Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) is among those asking the Food and Drug Administration to clarify its guidelines on the use of wooden boards to age artisanal cheeses. He says cheese makers have been using wooden boards or panels to age their cheeses for centuries, and that changing the rules would put American producers at a disadvantage."You see, many, if not most, artisanal cheese makers use wooden shelves or panels to age their product, because the wood wicks away moisture from the cheese and can even add flavor, much like a wine or beer aged in a wooden barrel or casket would do," Schumer said. Part of the concern is that the wood the cheese is aged on doesn't provide a sanitary surface, though Schumer says studies have been done that show the process producers use to keep the wood safe works.The senator says cheese makers in Canada and Europe are allowed to use wooden boards, but he says the FDA's current interpretation of the rule is unclear and has cheese makers wondering if they
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