Raw Milk Gouda Half Loaves 4/3.5lb

Heini's Raw Milk Cheese is produced without the processing aid known as pasteurization. Pasteurization is a process step where the milk is heated to not less than 161.5°F and held at that temperature for a minimum of 15 seconds. This process step is used to kill unwanted bacteria in the milk. There are many arguments in regards to the effect of the pasteurization to the proteins and fatty acids in milk. At this high of a temperature (161.5°F) it is argued that the proteins become denatured and that fatty acids are destroyed which eliminates a lot of the value one gets by eating or drinking dairy products. This cheese is carefully crafted according to the FDA Code of Federal Regulations 21CFR133.113. As stated in the forementioned regulations any raw milk cheese that is manufactured without the aid of pasteurization must be stored at a temperature of not less than 35 ° F for a minimum of 60 days. Cheese, being a fermented food, has in its natural fermentation process a natural break down and formation of lactic acid. The increase of the lactic acid presence in the cheese helps in the destruction and protects the cheese from the growth of unwanted bacteria that was not eliminated in the pasteurization process. The Ohio Department of Agriculture who is Heini's FDA representative and regulatory agency does monitor their storage practices to assure the consumer that our raw milk cheeses are indeed aged for the required 60 days.