried out, questioning 12,800 nationals of the twelve member States then making up the European Community. It was concluded from the survey, that the name "feta" had not become the common name of the product, and that it continued to evoke a Greek origin. The name "feta" was thus registered as a PDO to cover Feta produced in Greece. Denmark, Germany and France contested the decision, on the basis that feta cheese has been produced and legally marketed under the name "feta" since 1963 in Denmark, 1981 in the Netherlands and 1985 in Germany, for example. Greece also contests the process, since sheep and/or goats milk should be used, and certain countries use cow's milk in the process.

The ECJ concluded that the Commission had played down the situation existant in the Member States other than the state of origin. The Commission whilst conducting the survey back in 1996 did not take into account all the factors at play. In order to decide whether a name has become generic or not, the situation existing in the Member State in which the name originates and in areas of consumption, together with the relevant national or Community legislation, must all be taken into account. Particularly the Commission should have taken into account the existence of similar products legally on the market. The procedure the Commission followed to determine whether the name "feta" had become generic or not was found void, hence the ECJ anulled the regulation which registered "feta" as a protected designation of origin for "feta" cheese produced in Greece. The World Trade Organization & The Feta Cheese Legal Struggle : The World Trade Organization has a similar take on intellectual property as the ECJ with regard to naming a product after its geographic origin. The WTO under the Treaty on Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement states that "the use of a place to describe a product in this way -a "geographical indication"- usually identifies both its geographical origin and its characteristics".

It also states that exceptions are allowed if the name is a trademark or if it has become the generic name of the product. The ECJ reversed its decision based on the fact that 'feta' had become the generic name of that particular type of cheese. Both the WTO and the European Union (EU), who abides by the rules and rulings of the ECJ, have the same position on the issue. Greece could in theory pursue this case within the realm of the WTO once its legal possibilities within the EU are exhausted. This would allow for the case to gain more international exposure and both sides would have to resubmit their positions leaving room for an interpretation which would favor Greece once again. Whether one views this case from the WTO or the EU perspective on intellectual property with regards to geographical origin of products or foodstuffs it makes no major difference. The TRIPS clause defines geographical origin as a good originating in the territory of a member, or a region or lacality in that territory, where a given quality, reputation, or other characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographical origin. This definition is very similar to that put forth by the European Court of Justice.

The WTO's enforcement of intellectual property rights seeks to protect the creator of a particular good by allowing him to be the only one that can produce that particular type of good. In doing so it also protects the consumer by guaranteeing the process and ingredients of the product he/she is buying. The EU with its appointment of products as PDO seeks to achieve the same goal within its economic community. Many products enjoy such protection, and in many cases it serves as an indication of quality. If 'feta' cheese were categorized as a PDO the consumer would also be protected from similar products which offer in certain cases a very different taste to the traditional Greek taste of 'feta'. Such is the case with cheese labeled as 'feta' in the US which is made from cow's milk. This can only resemble the original product and in no way follows the conditions put forth by the Greek government's parameters for the labeling of a cheese as 'feta'. This allows for a tremendous discrepancy of quality and content of the same product. When one buys 'blue cheese' he expects to get a taste similar to that of 'Roquefort' cheese produced in France, but is aware that he is not getting the true traditional product but rather an imitation.

With 'feta' cheese it is the same just that when the consumer buys the product he is not aware that he is purchasing a different version of the traditional 'feta' cheese. The traditional production and taste of the product is not promoted so both the producer and consumer loose, it is a no win situation. 3. Related Cases: A point should be made with regard to the categorization of this particular case. It could be categorized in the 'water, food and drink' category or in the 'intellectual property' category. Because of its lack of clarity finding related cases was complicated. In total I found four cases which are directly related to mine, these are: basmati, cassis, chocolat, and pisco. Of these four relevant cases only two are in western Europe, cassis and chocolat, and neither of them are categorized under intellectual property. Three of the cases are categorized under the environmental problem of 'general habitat loss' (chocolat, basmati, and pisco), the remaining case, cassis, is categorized under 'indigenous rights'. The only two cases categorized under 'intellectual property' as the scope are basmati and pisco.

