Division 4.5 Method of production

The milk must be produced, and the cheese produced and matured within the geographical area.

The milk used to produce Morbier cheese must come exclusively from cows of the Montbeliarde or French Simmental breeds. The cows are herded according to local custom. The grazing land actually used on the holding must be at least one hectare per dairy cow. The staple feed of the dairy cows must be fodder originating from pastures located in the geographical area. The dairy cows are not at any time of the year given any silage products or other fermented fodder, such as fodder preserved in the form of banded bales. Morbier cheese is made exclusively from cow’s milk used in the raw state. With the exception of partial skimming, the addition of rennet, lactic starters or salt (sodium chloride), nothing may be removed or added to the milk. After being heated to a temperature not exceeding 40 °C, the milk is treated with rennet. The curd is cut into grains of about 1 cm thick. Water may be added to clean the curd. After the whey is drawn off, the curd is slightly pressed to obtain cakes. Each cake is cut in half. The horizontal central black furrow is obtained exclusively by coating the face of half a cake with charcoal (carbo medicinalis vegetalis) before pressing. Ripening takes place over a minimum period of 45 days from the day of manufacture, at a temperature of between 7 °C and 15 °C. The rind is obtained exclusively by rubbing with salt water, to which lactic starters may be added. The use of colouring agents is prohibited.