Division Maturing

Wood is the best maturing medium because it enables excellent exchanges, particularly with water and salt, by regulating them. Wood also strengthens the link with the region by favouring surface microflora. The following sentence has therefore been added: ‘The cheese is matured on wooden planks.’. There is no requirement as to the origin of these planks.

However, in order not to penalise a cheese dairy which currently matures on stainless steel, the following transitional measure is proposed: ‘By way of derogation, stainless steel media used to make “Morbier” before 1 January 2006 may be used until their replacement and at the latest until 31 December 2014.’

It has been added that the minimum duration is 45 days ‘without interruption of the cycle’.

It is specified that: ‘During storage before marketing, the matured cheeses must be kept at a positive temperature’.