ATCP 81.01(11)
(11) “Finish and appearance characteristics" for purposes of grading cheese under this chapter include the following traits:
ATCP 81.01(11)(a)
(a) “Bandage evenly placed" means that a cheese is uniformly wrapped in cheesecloth with approximately one inch overlapping of the edges.
ATCP 81.01(11)(b)
(b) “Burst or torn bandage" means a severance or other snag or break in the cheese cloth wrap used in the manufacture of certain cheese styles, usually occurring at the side seam.
ATCP 81.01(11)(c)
(c) “Checked rind" or “curd openings" means the presence of numerous small cracks or breaks in the rind, sometimes following the outline of curd particles.
ATCP 81.01(11)(d)
(d) “Cracks in the rind" means the presence of openings or breaks in the cheese rind.
ATCP 81.01(11)(e)
(e) “Defective coating" means any of the following conditions in the wax or paraffin coating:
ATCP 81.01(11)(e)1.
1. Brittle coating of paraffin that breaks and peels off in the form of scales or flakes.
ATCP 81.01(11)(e)3.
3. Checked paraffin, including cracks, breaks or hairline checks in the paraffin coating on the cheese.
ATCP 81.01(11)(f)
(f) “Firm, sound rind" means that the external surface of the cheese is firm and thick consistent with the size of the cheese; is not easily dented or damaged; is dry, smooth and closely knit to protect the interior quality from external defects; and is externally free from checks, cracks, breaks or soft spots.
ATCP 81.01(11)(g)
(g) “High edge" means the cheese has, on its follower side, a rim or ridge which is raised in varying degrees or, in extreme cases, bent over.
ATCP 81.01(11)(h)
(h) “Huffed" means that a cheese is swollen because of gas fermentation and has become rounded oval in shape rather than flat.
ATCP 81.01(11)(i)
(i) “Irregular bandaging" means an overlapping, wrinkled and loose fitting bandage caused when the cheesecloth wrap is improperly placed in the cheese hoop, resulting in too much bandage on one end and an insufficient amount on the opposite end.
ATCP 81.01(11)(j)
(j) “Lopsided" means the cheese style is asymmetrical or higher on one side than on the other side.
ATCP 81.01(11)(k)
(k) “Mold under bandage and paraffin" means that spots or areas of mold have formed under the paraffin, or that mold has penetrated from the surface to the interior and continued to develop.
ATCP 81.01(11)(L)
(L) “Mold under wrapper or covering" means that spots or areas of mold have formed under the wrapper or on the cheese.
ATCP 81.01(11)(m)
(m) “Rind" means a hard coating caused by desiccation of the surface of the cheese.
ATCP 81.01(11)(n)
(n) “Rind rot" means the presence of soft spots on the rind which have become discolored and have decayed or decomposed.
ATCP 81.01(11)(o)
(o) “Rough surface" means the exterior of the cheese lacks smoothness.
ATCP 81.01(11)(p)
(p) “Smooth, bright surface" means a clean, glossy exterior cheese surface.
ATCP 81.01(11)(q)
(q) “ Smooth surface" means a cheese surface which is not rough or uneven.
ATCP 81.01(11)(r)
(r) “Soft spots" means areas on the exterior of the cheese which are soft to the touch and are also usually faded and moist.
ATCP 81.01(11)(s)
(s) “Soiled surface" means a cheese surface containing milkstone, rust spots or other discoloration.
ATCP 81.01(11)(t)
(t) “Sour rind" means a fermented rind condition which is usually confined to the faces of the cheese.
ATCP 81.01(11)(u)
(u) “Surface mold" means mold occurring on the paraffin or exterior surface of the cheese.
ATCP 81.01(11)(v)
(v) “Wax or paraffin" means a uniform coating of wax or paraffin that adheres firmly to the surface of the cheese, which may either be thin or thick, but which has no indication of cracking, breaking or loosening.
ATCP 81.01(11)(w)
(w) “Weak rind" means that the exterior of a cheese is thin and possesses little or no resistance to pressure.
ATCP 81.01(11)(x)
(x) “Wet rind" means that moisture adheres to the surface of the rind. It may or may not soften the rind or cause discoloration.
ATCP 81.01(11)(y)
(y) “ Wrapper or covering" means a plastic film or foil wrap which completely covers and seals the surface of a cheese, and which adheres sufficiently to prevent or protect against the growth of mold.
ATCP 81.01(12)
(12) “Flavor characteristics" for purposes of grading cheese under this chapter include the following traits:
ATCP 81.01(12)(a)
(a) “Acid" means the cheese is sharp and puckery to the taste or has a taste which is characteristic of lactic acid.
