Press Releases

FROMAGERIE HAUT VAL D'AYAS

22 Jul 2011

How it is made and when it becomes Organic PDO Fontina cheese

The real “makers” of Organic PDO Fontina cheese are Aosta Valley mountain pastures and the autochthonous breed of cow the Dappled red, the Dappled black and the Chestnut who play an irreplaceable role exalting the grass in the high pastures and the natural locally-grown hay. The relationship between animals and pastures (2,3 units per hectare) is carefully managed and supervised by man who, following a set sequence and calendar, organises the movements of the animals to the upper pastures. In terms of quantity, cows have a variable milk production over the year, but of superior quality. The cows’ diet, mainly made up of alpine essences, determines the nutritional qualities of the milk, which vary slightly between Summer and Winter. Cheese making, following the PDO production regulations, does never alter the characteristics of the fresh milk which pass unchanged into the cheese. As a matter of facts, the milk is transformed within only a couple of hours after milking, twice a day, at a temperature of 36°C, using veal rennet.
The curd is then broken up to the size of grains of corn. Stirring continually the curd is then heated slowly to 48°C to accomplish the separation from the whey.
Once it has reached the correct temperature heating is stopped and, still keeping the curd mixture moving, the removal of whey is completed. Once this phase of breaking up is over the mixture is left to rest for about ten minutes, after which the curd is placed in typical concave-sided cheese hoops on which a small casein plate is applied with the cheese’s progressive number. The cheeses are then placed under a press to assure the final removal of whey.
This pressing lasts around 12 hours during which time the cheeses are turned over a number of times. Before the final turning the small number plate is applied with the producer’s identification number (CTF), which together with the casein plate guarantees the clear tracing of the product.
Then the cheese is salted and then transferred to the warehouses for ripening. The average period of maturation is at least 3 months during which the cheese is periodically brushed and dry-salted on the surface. In the first month cheeses are turned daily, salted one day and dry-brushed the next; these operations help to form the typical rind. Then these are carried out at longer intervals and the carefully tended cheeses slowly mature, perfectly lined up on spruce shelves.
Most of the Organic PDO Fontina cheese caves are dug out of the rock.
Here the temperature ranges between 10°C and 12°C and the relative humidity level is over 85%, ideal conditions for the slow and gradual maturing of the cheese. After maturing, the cheeses are examined one by one, by the Consortium which safeguards the PDO, and only those cheeses which meet the quality standards fixed by the production regulations are branded with the characteristic PDO trademark.

The nutritional characteristics of Organic PDO Fontina cheese.
- Water: 42%
- Fats: 28% of which (47% in dry substance)
30% unsaturated fatty acids
58% saturated fatty acids
A preponderance of short- and medium-chain fatty acids (more or
less equivalent to 14 atoms of Carbon), with low fusion point, therefore not?responsible for the cholesterol-genic effect. Palmitic acid (C 16), considered the principle responsible factor for the cholesterol-genic effect, determines a cholesterol value in the Organic PDO Fontina cheese equivalent to 79,7 mg/100g - not high, similar in fact to those levels found in lean meat and less than in eggs and offal.
In addition its quantity diminishes in the Organic PDO Fontina cheese of the high pastures because of the strong differences in the food of the cows which in turn condition the quality of the milk.
- Protein: 25,3% natural state
- Mineral salts: 4.2% natural state
- Calcium phosphorus ratio is close to 1:1
The 1:1 relationship is considered the most favourable for a correct homeostasis of calcium in the organism and therefore an optimization of the absorption of Calcium introduced with the diet: 100 g of Organic PDO Fontina cheese gives the body its average daily needs which are particularly important for growth, during pregnancy and breast feeding and for preventing osteoporosis.
- Milk enzymes: 188.437 CFUx103/g comparable with yoghurt
(cfu=colony forming unit)
- Vitamin A: 350 µg/100 g, a sizeable quantity, close to 1/2 of the recommended ? daily allowance.
- Sodium: 760 mg/100g
Not particularly high compared to other cheeses or everyday foods such ?as bread which contains around 500mg/100g.

