Cheese

Definition

Fresh (unripened or uncured) cheese, including whey cheese; grated or powdered cheese of all kinds; processed cheese; blue-veined cheese and other cheese containing veins produced by Penicillium roqueforti; other cheese, e.g. ripened cheese.

For semi-liquid cheese and curd see specific card for Dairy produce.

For powdered cheese in bulk see specific card for Foodstuffs, powder.

Recommended minimum quantity for each final sample

0,5 kg

Applicable standards (ISO and EU Norms) and relevant legislation

EN ISO 707 Milk and milk products — Guidance on sampling.

You should also refer to your national legislation and national guidelines regarding sampling.

Equipment needed

Suggested sampling tool depending on the method used

Sampling scoop (L04-01)
Razor wire
General tools: knife, ladle, etc.

Containers to be used for the sampling

Plastic bags, different designs and sizes (P00)
Plastic bottles, wide mouth opening, size 500-1 000 ml (P03/P04), preferably not transparent.
Aluminium foil, cling foil, wax paper


P00	P03	P04

The containers must be made of a material suitable for food.

Safety precautions and risk assessment

You should be aware of and follow any health and safety instructions in the local risk assessment and/or safe working practices for the location where the sampling is to take place.
See Health and Safety for the Sampling of Food Products for detailed advice on hygiene and risks for chilled foods.
The hygiene of food products must be maintained.
Ensure you have clean and appropriate PPE for the circumstances.

Sampling plan

Type of consignment	Procedure
Consignments for customs clearance
	The aggregate sample consists of an appropriate number of incremental samples. One sample is usually taken as representing the goods covered by the same customs declaration.
Cartons with one or more cheeses. Goods in retail packages
	Sufficient entire cheeses in their original packaging should be sent to the laboratory to add up to the desired sample quantity. Samples are taken by random selection or systematically.
Cheese in bulk blocks ≤2 kg
	It is recommended that you send a whole block to the laboratory. If that is not possible, cut segments or slices of adequate size.
Cheese in bulk blocks >2 kg and ≤10 kg
	If possible take a whole block to form sample and reserve sample. Otherwise cut off a sample as shown in the next section.
Cheese in bulk blocks >10 kg
	Samples are cross-cut with a knife or a razor wire. block-shaped cheese, 3 - 10 kg: block-shaped cheese, 10 - 20 kg:

Handling of samples

General comments
	It is always preferable to take complete packages of cheese as samples. If it is not realistic to take whole packages, use an appropriate tool to cut off whole pieces as described above. Drilling cores from cheese blocks is not a sampling method recommended for customs purposes. When the consignment is composed of several types of cheese, each type of cheese within the consignment must be treated as a separate commodity and must be sampled separately.
Sampling form
	Fill in the sampling form. One copy should be attached to the samples and one copy should be kept for the record.
Transport
	Protect the samples against light and air contact. Protect the samples from sources of contamination (odour, liquids, other substances, microbiological growth, etc.). Keep cooled or refrigerated during transportation. The temperature of the cooling chain should be recorded. The samples should not be re-frozen. Frozen products should preferably be transported in a freezer. Alternatively, they can be transported in a refrigerator. Take care that the samples do not thaw during transport. The cooling chain must be maintained and should be recorded.
Storage
	Protect the samples against light and air contact. Protect the samples from sources of contamination (odour, liquids, other substances, microbiological growth, etc.). The samples shall be stored at a cool temperature, preferably at 0 to 4 °C; see EN ISO 707 for details. The cooling chain must be maintained and should be monitored and recorded. Freeze for long-term storage. Frozen products must be stored in a freezer. The cooling chain must be maintained and should be recorded.

List of HS Codes

*HS Number ^)**	Decription
0406	Cheese and curd
2106	Food preparations not elsewhere specified or included

^*) The commodities mentioned may also be covered by other specific sampling cards depending on their precise nature.

Cheese | SAM-110