Analytical Determinations in Cheese

This document constitutes the teaching material for conducting laboratory exercises in Module 8: "Quality Control," corresponding to the "Cheese Specialist" Training Program. Cheese varieties are characterized by a series of physical-chemical, rheological, microbiological, and sensory characteristics that depend considerably on the quality of the milk used in their production. Currently, all cheeses produced in Spain must comply with the provisions of the cheese quality standard established in Royal Decree 1113/2006 and Royal Decree 818/2015, which modifies Annexes I and II of the former. In addition to these and other regulatory requirements, the need to market cheeses in the foreign market, competition from other products in the local market, and the growing need to respond to new consumer demands require quality control of the produced products. This document describes the analytical determinations for the physical-chemical quality control of cheese (fat content, dry matter, pH, and salt).