Dairy Sheep Symposium - the Department of Animal Sciences ...

eview of the literature relating to the potential for growth of pathogens in hard cheeses that are
aged for at least 60 days shows that such growth is not likely to occur because of the combined
effect of decreased pH, decreased water activity, and possibly other factors inherent to these
cheeses” (USFDA, 1999). However, in the recently released HHS and USDA Listeria risk
assessment and Listeria action plan, USDA and FDA advise pregnant women, older adults and
people with weakened immune systems that “cheeses that may be eaten include hard cheeses;
semi-soft cheeses such as Mozzarella; pasteurized processed cheeses such as slices and spreads;
cream cheese; and cottage cheese.” However, persons residing in these risk groups are advised
“do not drink raw (unpasteurized) milk or eat foods that contain unpasteurized milk.” (USDA,
2001). Following are potential regulations that may be proposed:
Full pasteurization of all cheese milk
This was the first fear that most cheesemakers had when the question of safety of raw milk
cheeses was first raised in 1995-96. However, with the statement made in 1999 concerning the
safety of hard cheeses (listed above, USFDA, 2001) and the dialogue going between the FDA
and American Cheese Society, indications are that FDA may be willing to accept raw milk hard
cheeses that are aged for 60 days. FDA will most likely require some additional regulations
concerning the potential presence of pathogens in raw milk used for cheesemaking. Soft ripened
and semisoft ripened cheeses will be required to be manufactured from pasteurized milk.
Raw milk hard cheeses with HACCP at the farm (Amer. Cheese Soc. Plan)
This is the current recommendation for future production of raw milk hard cheeses being
proposed by the Cheese of Choice Coalition. Critical control points in the HACCP program at
the farm would include antibiotic testing, temperature requirements on cooling and holding of
the raw milk and routine testing of incoming lots of raw milk for pathogens to ensure safety of
raw milk cheeses. The difficult aspect of this proposal involves the cost and time of analysis for
pathogens in the raw milk. What pathogens do you test for and do all lots of milk have to be
tested for pathogens? Assuming that you get some reduction of pathogens during the 60 day
aging period, will FDA allow a minimum level of pathogens (for instance,