Camembert Raw Milk Rules Approved
FRANCE - French authorities have approved revisions for the production of Camembert cheese, which only allows products derived from raw milk to carry the sought after AOC Appellation Contrôlée (AOC) Camembert de Normandie.
9 June 2008
1 minute read
An AOC is a French designation and label similar to the EU's geographical indications (GI) system, which requires certain French goods like cheeses and wines linked to specific areas of the country to meet strict production guidelines, reports Food Production Daily.
The approval this week of the designation by the dairy, food and forestry committee of the Institut National de l'Origine et de la qualite (INAO), which is responsible for the AOC system, will be seen as a victory for smaller artisan cheese makers.
According to the news agency, larger dairy producers in the country such as processor Lactalis have moved in recent years to using heat-treated milk - now not allowed under the AOC - in their camembert over what it calls a minor, but nonetheless legitimate, safety risk.
Despite these concerns, a committee representing the Normandy-based producers belonging to AOC, which helped draw up the new guidelines back in March, said the proposals were designed to ensure both the safety and quality of the final product.
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