ATCP 81.01(12)(b)
(b) “Barny" means a flavor trait characteristic of the odor of a milking barn, stable or cow yard.
ATCP 81.01(12)(c)
(c) “Bitter" means a distasteful flavor characteristic of quinine which is most frequently found in aged cheese varieties.
ATCP 81.01(12)(d)
(d) “Feed" means the presence of one or more feed flavors such as alfalfa, sweet clover, silage or similar feed, carried through from the milk used in the manufacture of the cheese into the finished product.
ATCP 81.01(12)(e)
(e) “Flat" means an insipid flavor or one which is practically devoid of any characteristic cheese flavor for the applicable variety.
ATCP 81.01(12)(f)
(f) “Fruity" means a sweet, fruit-like flavor resembling apples which generally increases in intensity as a cheese ages.
ATCP 81.01(12)(g)
(g) “Lacking in flavor development" means the cheese contains no undesirable flavor and very little, if any, characteristic cheese flavor development.
ATCP 81.01(12)(h)
(h) “Lipase" or “rancid" means a bitter or disagreeable taste or odor suggestive of butyric acid and derived from decomposed milk fat.
ATCP 81.01(12)(i)
(i) “Malty" means the presence of a distinctive harsh flavor suggestive of malt.
ATCP 81.01(12)(j)
(j) “Metallic" means a flavor trait suggestive of metal that imparts to the mouth a puckery sensation.
ATCP 81.01(12)(k)
(k) “Old milk" means a cheese flavor indicating a lack of freshness in the milk used in manufacturing the cheese.
ATCP 81.01(12)(L)
(L) “Onion" means the flavor which is characteristic of the taste and aroma suggested by its name and is present when cows producing milk used in the manufacture of cheese have eaten onions, garlic or leeks.
ATCP 81.01(12)(n)
(n) “Sulfide" means the presence of an objectionable flavor of hydrogen sulfide and is similar to the flavor of water having a high sulfur content.
ATCP 81.01(12)(o)
(o) “Utensil" means a flavor suggestive of improper or inadequate washing and sterilization of milking machines, utensils or dairy plant equipment.
ATCP 81.01(12)(p)
(p) “Weedy" means a taste characteristic due to the use of milk possessing an essence of common weeds, which is generally present when cows eat weedy hay or graze on weed-infested pastures.
ATCP 81.01(12)(q)
(q) “Whey-tainted" means a slight acidic flavor and odor characteristic of fermented whey caused by too slowly or incompletely expelling the whey from the curd.
ATCP 81.01(12)(r)
(r) “Yeasty" means a flavor indicating the presence of yeast fermentation in the manufacture of the cheese.
ATCP 81.01(13)
(13) “Grade attributes" for purposes of grading cheese under this chapter include the following degrees for a particular trait, which signify the relative absence or presence of the indicated trait:
ATCP 81.01(13)(a)
(a) “Definite" means the trait is not intense but is detectable in the cheese being graded.
ATCP 81.01(13)(b)
(b) “Pronounced" means the trait is sufficiently intense as to be easily identified in the cheese being graded.
ATCP 81.01(13)(c)
(c) “Slight" means the trait is detected only upon critical examination.
ATCP 81.01(13)(d)
(d) “Very slight" means the trait is detected only upon very critical examination.
ATCP 81.01(14)
(14) “Grader" means a person licensed by the department under s.
97.17, Stats., to grade cheese.
ATCP 81.01(15)
(15) “Official logotype" means an identifying trademark or symbol, as prescribed in subch.
VIII, which may be stamped, imprinted on, affixed to, or made a part of any label of cheese manufactured in this state to identify or distinguish it as being “100% Wisconsin cheese".
ATCP 81.01(16)
(16) “Scale board" means a flat piece of wood or veneer placed in the cheese box or container to protect the cheese from damage.
ATCP 81.01 History
History: Cr.
Register, April, 1993, No. 448, eff. 5-1-93; r. (1),
Register, January, 1996, No. 481, eff. 2-1-96;
CR 01-057: cr. (10m),
Register June 2002 No. 558, eff. 7-1-02;
CR 05-044: cr. (13m)
Register December 2005 No. 600, eff. 1-1-06.
ATCP 81.02(1)
(1)
License required. No person may grade cheese without a license from the department under s.
97.175, Stats.
ATCP 81.02(2)
(2) License Application. Application for a biennial cheese grader license shall be made on a form provided by the department. The application shall be accompanied by the fee required under
sub. (3). An application shall include all of the information required under this section for licensing purposes.
