Raw milk cheese on the way?

Serious cheese fans will be excited at the news that the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) is looking to allow direct imports of Roquefort, a soft raw milk (unpasteurised) cheese made in France.

Following an extensive programme of risk assessment work, the NZFSA is now consulting with industry groups on a proposal to allow direct imports of Roquefort and other raw milk cheeses Grana Padano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Romano, Asiago and Montasio.

Cheese aficionados prize raw milk cheeses for their superior flavour, which they say is not evident once cheese has been pasteurised.

If the move goes ahead it will make these cheeses more readily available in specialty shops and restaurants.

For more information see the NZFSA website