Overview
EN ISO 24223:2021 - Cheese: Guidance on sample preparation for physical and chemical testing (published jointly as ISO 24223:2021 / IDF 253:2021) provides practical guidance on preparing cheese samples for physical and chemical analyses, including instrumental methods. It covers fresh, (semi)soft, (semi)hard, processed and whey cheeses and describes the (sub)sampling and preparation steps performed after sampling according to ISO 707 | IDF 50 and before method‑specific analytical procedures. The standard highlights precautions for volatile substances, minor components and allergens to avoid loss or contamination of target analytes.
Key Topics
- Scope and cheese types: fresh, (semi)soft, (semi)hard, processed and whey cheeses.
- Post‑sampling workflow: (sub)sampling, removal of non‑edible parts, cheese‑specific pre‑preparation and final preparation steps prior to analysis.
- Cheese‑specific guidance: handling of cheeses packaged in liquid (brine, oil), blue‑veined varieties, cheeses with inclusions (herbs, olives, nuts) and fresh cheeses (cottage, cream cheese).
- Apparatus and equipment: requirements for knives/cutting devices, peeling tools (razor planer), grinders and blenders (designed to avoid undue heat), spoons, spatulas, sieves and opaque storage containers that do not alter sample composition. (Example: rotating graters with 1.2–2.0 mm apertures can suit some hard cheeses.)
- Contamination control: recommendations to avoid cross‑contamination from rinds/coatings and to prevent loss of volatiles or water‑soluble components.
- Storage and transport: container material, closure and light protection to preserve sample integrity prior to analysis.
- Reporting: essential information to record in the test report related to sample preparation.
Applications and Users
This standard is intended for professionals involved in cheese testing, quality control and food safety, including:
- Dairy testing laboratories and third‑party analytical labs
- Dairy processors and quality assurance teams
- Regulatory and food control authorities
- R&D teams developing analytical methods or product formulations
Practical uses include preparing representative, contamination‑free sub‑samples for compositional analysis, moisture/fat/protein determinations, instrumental assays (e.g., spectrometry), and targeted testing where volatile components or allergens are critical.
Related Standards
- ISO 24223:2021 / IDF 253:2021 (joint publication)
- Sampling performed according to ISO 707 | IDF 50 (referenced as the sampling basis before applying EN ISO 24223:2021)
- Method‑specific analytical standards referenced within the document (bibliography lists analytical methods)
EN ISO 24223:2021 is a practical reference to ensure reproducible, traceable and contamination‑minimized cheese sample preparation for reliable physical and chemical testing.