ATCP 81.02(3)
(3) License fee. A person applying for a license under
sub. (1) shall pay a license fee of $75.
ATCP 81.20
ATCP 81.20 Wisconsin cheese; manufacturer's label. All cheese manufactured in this state shall be labeled at the dairy plant or cheese factory with all of the items listed under
subs. (1) to
(5). The labeling shall remain on the cheese until the cheese is used in the manufacture or processing of another food, or until it is relabeled by a buyer who cuts and repackages the bulk unit into consumer size packages. A manufacturer may not use electronic code labeling as the sole means to display labeling required under this section, except when the cheese is under the manufacturer's custody and control. If a manufacturer uses electronic code labeling, the manufacturer shall provide a scanner or other device that enables a department employee or agent to decode the information into a readable format at the place where the manufacturer keeps the cheese.
ATCP 81.20(1)
(1) Name of cheese. The name of the cheese variety or type of cheese.
ATCP 81.20(2)
(2) State identification. The word “WISCONSIN" or code number “55", a numerical code which indicates that the cheese was manufactured at a dairy plant in this state.
ATCP 81.20(3)
(3) Dairy plant identification. The serial or individual identification number assigned by the department for the dairy plant at which the cheese was made.
ATCP 81.20(4)
(4) Date of manufacture. The month, date and year of manufacture for the cheese. The date of manufacture may be abbreviated using an alphanumeric or all numeric format. The abbreviation shall clearly identify the month, date and year, or a Julian calendar date consisting of a 2 digit designation for the year of manufacture followed by a 3 digit Julian date.
ATCP 81.20(5)
(5) Vat identification. The alpha or numerical designation of the vat which identifies a specific vat or chronological sequence of manufacture when more than one vat of cheese is manufactured in the same vat on the same day.
ATCP 81.20 Note
Note: A manufacturer's label will substantially comply with this subsection if it uses one of the following alternative formats for each label requirement under subs. (1) to (5):
-
See PDF for table 
ATCP 81.20 History
History: Cr.
Register, April, 1993, No. 448, eff. 5-1-93; cr. (6),
Register, January, 1996, No. 481, eff. 2-1-96;
CR 99-151: am. (intro.) and (4) and r. (6),
Register July 2001, No. 547 eff. 8-1-01.
ATCP 81.21
ATCP 81.21 Labeling cheese from other states or foreign countries. ATCP 81.21(1)(a)(a) General requirements. If cheese from other states or foreign countries is received in Wisconsin for further packaging or distribution, the cheese shall be plainly labeled or identified under
par. (b) or
(c). The label shall appear on the outside container or receptacle in which the cheese is received in this state.
ATCP 81.21(1)(b)
(b) Out-of-state identification. Cheese originating from states other than Wisconsin shall be identified by all of the following:
ATCP 81.21(1)(b)2.
2. Identification by name or numerical code of the state of manufacture or origin. If code number identification is used, the number shall be the 2 digit code number assigned for individual states by the National Conference of Interstate Milk Shipments.
ATCP 81.21(1)(b)3.
3. The dairy plant serial number assigned by the state licensing agency to the dairy plant in which the cheese was manufactured.
ATCP 81.21(1)(c)
(c) Foreign country identification. Cheese originating from a foreign country shall be identified with both of the following:
ATCP 81.21(1)(c)2.
2. The name of the foreign country in which the cheese was manufactured.
ATCP 81.21(2)
(2) Wisconsin grade labeling prohibited. No person may use any Wisconsin grade mark or Wisconsin grade label designation on cheese manufactured in another state or country.
ATCP 81.21 History
History: Cr.
Register, April, 1993, No. 448, eff. 5-1-93; correction in (1) (a) 2. made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register, May, 1999, No. 521;
CR 99-151: r. and recr. (2),
Register July 2001, No. 547 eff. 8-1-01.
ATCP 81.215
ATCP 81.215 Age labeling of cheese. If the label on any bulk cheese or retail package of cheese states that the cheese is “aged" or “cured," the label shall state the minimum length of time in days, months or years that the cheese has been aged or cured since it was manufactured.
ATCP 81.215 History
History: CR 99-151: cr.
Register July 2001, No. 547 eff. 8-1-01.
ATCP 81.22
ATCP 81.22 Cheese grades and grade labels. ATCP 81.22(1)(1)
Grades. Cheese manufactured and sold in this state shall be graded or identified in one of the following categories, according to the grade standards applicable to the particular cheese variety in subchs.
IV to
VII, if there is a Wisconsin grade standard for that variety in subchs.
IV to
VII:
