Milk quality is a key concern in the dairy industry, as it is for raw materials in all food sectors. This requirement is also crucial for the world's most consumed PDO cheese: Grana Padano PDO, which in 2024 accounted for just over 22% of national milk production.
The production of Grana Padano PDO is governed by the Production Regulations. These contain a series of mandatory requirements. In addition to a description of the cheese released for consumption (such as its physical, chemical, analytical, and organoleptic characteristics), the precise boundaries of the production area, and the rules governing the processing process, they also provide guidelines for the production of raw milk.
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Cheeses made from unpasteurized milk have always been criticized for their hygiene safety. Tests conducted with microbiological challenge tests under the direct supervision of the health authority have demonstrated that the production process of Grana Padano PDO cheese guarantees hygiene safety against various pathogens (Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (Stec), and Staphylococcus aureus) from the moment the curd is extracted.
This is possible by cooking the curd above 53°C and then storing it in whey for at least 30 minutes. During this period, the time/temperature ratio is able to eliminate most of the non-spore-forming microorganisms present in raw milk. This, combined with the subsequent pH curve during the shaping phase and water activity during the subsequent salting and aging phases, ensures the maintenance of high levels of health and hygiene safety.
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The Grana Padano DOP Protection Consortium and the CSQA play a central role in monitoring and supervising the entire supply chain, ensuring that all dairy producers and dairies comply with the specifications.
Source: The Zootechnical Informer