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Fermentation Atlas

Cheese from Spain, central-western Asturias

Afuega'l Pitu PDOAfuega'l Pitu

Whole cow milk, usually pasteurised, is soured with lactic cultures and a little rennet for 15 to 20 hours. The soft curd drains under its own weight in cone-shaped moulds or in cloth, is salted, and may be kneaded with paprika. It is eaten fresh or ripened for up to 60 days, and is crumbly, sour and dry in the throat. Made in 7 steps over 7.6 days – 2.1 months. The longest step, ripen in chambers, takes 5 days – 2 months (Consejo Regulador / Principado de Asturias 2008). Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis and its diacetylactis biovar, with Leuconostoc citreum, the strains of a pilot-plant starter for this cheese does most of the fermenting.

Key numbers
Main step5 days – 2 monthsSet[afuega-spec2008]Ripen in chambers
Temperature72 °CSet[afuega-spec2008]Pasteurise the milk
AciditypH 4.1–5Set[afuega-spec2008]Ripen in chambers
Fully documentedCheese7.6 days – 2.1 monthsPDO (EU, 2008)Family: Fresh lactic (acid-set) cheese familyMore fresh acid-set cheesesMore from Spain

Recipe

Amounts from a sourceThe specification fixes limits, not a recipe. Each cheese weighs 200–600 g.
Whole cow milk · At least 3.0 % protein and 3.5 % fat; pasteurised unless the cheese ripens 60 days[afuega-spec2008]
Lactic cultures · Added to pasteurised milk[afuega-spec2008]
A small amountLiquid rennet[afuega-spec2008]
Salt (sodium chloride)[afuega-spec2008]
About 1 %Paprika (pimentón) · Only in the red (roxu) kinds, kneaded into the curd[afuega-spec2008]
Starterlactic cultures plus a little liquid rennet; traditionally spontaneous souring

Total time across the recorded steps: 7.6 days – 2.1 months

Start
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72 °C

What changes: Heat kills most microbes in the milk before the cultures go in

Step 1 of 7
Pasteurise the milk
Time
0.2–0.5 min
Set
Temperature
72 °C
Set
Salt
None given
Acidity
Not documented
Which microbes the steps name, step by step
Lactic acid bacteria
Lactococcus lactis
Leuconostoc citreum

Cheeses ripened for 60 days may be made from unpasteurised milk.

Flavour
Not documented
Texture
Not documented
Colour
Not documented

Microbes at work in this step

Not documented for this step.

Method

Measured measured in a studySet fixed by a specification or tested recipeReported one source reports itTypical a general value, not sourced for this fermentUnconfirmed not yet checked against a source

What makes this one different

It is set mainly by slow souring, with only a little rennet, so the curd is soft and drains under its own weight without pressing. The ripe cheese crumbles instead of slicing and feels dry in the throat, which the name refers to.

Milk
Whole cow milk, pasteurised unless the cheese ripens 60 days
Paste
Soft, lactic-set; at least 45 % fat in dry matter, 35 % protein in dry matter, 30 % dry matter; pH 4.1–5
Ripening
5 to 60 days
Size
200–600 g; 5–12 cm high, 8–14 cm across the base; truncated cone or gourd shape

Related ferments

Variants

  • Atroncau blancuUnkneaded curd moulded in cone-shaped moulds; white.
  • Atroncau roxuCurd kneaded with salt and paprika, then moulded in cones lined with gauze; red-orange.
  • Trapu blancuKneaded curd tied in gauze and hung for 24 hours, giving a gourd shape; white.
  • Trapu roxuKneaded with paprika, tied in gauze and hung; gourd-shaped and red-orange.

Safety

The PDO rules require pasteurisation at 72 °C for 15–30 seconds unless the cheese ripens 60 days. In pilot trials, Listeria added to the milk disappeared after day 7 as the cheese reached about pH 4.0. Keep packed cheese at 4–10 °C.

Hazards the sources name: Listeria monocytogenes; in pilot trials it grew during souring, then fell and was not found after day 7.

History and sources

Every number is labelled with how it is known. How this atlas is made

Written records show the cheese at least from the 18th century as a way to pay taxes, under names such as quesu de puñu. Late 19th-century authors describe it as common across most of Asturias. The name means "choke the chicken" in Asturian; explanations range from the tied neck of the draining bag to the way the dry cheese catches in the throat. It was registered as a PDO in 2008.

  1. [afuega-spec2008] Consejo Regulador / Principado de Asturias, Pliego de condiciones de la DOP "Afuega'l Pitu" (version of 25 July 2008), registered by Commission Regulation (EC) No 723/2008spec
  2. [margolles1997] Margolles A., Rodríguez A., de los Reyes-Gavilán C.G. 1997, Behavior of Listeria monocytogenes during the manufacture, ripening, and cold storage of Afuega'l Pitu cheese, Journal of Food Protection 60(6):689–693 (abstract)paper