FDA sparks cheese aging dispute in New York

Democrat&Chronicle


Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand have called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to clarify guidelines on the centuries-old use of wooden boards to age cheese.

In a January communication to New York regulators, the FDA said wood shelves and boards cannot be adequately cleaned and sanitized, and as such, do not conform to a particular regulation regarding plant equipment and utensils. It expressed concern over the possible spread of pathogens.

The FDA’s communication was posted late last week, sparking concerns nationwide among cheesemakers who said their ripening process was safe.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the FDA seemed to backtrack. It noted that it hasn’t taken any enforcement action based solely on the use of wood shelves and said it would “engage with the artisanal cheesemaking community” to determine the safety of aging cheeses on them.

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/lifestyle/rocflavors/2014/06/11/fda-wood-cheese-boards-schumer-gillibrand/10333557/