🏥 Cheese: label, law and health

A cheese label is the mandatory information on what the cheese is made from, how much fat and salt it contains, where it comes from and how to store it safely. In the EU it is set by Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011: name, ingredients with the allergen milk highlighted, net quantity, date, storage conditions, the responsible operator and a nutrition table including fat and salt.

Under Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 the name "cheese" is reserved for milk products: if the milk fat has been replaced by vegetable fat, the product is not cheese. Cheese fat is traditionally given as fat in dry matter: Codex CXS 283-1978 ranges from "skim" (under 10 %) to "high fat" (60 % or more). The actual fat in a piece is lower: a cheese with 45 % fat in dry matter and 40 % moisture contains about 27 % fat.

Cheese made from unpasteurised milk must be labelled "made with raw milk" under Regulation (EC) No 853/2004. Protected names carry an EU logo under Regulation (EU) 2024/1143: the red-and-yellow PDO logo (all production in the area, as for Roquefort) or the blue-and-yellow PGI logo (at least one stage in the region).

Health. Aged hard cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano and cheddar usually contain only traces of lactose, because it leaves with the whey and is fermented. Salt is a key reason to read the table: the NHS recommends no more than 6 g a day for adults and treats more than 1.5 g per 100 g as high; feta, halloumi and blue cheeses are usually saltier. According to EFSA, listeriosis is one of the most serious foodborne diseases; the NHS advises pregnant women to avoid soft white-mould cheeses such as brie and camembert and soft blue cheeses unless cooked until steaming hot, while hard cheeses are considered safe.

Why it matters to you: a few lines on the label tell you whether it is real cheese, how much fat and salt it contains, and whether it suits a child, a pregnant woman or someone with lactose intolerance.