NZ cheese makers can use raw milk, await costs

New Zealand cheese makers cheer approval of raw milk, await compliance details

By Jonathan Underhill

Sept. 2 – New Zealand cheese makers will be able to use raw, or unpasteurized milk starting in October, a move aficionados say allows the development of tastier, more complex products. The industry, though, is awaiting details of the compliance costs.

Some of the world’s most famous cheeses, including Roquefort and Parmigiano-Reggiano are made with raw milk but health authorities warn there are risks from bacteria in milk that hasn’t been pasteurised, or heat treated. Australia also restricts the use of raw milk in cheese. Fans of fine cheeses, however, claim the heat treatment destroys enzymes and bacteria that give an extra dimension of taste and texture.

“It’s tremendous news for our cheesemakers and fantastic for consumers,” said Bob Berry, managing director of Oamaru-based Whitestone Cheese. “When you pasteurize, you’re killing of a lot of the flavor-making bacteria and replacing that with starter cultures.”

Whitestone would experiment with different styles of cheese, including variations of its core white mould range, Berry said. Still, adopting raw milk would depend on the regulatory costs, which could end up being “very high” and deterring smaller producers.

Cheeses made with raw milk are currently limited to a small range of imported products. The change means local producers will be able to make such cheese for domestic and export sales. Raw milk products have to meet food safety standards and aren’t suitable for at-risk people such as pregnant women, young children and the elderly, Wilkinson said.

“This is about levelling the playing field and recognising we have some incredibly passionate cheesemakers in New Zealand who could produce raw milk cheeses to rival the best in Europe,” said Minister for Food Safety Kate Wilkinson, in a statement.

(BusinessWire)