Nederlandse Zuivel Organisatie (NZO)

Postbus 165 - 2700 AD Zoetermeer - Nederland

Tel. (31-79) 343 03 00 - Fax (31-79) 343 03 20

Stichting Centraal Orgaan voor Kwaliteitsaangelegenheden in de Zuivel (COKZ)

Kastanjelaan 7 - 3833 AN Leusden - Nederland

Tel. (31-33) 496 56 96 - Fax (31-33) 496 56 66

Gouda Holland is a full-fat (48+), naturally matured semi-hard cheese. It is produced in the Netherlands from cows' milk obtained from Dutch dairy farms and is matured to a consumer-ready product in Dutch maturing rooms.

Gouda Holland is produced from one or more of the following raw materials:

— milk, cream and skimmed or semi-skimmed cows' milk (exclusively cows' milk) from Dutch dairy farms.

The cheese is shaped like a flattened cylinder, a block or a loaf and weighs from 2,5 kg to 20 kg. A flattened cylindrical shape is a shape with convex sides that curve smoothly into a flat top and bottom and a height that is a quarter to a third of the diameter.

The fat content is a minimum of 48,0 % and a maximum of 52,0 % in dry matter. The (maximum) moisture content 12 days after the first day of manufacture is 42,5 % and the salt content in dry matter is a maximum of 4,0 %. The other characteristic properties are as follows:

— Flavour: aromatic, pleasant and mild to strong, depending on its age. Cumin may be added.

— Cross-section: after slicing the cheese, hole formation is visible but may not be evenly distributed over the cut surface. The colour of the cheese varies from ivory to yellow.

— Rind: the rind is firm, smooth, dry, clean and has no fungal flora. It is produced by drying during the maturing stage.

— Texture: the cheese is slightly soft to pliable at an age of four weeks. Once the cheese has matured further, it becomes firmer and tighter in structure. The cheese is easy to cut.

— Maturing period: at least 28 days. Gouda Holland is a naturally matured cheese. Foil maturing is not permitted for Gouda Holland.

— Maturing temperature: at least 12 °C.

— Age: the shelf-life varies from a minimum of 28 days after manufacture to more than a year.

Gouda Holland cheese is made from milk obtained from dairy farms in the Netherlands. The milk is cooled on the farm to a maximum of 6 °C and stored in a cooling tank on the farm. It is transported to the cheese factory within 72 hours. When it arrives at the cheese factory, it is either processed immediately or thermised (a non-pasteurising, light heat treatment) and put into cold storage for a short period of time before being turned into cheese milk. The fat content of the milk is standardised so that the fat/protein ratio is such that the cheese eventually produced has a fat content of between 48 % and 52 % fat in dry matter. The cheese milk is pasteurised at a temperature of at least 72 °C for 15 seconds. It is curdled at a temperature of approximately 30 °C.

The separation and coagulation of the milk proteins that occurs during this process is typical of Gouda Holland. The curds obtained by coagulation are separated from the whey and processed and washed to ensure that the moisture content and pH reach the desired levels. The curds are pressed into the correct shape and desired weight in vats. The resulting ‘cheese’ is then immersed in the brine bath. Gouda Holland is only ever matured naturally, i.e. it is left open to the air to mature and is regularly turned and checked.