(a) Description.

(1) Cook cheese, koch kaese, is the food prepared by the procedure set forth in paragraph (a)(3) of this section or by any other procedure which produces a finished cheese having the same physical and chemical properties. The maximum moisture content is 80 percent by weight, as determined by the method described in §133.5. The dairy ingredients used may be pasteurized.

(2) The phenol equivalent value of 0.25 gram of cook cheese is not more than 3 micrograms as determined by the method described in §133.5.

(3) One or more of the dairy ingredients specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this section may be warmed and is subjected to the action of a lactic acid-producing bacterial culture. One or more of the clotting enzymes specified in paragraph (b)(2) of this section is added to set the dairy ingredients to a semisolid mass. The mass is cut, stirred, and heated with continued stirring, so as to separate the curd and whey. The whey is drained from the curd and the curd is cured for 2 or 3 days. It is then heated to a temperature of not less than 180 °F until the hot curd will drop from a ladle with a consistency like that of honey. The hot cheese is filled into packages and cooled. One or more of the other optional ingredients specified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section may be added during the procedure.

(b) Optional ingredients. The following safe and suitable ingredients may be used:

(1) Dairy ingredients. Nonfat milk as defined in §133.3.

(2) Clotting enzymes. Rennet and/or other clotting enzymes of animal, plant, or microbial origin.

(3) Other optional ingredients.

(i) Calcium chloride in an amount not more than 0.02 percent (calculated as anhydrous calcium chloride) of the weight of the dairy ingredients, used as a coagulation aid.

(ii) Culture of white mold.

(iii) Pasteurized cream.

(iv) Caraway seed.

(v) Salt.

(c) Nomenclature. The name of the food is “cook cheese” or, alternatively, “koch kaese”.

(d) Label declaration. Each of the ingredients used in the food shall be declared on the label as required by the applicable sections of parts 101 and 130, except that enzymes of animal, plant, or microbial origin may be declared as “enzymes”.

[54 FR 32053, Aug. 4, 1989, as amended at 55 FR 51409, Dec. 14, 1990; 58 FR 2892, Jan. 6, 1993]