Hard grating (parmesan style) cheeses made from unpasteurised milk
What is the problem with importing cheese made from unpasteurised milk?
Cheese sold in Australia and New Zealand must be made from pasteurised milk. Alternatively the milk must be thermised, (a less severe heat treatment than pasteurisation) and the cheese matured for at least 90 days. This requirement in the Food Standards Code safeguards consumers from the risk of microbiological pathogens such as Salmonella. In 1994, ANZFA considered that cheese passing a phosphatase test would deliver a degree of safety equivalent to that provided by cheese made from pasteurised milk. Very hard grating cheeses have been imported under this condition since then.
However, as there are serious questions about the effectiveness of the phosphatase test for this purpose, it was deleted from the new Code, which will regulate foods after 20 December 2002. As a result, unless there is a change to the Food Standards Code, importation of hard grating (parmesan style) cheeses made from unpasteurised milk would no longer be legal.
Why was the phosphatase test dropped?
The phosphatase test is a measure of enzyme activity in milk. Heat treatment of the milk will alter the activity of the enzyme. The test, however, has been found not to provide reliable results when applied to cheese and so is not in the new Code.
Does this mean that hard grating cheeses from overseas will be banned in Australia and New Zealand?
No. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is in the process of raising a Proposal to amend the Food Standards Code to allow the continued importation of these cheeses. The Proposal will apply only to very hard grating cheeses, not to soft and semi-soft cheeses. FSANZ is not aware of any events of food-borne illness as a result of eating imported very hard grating cheeses in the past seven years.
How will FSANZ change the Food Standards Code?
FSANZ will carry out a safety assessment on very hard grating cheeses. It will then prepare a report that discusses the issues and the options available for the management of those issues. The public, industry and governments will then have an opportunity to comment on the draft assessment before a final assessment is prepared for consideration by the FSANZ Board.
Why have soft and semi-soft cheeses been omitted from this review?
It is generally accepted that the risk of bacterial contamination in these cheeses is significantly higher than in hard grating cheeses [ see fact sheet Soft and semi-soft cheeses made from unpasteurised milk ].
Further information
From the FSANZ website at www.foodstandards.gov.au
( Updated July 2002 )