United States Standards for Grades of Swiss Cheese, Emmentaler Cheese

AGENCY:

Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting comments on proposals to change the voluntary United States Standards for Grades of Swiss Cheese, Emmentaler Cheese. AMS is proposing changes that would: (1) Increase the allowable eye size range in Grade A Swiss cheese and define an allowable eye size range for Grade B Swiss cheese; (2) remove the block height recommendation for cheeses produced in rindless blocks; (3) add more clarity to the color requirements for Grades A and B Swiss cheese; (4) correct minor errors that currently exist in the tables; and (5) make minor editorial changes that will make the standard more uniform in appearance and easier to use. These changes are being proposed to strengthen the standard by providing Swiss cheese characteristics that incorporate changes in consumer preferences and facilitate the use of automated portioning and packaging equipment. Editorial changes are also proposed to provide consistency with other dairy product standards.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before September 18, 2000.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments may be submitted to Duane R. Spomer, Chief, Dairy Standardization Branch, Dairy Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 2746, South Building, Stop 0230, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, DC 20090-6456; faxed to (202) 720-2643; or e-mailed to Duane.Spomer@usda.gov.

Comments should reference the date and page number of this issue of the Federal Register. All comments received will be made available for public inspection at the above address during regular business hours.

The current United States Standards, along with proposed changes, are available either through the above addresses or by accessing AMS” Home Page on the Internet at www.ams.usda.gov/dairystand.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Charlsia Fortner, Dairy Products Marketing Specialist, Dairy Standardization Branch, AMS/USDA/Dairy Programs, Room 2746-S, P.O. Box 96956, Washington, DC, 20090-6456, (202) 720-7473.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Section 203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as amended, directs and authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture “to develop and improve standards of quality, condition, quantity, grade, and packaging, and recommend and demonstrate such standards in order to encourage uniformity and consistency in commercial practices * * *.” AMS is committed to carrying out this authority in a manner that facilitates the marketing of agricultural commodities and will make copies of official standards available upon request. The United States Standards for Grades of Swiss Cheese, Emmentaler Cheese no longer appear in the Code of Federal Regulations but are maintained by USDA/AMS/Dairy Programs.

When Swiss cheese is officially graded, the USDA voluntary standards governing the grading of manufactured or processed dairy products are used. The Agency believes this proposal would accurately identify quality characteristics in Swiss cheese. AMS is proposing to change the United States Standards for Grades of Swiss Cheese, Emmentaler Cheese using the procedures that appear in part 36 of title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 36).

The grade standards were last revised in September 1987. AMS has reviewed this standard and discussed possible changes with the dairy industry. The Wisconsin Dairy Products Association and the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, trade associations representing the Swiss cheese industry, provided specific recommendations.

Proposed by the Wisconsin Dairy Products Association and the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association

The Wisconsin Dairy Products Association and the Wisconsin Cheese Maker's Association recommend changes to:

• Allow smaller eyes in Grade A Swiss cheese; and
• Remove block size recommendations for rindless Swiss cheese.

Proposed by Dairy Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service

• Lower the minimum eye size requirement for Grade A Swiss cheese as recommended by the Wisconsin Dairy Products Association and the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association and include provisions to clarify uniformity of eye size. Also, Dairy Programs proposes to include the same eye size range for Grade B Swiss cheese;
• Remove the block height recommendation for rindless Swiss cheese as recommended by the Wisconsin Dairy Products Association and the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association;
• Add a more descriptive representation of acceptable color for Grades A and B Swiss cheese by defining the range of acceptable color as white to light yellow;
• Correct errors in the table that summarizes eye and texture characteristics of Swiss cheese; and
• Reformat information in these standards to make the standards easier to use and provide a uniform appearance with other U.S. Grade Standards.

The Wisconsin Dairy Products Association and the Wisconsin Cheese Maker's Association have requested that the USDA revise Federal Swiss cheese grade standards to allow a smaller eye size and to remove cheese block size recommendations. Individuals representing a number of Swiss cheese manufacturers and buyers have also expressed strong support of these changes. Their suggested revisions, along with others identified by AMS, would increase the flexibility of the standard for use in satisfying consumer demands and promote consistency among USDA dairy product grade standards.

The current eye size requirement for Grade A Swiss cheese specifies that a majority of the eyes shall be between 11/16 and 13/16 of an inch in diameter. This is a very narrow range. While cheese makers are able to produce cheese with eyes in this range, the resulting product does not perform well on modern slicing equipment, and consumer preference points toward a smaller eye than the lower limit of 11/16 of an inch. The trade associations have suggested revising the lower limit of this eye size allowance to 3/8 of an inch. The Department agrees that this revision would result in Swiss cheese grade standards that more accurately reflect current marketing practices. The Department feels that uniformity of eye size is a measure of quality in Swiss cheese and therefore proposes to recognize the significance of uniformity of eye sizes within this larger range for Grade A Swiss cheese.

There are currently no eye size requirements for Grade B Swiss cheese under the established grading procedures. Eye size requirements for Grade B Swiss cheese do appear in the alternate grading procedures which are included as supplemental information to the standards. With the proposed expansion of the eye size range for Grade A Swiss, consideration of the eye size requirements for Grade B Swiss is appropriate. The Department feels that the larger range proposed for Grade A Swiss cheese should be relevant to Grade B Swiss as well. It is proposed that the same eye size requirements be included in standards for Grade B Swiss under all grading procedures; however, the additional provisions for uniformity of eye size would not be included in the Grade B requirements. The inclusion of the eye size range in the Grade B requirements would require 51 percent of the eyes of a Grade B Swiss cheese to fall within the range of 3/8 to 13/16 of an inch, with no further consideration as to uniformity.

The current standards recommend a block height for rindless blocks of Grades A and B Swiss cheese of between 61/2 and 81/2 inches. Swiss cheese manufacturers and buyers indicate that a need no longer exists for this block height requirement. Technology exists to make a high quality rindless Swiss cheese in a variety of block sizes, and they feel that the standard should not restrict the block sizes available. USDA agrees that the block height requirement for rindless Swiss cheese is no longer necessary, and proposes to remove it from these grade standards.

Additional color descriptors are proposed for Grades A and B Swiss cheese to provide greater clarity to those utilizing these grade standards. Swiss cheese color is largely dependent on the milk from which it is produced, more so than many other cheeses. Additionally, bleaching of milk for Swiss cheese manufacturing is allowed under the Food and Drug Administration's standards of identity for Swiss cheese (21 CFR 133.195). Current Grade A standards require Swiss cheese to present a natural, attractive and uniform color. USDA proposes to add a more descriptive representation of acceptable color by defining the range of acceptable color as white to light yellow. These color descriptors are proposed in an effort to provide consistent interpretation of the terms “natural” and “attractive” by users of these grade standards.

Five tables appear in these standards to provide an easy reference for Swiss cheese characteristics and their acceptable levels at each grade. One of these tables, “Classification of Eyes and Texture,” contains classification information that is not supported in the text of the standard. USDA proposes revisions to the “small-eyed” and “splits” table entries to provide consistency with the narrative portion of the standard.

This notice provides for a 60 day comment period for interested parties to comment on proposed revisions to the standards. The following is an outline of these changes.

Authority: (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627).