What You Need to Know
Thermization, also spelled thermisation, is a method of sanitizing raw milk with low heat. "Thermization is a generic description of a range of subpasteurization heat treatments that markedly reduce the number of spoilage bacteria in milk with minimal heat damage." The process is not used on other food products, and is similar to pasteurization but uses lower temperatures, allowing the milk product to retain more of its original taste. In Europe, there is a distinction between cheeses made of thermized milk and raw-milk cheeses. However, the United States' Food and Drug Administration (FDA) places the same regulations on all unpasteurized cheeses. As a result, cheeses from thermized milk must be aged for 60 days or more before being sold in the United States, the same restriction placed on raw-milk cheeses by the FDA.
Steps
- 1.
Reblochon (French Alps): Preserves native milk microflora while ensuring safety
- 2.
Toma Piemontese (Italy): Maintains delicate flavor profile of mountain milk
- 3.
Raclette du Valais (Switzerland): Allows for shorter aging while meeting safety standards