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Fermentation Atlas

Cheese from Po valley

Grana Padano PDO

Made in 7 steps over 13 months. The longest step, age on wooden shelves, takes at least 12 months and runs at 16–18 °C. Salt is 1.5–1.8 %.

Key numbers
Main stepat least 12 monthsSet[pr-disc]Age on wooden shelves
Temperature16–18 °CReported[coppola1997][franceschi2021][gatti2008]Age on wooden shelves
Salt1.5–1.8 %Reported[coppola1997]Float in brine
AciditypH 5.2–5.4Reported[bonilauri2026]Lift in linen, cut in two, mould and mark

What makes this one different

Like Parmigiano Reggiano but with a shorter minimum ripening (9 months), and lysozyme is allowed against late blowing.

Milk
Raw cow milk, kept at 8 °C or more, part-skimmed by natural creaming at 8–20 °C; lysozyme up to 2.5 g per 100 kg of milk is allowed against late blowing
Starter
Natural whey starter; native lactobacilli may be added when the whey is too weak
Setting
Calf rennet powder at about 35–40 °C; the curd is cut to rice-grain size
Cooking
Cooked to a maximum of 56 °C, then left under the whey for no more than 70 min
Moulding
At least 36 h in marking bands under a wooden disc
Salting
Brine for 14–30 days
Ripening
9 months from moulding at 15–22 °C; "riserva" means over 20 months
Size
Wheels of 24–40 kg, 35–45 cm across and 18–25 cm high; fat in dry matter at least 32%

Recipe

No fixed amounts recordedWhat goes in. No source gives amounts for this ferment.
cow milk, raw

Total time across the recorded steps: 13 months

Start
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at least 18 °C

What changes: Cream rises on the evening milk and is skimmed off

Step 1 of 7 · steps of Parmigiano Reggiano
Let the evening milk cream overnight
Time
12 h
Reported
Temperature
at least 18 °C
Set
Salt
None given
Acidity
Not documented
Which microbes the steps name, step by step
Lactobacilli
Lactobacilli sour

The morning milk is mixed in the next day and may also be skimmed a little the same way. Output: part-skimmed evening milk; the cream goes to butter.

Flavour
Not documented
Texture
cream rises to the top
Colour
white

Microbes at work in this step

native raw-milk flora; the milk is never heated

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

History and sources

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

  1. [gp-disciplinare] Consorzio Tutela Grana Padano, Disciplinare di produzione DOP Grana Padano (2022)spec
  2. [onaf-sheet] ONAF technical sheet, Grana Padano DOPweb