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| Definition |
This card can be used for sampling of fresh (unripened or uncured) cheese, including whey cheese, and curd; grated or powdered cheese, of all kinds; processed cheese; blue-veined cheese and other cheese containing veins produced by Penicillium roqueforti; and other cheese, e.g. ripened cheese.
For products in individual packs see specific card for ‘Retail Sale Packages’.
For semi-liquid cheese and curd see specific card for ‘Dairy produce’.
For powdered cheese in bulk see specific card for ‘Foodstuffs, powder’.
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| Recommended minimum quantity for each sample |
0.5 kg.
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| EN/ISO standards and regulations specific to cheese |
- EN ISO 707 Milk and milk products — Guidance on sampling.
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Legislation (technical standards or specifications): please refer to your national legislation and national guidelines regarding sampling.
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| Suggested sampling tool depending on the method used |
- Sampling scoop (L04-01).
- Razor wire.
- Cheese trier.
- General tools: knife, ladle, etc.
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| Containers to be used for the sampling |
- Plastic bags, different designs and sizes (P00).
- Plastic bottles, wide mouth opening, size 500-1 000 ml (P03/P04), preferably not transparent.
- Aluminium foil, cling foil, wax paper.
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| Safety precautions and risk assessment |
Please refer to your national legislation and guidelines on health and safety.
- Under normal conditions foodstuffs do not present particular health hazards.
- Pay attention to any safety labels.
- Wear protective gloves and safety shoes.
- Wear a disposable gown and a safety helmet or ear protectors (when necessary).
- Do not eat, drink or smoke during sampling.
- You should wear clean clothing to minimise the risk of accidentally contaminating the sample. Always take hygienic measures to avoid contamination. You should wash your hands prior to sampling.
- You should be aware of and follow any health and safety instructions in the local risk assessment and/or safe working practices for the location where the sampling is to take place.
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| Type of consignment |
Description |
| Consignments for customs clearance |
The aggregate sample consists of an appropriate number of incremental samples. One sample is usually taken as representing the goods covered by the same customs declaration.
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| Consignments for CAP (export refunds) |
The aggregate sample consists of an appropriate number of incremental samples. The minimum number of incremental samples is described below. If the consignment consists of goods originating from one production line (the lot number is identical) a reduced number of samples may be taken.
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| Cartons with one or more cheeses. Goods in retail packages |
Entire cheeses in their original packaging should be sent to the laboratory. Samples are taken by random selection or systematically according to the package weight.
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| Cheese in bulk blocks |
It is recommended that you send a whole block to the laboratory. If that is not possible, cut segments or slices of adequate size using a knife or remove core samples using a cheese trier.
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| Cheese in frozen bulk blocks |
It is not possible to take samples from a frozen block of cheese. Send a whole block to the laboratory or take the sample after thawing slowly at a temperature of no more than 5 °C.
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| Cheese in brine or oil etc. |
One complete package should be sent as a sample to the laboratory or an aggregate sample should be created using a steel ladle and latex gloves. Take the primary samples of cheese from the drums, barrels or jars to form the aggregate sample. The final samples must include sufficient brine or oil to submerge the sample of cheese.
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| Sampling procedure |
Cartons with one or more cheeses (mixed cheeses):
- When the consignment is composed of several types of cheese, each type of cheese within the consignment must be treated as a separate sample. Place samples in separate bags.
- When the consignment is composed of several lots, each lot should preferably be sampled separately.
- The number of packages depends on the weight of the consignment. The following numbers of samples are the minimum that should be taken.
- Weight of consignment: < 1 kg:
Take at least two whole cheeses or two cheeses in packages for retail sale. Take care that the total amount of sample is at least 0.5 kg.
- Weight of consignment: ≥ 1 kg. and < 10 kg:
Take at least two whole cheeses if possible. If this is too much in comparison with the total amount of the commodity one cheese is sufficient. Send the samples to the laboratory as a whole.
- Weight of consignment: ≥ 10 kg:
It is recommended to take one whole cheese. This cheese can also be considered to be the second sample. This cheese has to be sent as such to the laboratory.
- If the above instructions cannot be followed take two whole packages from each lot.
- If only a part of the cheese can be taken, follow the instructions for ‘Cheese in bulk blocks’ below.
Cheese in bulk blocks:
- It is recommended that you send whole cheeses to the laboratory.
- In the case of blocks (> 10 kg) half or a quarter of a block is sufficient. Blocks are cross-cut with a knife or a razor wire.
- laboratory sample: block-shaped cheese, 3 - 10 kg:
- laboratory sample, block-shaped cheese, 10-20 kg:
- Open surfaces have to be sealed with aluminium or plastic foil, wax paper or similar.
- For more information refer to the ISO Standards and EU Regulations in force.
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| Sampling form |
- Fill in the sampling form. One copy should be attached to the samples and one copy should be kept for the record.
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| Transport |
- Protect the samples against light and air contact (desiccation).
- Protect the samples from sources of contamination (odour, liquids, other substances, microbiological growth, etc.).
- The samples must be kept cool or frozen and transported quickly. The samples should not be re-frozen. The samples must be transported in a refrigerator. The cooling chain must be maintained and should be recorded.
- Frozen products should preferably be transported in a freezer. Alternatively, they can be transported in a refrigerator. Take care that the samples do not thaw during transport. The cooling chain must be maintained and should be recorded.
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| Storage |
- Protect the samples against light and air contact (desiccation).
- Protect the samples from sources of contamination (odour, liquids, other substances, microbiological growth, etc.).
- The samples shall be stored at a cool temperature, preferably at 1 to 5 °C; see for details EN ISO 707. The cooling chain must be maintained and should be monitored and recorded.
- Freeze for long-term storage if ongoing action may be necessary.
- Frozen products must be stored in a freezer. The cooling chain must be maintained and should be recorded.
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