TABLES: #1)Western Europe cases in the TED Database: health 1 1 My case qualifies under a legal perspective which is not environmental but rather an 'intellectual property' casewithin the food realm. The fact that it involves a legal battle automatically includes the EU and its relevant institutions, in this case, the European Court of Justice (ECJ). There are two relevant cases in this particular table of the TED database, these are: cassis and chocolat. Both cases involve the ECJ in a legal battle to determine how much chocolate chocolate has to have(chocolat), whilst the other one regards minimum alcohol levels in alcoholic drinks (cassis). Not only is it relevant that these cases involve food products and their components, it is important to notice that the countries involved are the same ones which are battling Greece over the 'FETA' cheese name and components. In the Cassis case both France and Germany battle over the level of alcohol in the cassis alcoholic drink. The battle is a matter of national minimum standards in Germany and how they clash against French minimum alcohol standards. These two countries are now battling Greece about 'FETA' cheese, which is as Greek as the Acropolis is.

The legal framework of the EU allows countries with such discrepancies to sort it out in the ECJ. This case clearly falls within the context of existing cases because of its legal struggle within the context of the European Union. Two cases are directly relevant, and the others are clear examples of how EU regulations have come to cover every aspect of Europe, whether one agrees with it or not. #2) Intellectual Property cases in the TED Database: defor 1 1 This table offers a different perspective to my project. The TED case studies basmati and pisco, are within the context of my project because of the issue at hand. Unlike the other two cases mentioned above, these cases have to do with the name of the product. The previous two cases were relevant because of their context, the European Union and in particular the European Court of Justice, and how countries are able to battle out clashes of internal laws at an international level. In the basmati case study the United States and India battle over the name of a particular form of rice, while in the pisco case study Chile and Peru battle over the name of an alcoholic beverage. In this case Greece battles Denmark, Germany, adn France over the name of a particular kind of cheese.

These cases are directly related to each other even though they range from four distinct and far from each other continents. Feta is as Greek as pisco liquor is Peruvian and basmati rice is Indian. These three products elaboration dates back thousands of years so they have become national symbols. Just like in Greece, where a meal is not complete until feta cheese is at the table, in Peru a meal is not complete unless there is pisco sour on the table. Basmati rice is a slender, aromatic long grain rice with a nutty taste delicate texture that grows best in the valleys of Punjab in the Himalayan mountains (Adewumi). Only Peru has the soil, the climate, and the tradition in making pisco that gives [this] drink a special taste, and which allows [it] to be called pisco (Oakes). The above descriptions emphasize the importance of a products geographical origin, Greece is battling to achieve such recognition for its 'feta' cheese. The name of a product is fundamental to its economic success, if this were not so these cases and several other similar cases would not be occurring.

What should be pointed out is that in both the basmati case and the feta case, there is more at stake than just a name. Both India and Greece are economic midgets compared to the countries they are battling. The economy of these two countries will feel the slap if the product can originate from a different source other than the original countries. If this were not true why did France fight till the end to protect the name 'champagne' and 'cognac'? France is a country which its economy does not rely on these exports, India has at stake 10 percent of the total basmati exports. It is also a matter of protecting the products image, no matter how well other countries try to imitate the product, the conditions can never be fully replicated. The issue of these two case studies is identical to mine, which offers the reader a perspective with regards to the many legal battles like these that occur in all corners of the world. Hyper-links to Related Cases b. Geographic Site: Western Europe c. Geographic Impact: Greece; 'Feta' is no longer considered a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) 10. Sub-National Factors: No 11.

Type of Habitat: Temperate Greece has mild, wet winters and hot dry summers. Its terrain is mostly mountains with ranges extending into sea as peninsulas or chains of islands. Sheep & Goats-The essence of feta: When the Greek government set the paramaters which have to be met in order to be able to label a cheese as feta, it clearly stated that it had to be produced from sheep's milk. A combination of sheep and goats milk may also be used in the process as long as the goat's milk does not constitute more than 30% of the milk used. This clear cut specification allows the consumer to destinguish feta from other cheese and get a specialized product, but since feta is not a PDO one can buy feta produced with partially skimmed cow's milk. Using cow's milk may produce something similar to feta cheese but it is clearly not feta cheese and has a different taste altogether. The sheep or goat's milk used in the production of feta must be obtained from animals that live and graze in the following predetermined areas: Macedonia, Thrace, Thessalia, Epiros, Sterea Hellas, Peloponese, and the island of Lesvos.

