Preparation of the milk

After the milk is collected from our partner farms and delivered to our creamery, we test each batch for quality and composition—including fat and protein levels, bacteriological profile, and inhibitory substances (e.g., antibiotics), cell count and bacterial count, as well as freezing point to detect the presence of foreign water. The milk is then purified (removal of solid impurities by filtration or centrifugation) and its fat content adjusted (‘standardisation’). In some cases, the milk is also used to make cheese with its natural fat content (e.g. L’amour rouge d’Antoine). Unless a raw milk cheese, such as Allgäuer Bergkäse g.U., is being produced, the milk is then subjected to heat treatment (‘pasteurisation’). Pasteurised milk is used in the production of many types of cheese to ensure a consistent standard of quality. Pasteurisation is a heat treatment of the milk that prevents the growth of undesirable bacteria. In accordance with the Milk Regulation, the milk is briefly heated in a continuous flow to between 72 and 75 °C for 15 to 30 seconds.