Institut national de l'Origine et de la Qualité (INAO)

51, rue d'Anjou 75008 Paris FRANCE

Tel. +33 153898000

Fax +33 153898060

Direction Générale de la Concurrence, de la Consommation et de la Répression des Fraudes (DGCCRF)

59, Boulevard Vincent Auriol

75703 Paris Cédex 13 FRANCE

Tel. +33 144871717

‘Picodon’ is a goats' milk cheese shaped like a small round puck. It has a thin rind with pale yellow or white mould, possibly specked with blue. The cheese itself is white or yellow in colour, with an even and fine texture, giving a clean cut, though it can become crumbly if matured for longer. It has a fresh flavour that is neither too salty nor too acidic.

Cheeses labelled as ‘affiné méthode Dieulefit’ (Dieulefit matured) have a white, ivory, grey or light cream surface with slight traces of colour. They have a marbled appearance when cut, with a fine, even and pliable texture. Their fresh flavour is characterised by a slightly sharp and ‘goaty’ taste.

‘Picodon’ cheeses must weigh a minimum of 60 g, except if they are ‘affiné méthode Dieulefit’, in which case their minimum weight is 45 g, owing to weight loss caused by washing during the longer maturing process.

This little round cheese has a diameter ranging between 5 cm and 7 cm and a height of between 1,8 cm and 2,5 cm. As a result of the washing process, Dieulefit-matured ‘Picodon’ cheeses are smaller, with a diameter of between 4,5 cm and 6 cm and a height of between 1,3 cm and 2,5 cm.

The fat content of the cheese (fat/dry matter) must be at least 45 %, and its dry matter content may not be lower than 40 % per 100 g of cheese.