All these areas are in Greece, so any other milk used, even if sheep or goats milk, that does not come from these areas does not qualify under the terms set forth by the Greek government so it can not be called feta. Greece has over 2,500 native plants and shrubs which are consumed by its sheep and goats. The different plants and shrubs consumed by the animals while grazing in the predetermined areas, allows for the milk they produce to acquire a variety of flavour and aromas and are embodied in the Greek feta cheese only. Sheep & Goat Milk Production FAO Yearbook Sheep Milk 1996 MT ï¿½000 Goat Milk 1996 MT ï¿½000 Sheep Milk 1997 MTï¿½000 Goat Milk 1997 MT ï¿½000 Greece 667460 650460 France 237430 220430 Germany N/A25 N/A25 Feta in essence is sheep milk cheese. The name comes from the Italian word 'feta' which stands for 'slice'.

The cheese was named that way because that was the way it was cut after elaboration and sold in the market. The graph above highlights the fact that Greece is one of the largest producers of sheepï¿½s milk, essential to the elaboration of feta. The United States, Germany and Denmark do not produce sheepï¿½s milk. This technically speaking would not allow them to produce feta cheese, since it is supposed to be made from sheepï¿½s milk. France is the only country that produces sheepï¿½s milk and if compared to the quantity produced in Greece the production levels are quite low. Greece in 1997 produced 650,000 metric tons of sheepï¿½s milk, while France only produced 220,000 metric tons. Greece even produces more goatsï¿½ milk than France, a country that is renowned for its goat cheese. In 1997 Greece produced 460,000 metric tons of goats milk, while France produced 430,000.

The difference is not large, but it further highlights Greece's competitive advantage in producing feta, which is made from sheepï¿½s or sheep and goat's milk. Animals and animal production in Greece constitutes about 30 percent of the total value of the country's agricultural output. Sheep and goats are the largest components of Greeceï¿½s animal population amounting to an estimated total of about 14 million heads. The meat and milk of sheep and goats provides 6.2 and 6.6 percent, respectively, of the agricultural total. The countryï¿½s very limited export of animalsï¿½ products is limited mainly to cheese, whose export value in 1997 was of US$ 80 million. IV. Trade Cluster 12. Type of Measure: Intellectual Property Rights Protected Designation of Origin (PDO): Geographical indication or name of a product either agricultural or foodstuffs which are protected by European Union law #1208. 13. Direct v. Indirect Impacts: Direct 14. Relation of Trade Measure to Environmental Impact a. Directly Related to Product: Yes, Feta cheese b. Indirectly Related to Product: No c.

Not Related to Product: No d. Related to Process: Yes, according to the Greek government 'feta' cheese is a salted white cheese traditionally produced in Greece from sheep's milk or a mixture of sheep and goat's milk. 15. Trade Product Identification: Feta cheese 16.

Economic Data: FAO Yearbook Value US$ 1996 ï¿½000 Volume MT 1996 ï¿½000 Value US$ 1997 ï¿½000 Volume MT 1997 ï¿½000 Germany 2315800458261 2110809476361 France 724159151238 633586153718 United States 623772N/A 584210N/A Greece 23134250747 24152568059 Denmark 10243031067 9737533879 This table more than anything else highlights the Greek's people fascination with cheese. Greece is currently the 10th largest importer of cheese in the world, this says allot for a population of only 10 million.

As stated earlier the Greek diet revolves around cheese, thus making it the largest consumer of cheese per capita in the European Union with 23 kilos per year. France, with a population of approximately 60 million, is a close second with 22 kilos of cheese per capita a year. 17. Impact of Trade Restriction: High 18. Industry Sector: Food 20. Environmental Problem Type: Culture 21. Name, Type, and Diversity of Species: Goats & Sheep 22. Resource Impact and Effect: High and Regulatory 23. Urgency and Lifetime: Low and Hundreds of Years 24. Substitutes: The lack of substitutes is the main problem in this case. The Greek government argues that the 'feta' produced outside Greece is an imitation which is produced wrongly. Feta cheese according to the Greek government has to be produced from sheep's or a mixture of sheep and goat's milk, originating from animals that live and graze in predetermined areas, all of which are in Greece. Countries which are currently producing feta are utilizing cow's milk in its production, this creates a cheese similar to feta, but it is definitely not 'feta'.

