• Cheese Quality Classes

    A scientific system to interpret the real quality of every cheese, from the animals’ diet to the production technique. Codified, replicable, transparent.

    Discover the system Go to classes

THE STARTING POINT

Not all cheeses are equal. But how can they be distinguished without laboratory analysis?

The quality of a cheese depends on two main variables: milk quality (which in turn depends on the animals’ diet) and the production technique. Known variables, but rarely communicated to the consumer in a clear and verifiable way.

Complete chemical analyses — polyphenols, lipid profile, aromatic compounds — exist but are expensive, time-consuming, and not always feasible for the average producer or final consumer.

A more immediate language is needed. A system of classes that translates scientific parameters into a readable, replicable, and verifiable code. This is exactly what ANFOSC has developed.

THE LOGIC

Two letters, three levels, two modifiers.

The 3 dimensions:

1. The letter (A or B) indicates the farming system:

  • A → animals on pasture
  • B → animals in stables

2. The number (1, 2, or 3) indicates the diet level within that system:

  • The lower the number, the better the diet from a qualitative point of view

3. The signs (+ or −) modify the evaluation based on the production technique:

  • Raw milk (+) or heat-treated milk (−)
  • Without added starter cultures (+) or with starter cultures/citric acid (−)

💡 The closer the code is to A1 + +, the more the cheese represents excellence according to the ANFOSC system.

CLASS A (animals on pasture)

The starting point of ANFOSC quality. Animals that live outdoors, feed on wild herbs, and express the complexity of the territory in their production.

A1 - PURE PASTURE

  • Animals living on pasture, without any dietary supplementation.
  • Maximum expression of the territory. Diet composed entirely of wild herbs, flowers, and pasture shrubs. The highest level of the ANFOSC system.

A2 - PASTURE + SUPPLEMENTATION

  • Animals on pasture with cereal supplementation at a maximum of 30% of the ration.
  • Excellent quality level. The diet remains dominated by pasture species; supplementation is limited and does not substantially alter the milk profile.

A3 - MONOPHYTIC PASTURE + CEREALS

  • Animals on monophytic pasture (one or few herbs) and cereals over 30%.
  • Good level, but with reduced biodiversity. Grazing is limited to a few plant species and cereal supplementation exceeds the optimal threshold.

CLASS B (animals in stables)

The most widespread system in the dairy industry. The evaluation is based on the ratio between grass (hay/forage) and cereals in the daily ration.

B1 - 70/30 RATIO

  • Feeding with a 70/30 grass/cereal ratio.
  • The highest level of the stable system. The herbaceous component (hay, forage) dominates the diet, ensuring a good quality profile even without direct grazing.

B2 - RATIO UP TO 50/50

  • Feeding with a grass/cereal ratio up to 50/50.
  • Balance between herbaceous and cereal components. Medium quality level, still acceptable according to the ANFOSC system but with room for improvement.

B3 - OVER 50/50

  • Feeding with a grass/cereal ratio higher than 50/50 (prevalence of cereals).
  • The lowest level of the system. The ration is dominated by concentrates, reducing the nutritional and aromatic profile of the milk and therefore of the cheese.

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