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§ 17

Cheese: fat in dry matter and firmness

Is my cheese a 45+, and is it firm or soft according to Codex?

Answer: The figure on Danish cheese, e.g. «45+», is fat in dry matter (FIT): cheese's fat as percentage of what remains when water is removed. It does not change as cheese matures and loses water, so it is used to classify cheese. Cheese firmness is classified by water in fat-free cheese mass (MFFB). Calculator computes both figures from cheese's fat and water percentage from lab or analyser and shows Codex class for fat content.

Formula

Fedt i tørstof (FIT) = fedt % ÷ (100 − vand %) × 100

Vand i fedtfri ostemasse (MFFB) = vand % ÷ (100 − fedt %) × 100

Codex, fedtindhold (FIT): højfed ≥ 60 %, fuldfed 45-60 %, mellemfed 25-45 %, delvis skummet 10-25 %, skummet under 10 %

Codex, hardness (MFFB): extra hard under 51%, hard 49-56%, firm/semi-firm 54-69%, soft over 67%. The ranges overlap in the standard

Symbols and units in the formula
SymbolMeaningUnit
fedt_pctFat in the cheese%
vand_pctWater in the cheese%
=Fat in dry matter (FDM)%
=Water in fat-free cheese mass (MFFB)%
=Dry matter in cheese%
=Fat-free dry matter%

Validity and source

Source
Codex Alimentarius general standard for cheese (CXS 283-1978)

Does not apply when

  • Fat and water must come from an analysis of the same sample. The Danish term '45+' means at least 45% fat in dry matter. Check the specific requirements in the product standard (eg the Codex standard for Danbo) and in the labelling rules.

Worked example

The calculator's own default values inserted. The figures are calculated with exactly the formula the tool uses.

Substituted

  • Fat in the cheese26 %
  • Water in the cheese44 %

Giver

  • Fat in dry matter (FDM)46.4 %
  • Water in fat-free cheese mass (MFFB)59.5 %
  • Dry matter in cheese56.0 %
  • Fat-free dry matter30.0 %

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Sådan bruger du den

Når en ost skal mærkes og klassificeres, bruger du fedt i tørstof (FIT) og ikke fedt i osten. FIT ændrer sig ikke, mens osten modner og taber vand. Vand i fedtfri ostemasse (MFFB) bruges til at klassificere ostens fasthed. Beregneren regner begge tal ud fra analysen.

Step by step

  1. Få fedt og vand fra laboratoriet eller analyseapparatet for den samme prøve.
  2. Tørstof = 100 − vand %.
  3. FIT = fedt % ÷ tørstof × 100.
  4. MFFB = vand % ÷ (100 − fedt %) × 100.
  5. Sammenlign med Codex-klasserne og den mærkning, osten skal have.

Typical errors

  • At tro, at «45+» betyder 45 % fedt i osten. Det er fedt i tørstoffet.
  • At bruge fedt fra én prøve og vand fra en anden.
  • At klassificere fastheden efter vand i hele osten i stedet for MFFB.

Examples from everyday life

Danbo 45+ efter seks uger

En Danbo, der skal sælges som 45+, er analyseret efter seks ugers modning: 26 % fedt og 44 % vand.

Fat in the cheese
26 %
Water in the cheese
44 %

It means: FIT er 46.4 %, så osten holder 45+. MFFB er 59.5 %, som ligger i Codex-klassen fast/halvfast. Tørstoffet er 56 %.

Flødeost

En flødeost er analyseret til 30 % fedt og 55 % vand.

Fat in the cheese
30 %
Water in the cheese
55 %

It means: FIT er 66.7 %, og MFFB er 78.6 %, så den er en blød ost. Tørstoffet er kun 45 %.

Mager skæreost 30+

En mager skæreost, der skal mærkes 30+, er analyseret til 16 % fedt og 46 % vand.

Fat in the cheese
16 %
Water in the cheese
46 %

It means: FIT er 29.6 %, så osten holder 30+ med lille margin. MFFB er 54.8 %, og det fedtfri tørstof er 38 %.

Rule of thumb

En 45+ med ca. 44 % vand har ca. 25-26 % fedt i osten.

How to check the answer

FIT gange tørstof ÷ 100 skal give fedtprocenten igen.