Since the cheese technically does not resemble feta, it should not be labeled as such. Consumers have become accustomed to the name 'feta' so coming up with an alternate name will be a marketing blow for the other countries. If the protected designation of origin rules and regulations are to be applied fairly throughout all products, 'feta' should be one of the products under that category. Feta Cheese: Buy Feta Cheese Online. Greek Sheeps Milk White Brine Recipes. igourmet.com Feta Cheese ABOUT FETA CHEESE Shop, Find Recipes, Read About the History of Feta Cheese Buy Feta Cheese online from igourmet.com! Please visit our online Feta Store and go shopping at the number one imported food delivery service in the USA. Feta, Greece's most popular cheese, is an aged white crumbly cheese made from sheep's milk or a mix of sheep's and goat's milk. Feta can also be made from cow's milk if a special culture is added to the milk to give it the characteristic sheep's milk flavor. Feta, a rather simple white brined cheese, has been made in Greece for thousands of years, but wasn't named "Feta" until the 1700s.

Feta means "slice" in Italian, and was named so because the cheese was traditionally sliced before it was placed in barrels for aging. How Feta Is Made Feta is made by forming the curd into large rounds or blocks, then draining off the whey. The Feta is then salted and stored in barrels for curing and preservation. Feta is stored in a brine solution which gives it its characteristic tangy flavor and texture, while helping the cheese retain its moisture. As feta ages, its flavor becomes sharper and saltier. The Feta Cheese develops small holes in its form and no rind due to the constant brining. Serving Feta Feta is mostly crumbled in salads in the US, but is consumed as table cheese in Mediterranean regions, often drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. Feta is a versatile cheese, as it melts well and can even be fried. Similar white brined cheeses are produced to imitate Feta but are prohibited by law in the EU from using the Feta name. These copycats may be called "salad cheese" or "Greek-style cheese".

Feta Cheese PDO In 2002, Feta was given PDO status or "protected designation of origin" status in the European Union. This designation maintains that feta can only be made in a traditional way within certain areas of Greece with milk from the sheep or goats from the local area. Our Feta Cheese selection includes Sheep's Milk Feta imported from Greece, France, and Bulgaria. When searching for Feta online, look no further than igourmet.com. Start Shopping Feta Feta Overview Feta cheese is a salty, pickled cheese that has traditionally been made from sheep’s or goat’s milk but is now commonly made from cow’s milk. Manufacture of feta from cow’s milk involves the use of rennet and acid to form a curd. In the first step of the process, the milk used is first adjusted to 5% fat content by the addition of an appropriate amount of cream and then pasteurized. Starter culture and lipolytic enzymes (breakdown fat and help develop flavour) are added. Once the appropriate acidity is reached, rennet is added and a curd is formed. The curds are cut and the whey is drained off.

Note that the curds are not cooked, but allowed to mat. The matted curds are then cubed and sealed under a salt brine. The cheese is then allowed to ripen for 2 to 3 months. Ripening under brine gives the cheese a characteristic flavour and texture. Ultrafiltration methods have also been developed for the production of feta cheese. Basically the cheesemilk is concentrated by ultrafiltration prior to the addition of starter, rennet and lipase. A heat treatment of 80°C is applied to the concentrated milk to denature whey proteins and discourage their solubilization in the brine. By incorporating the whey proteins, ultrafiltration methods give a better yield of feta cheese compared to the traditional method. A typical serving (55g) of feta cheese is an excellent source of riboflavin and vitamin B12, a good source of calcium, phosphorus and zinc and a source of protein, thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin A and folate. Features Feta cheese can be eaten on its own but has traditionally been used in Greek or Mediterranean dishes/products.

Today feta cheese is enjoying increased popularity in a wide range of applications. Feta cheese is typically found in blocks or in chunks. The cheese has a white colour and a salty, pickled flavour arising from the brine processing. Feta cheese melts well when heated. Composition The maximum allowable moisture content for feta cheese according to Canadian law is 55%. The minimum level of fat is 22%. Typical composition of feta cheese Moisture

Question: Feta cheese is made primarily from the milk of what animal?
Answer: Sheep