The Average nutritional values?per 100 g
- Energy value: 370 K cal - 1532 kJ (19% of RDA(1))
- Protein: 25,3 g (51% of RDA(1))
- Carbohydrates: 2,0 g (1% of RDA(1))
Sugar absent
- Fats: 29,0 g (41% of RDA(1))
Saturated fats 18,5 g (92% of RDA(1))
- Fibre absent
- Sodium: 760 mg (32% of RDA(1))
- Calcium: 760 mg (95% of RDA(1))
- Phosphorous: 530 mg (66% of RDA(1))
- Iron: 160 µg (1% of RDA(1))
- Riboflavina: 330 µg (20% of RDA(1))
- Vitamina A: 350 µg (43% of RDA(1))
- Vitamina B12: 1,92 µg (190% of RDA(1))

(1) RDA Recommended Daily Allowance

How and where to preserve the Organic PDO
Fontina cheese
You can preserve the Organic PDO Fontina cheese in both the cellar or the fridge.
In the cellar you place the cheese in a damp room, preferably on a wooden shelf, with a temperature not exceeding 12°C. Every so often rub the cheese with a damp, salted cloth to remove the normal white mould on the rind. Should the cellar be too dry, wrap the cheese in a damp cloth. In the fridge wrap the slice in cling film and place in the cool store of the fridge, where you generally keep vegetables.

How to recognise the Organic PDO
Fontina cheese

Each cheese produced by co-operative members and meeting the product regulations, bears the producer’s identification number. Identification and branding of the cheese as from January 2003 its history can be traced by the distinctive signs of Organic PDO Fontina cheese:
1. Certification marks.
1.1 The marks of certification are stamped by the individual producer at the ? moment the cheese is made:
1.1.1 Before the final pressing the identification mark of the producer ? (co-operative member, authorised by the Consortium) bearing the? code number, is applied.
1.1.2 The small casein plate, issued by the Consortium, bearing the ? progressive number of the cheese is applied when the cheese is ? placed in the cheese hoops.
2. Selection marks
2.1 The mark of selection is preceded by the expert control of the cheese which ? takes place through the evaluation of its characteristics, by tapping the ? cheese and extraction of samples. Only those cheeses which present the ? necessary requisites are allowed to have the indelible ink trademark which ? distinguishes Organic PDO Fontina cheese.
The panel which checks the cheeses is made up of experts ? nominated by the Consortium, listed in the special register and ? authorised by the third body responsible for checking PDO.
3. Sales mark
3.1 The mark of sales is a thin strip on which the consumer can find those standard ? graphics, common to all producers, which identify in general Organic ? PDO Fontina cheese and in particular the Organic PDO Fontina cheese. ? The thin strip must be placed on the side of the cheese which does not bear
the ink trademark.

Product Card to
Organic PDO Fontina cheese

Tipology: Full-fat cheese made with whole cow’s milk that is got from a single milking, with a natural acidity of fermentation.
Outer face: Cylindrical and concave form with a slightly or almost flat sides. Compact and thin crust, with a thickness about 2 mm.
Inner face: Elastic and soft paste, with a slightly yellowish color.
Size and weight: Cylindrical form with a diameter about 30-45 cm, height about 7-10 cm and weight about 8-18 kilograms. Variations depend on technical conditions of production.
Ingredients and processing: The whole cow’s milk is transformed only a few hours after milking, twice a day, at a temperature of 36°C, using veal rennet. Then the curd is broken, is heated slowly to 48°C and is placed in typical concave-sided cheese hoops on which a small casein plate is applied with the cheese’s progressive number. The cheeses are then placed under a press to assure the final removal of whey.
This pressing lasts around 12 hours during which time the cheeses are turned over a number of times. Before the final turning the small number plate is applied with the producer’s identification number (CTF), which together with the casein plate guarantees the clear tracing of the product.
Maturation: Most of the Organic PDO Fontina cheese caves are dug out of the rock. Here the temperature ranges between 10°C and 12°C and the relative humidity level is over 85%, ideal conditions for the slow and gradual maturing of the cheese. The average period of maturation is at least 3 months during which the cheese is periodically brushed and dry-salted on the surface. In the first month the cheeses are turned daily, salted one day and dry-brushed the next; these operations help form the typical rind. Then these are carried out at longer intervals, and the carefully tended cheeses slowly mature, perfectly lined up on spruce shelves.
The nutritional characteristics of Organic PDO Fontina cheese:
Average nutritional values?per 100g of Organic PDO Fontina cheese
- Energy value: 370 K cal - 1532 kJ
- Protein: 25.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Calcium: 760 mg
- Phosphorous: 530 mg
- Fats: 29 g including:
18.5 g saturated fats
- Vitamin A: 350 µg

How to eat Organic PDO Fontina cheese: the Organic PDO Fontina cheese is an excellent table cheese with a typical sweet taste. It’s used in the preparation of some traditional dishes of Aosta Valley, like the Valpellinese soup.
How and where to preserve Organic PDO Fontina cheese: you can preserve the Fontina in either cellar or fridge. In the cellar the cheese must be put in a damp room, preferably on a wooden shelf, with a temperature not exceeding 12°C.
Every so often rub the cheese with a damp, salted cloth to remove the normal white mould on the rind. Should the cellar be too dry, wrap the cheese in a damp cloth.
In the fridge wrap the slice in cling film and place in the cool store of the fridge.

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