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Fermentation Atlas

Cheese from Sweden, the low-lying farming areas across the country

Svecia PGISvecia

Pasteurised cow milk is set with rennet and a lactic culture at about 30 °C, cut and stirred, and the curd is heated to 37–42 °C and salted. It is moulded loosely so air stays between the grains, which leaves small irregular holes, then brined and waxed and ripened at least two months into a mild, slightly sour semi-hard cheese. Made in 7 steps over 2 months. The longest step, wax and ripen in a dry store, takes at least 2 months (National Food Administration (Sweden) 2081). Salt is 1–1.5 % (National Food Administration (Sweden) 2081). Lactic acid bacteria culture added after pasteurisation does most of the fermenting.

Key numbers
Main stepat least 2 monthsSet[svecia-pgi]Wax and ripen in a dry store
Temperature72 °C → 30 °CSet[svecia-pgi]Pasteurise and temper the milk
Salt1–1.5 %Set[svecia-pgi]Brine

Recipe

No fixed amounts recordedThe specification fixes limits, not a recipe. Each cheese weighs 12–15 kg.
Cow milk · Low-pasteurised at 72 °C[svecia-pgi]
Lactic acid bacteria culture · Added to replace what pasteurisation removes; the English summary calls it "lactic acid enzymes"[svecia-pgi]
Rennet[svecia-pgi]
Salt · Added to the curd and by brining[svecia-pgi]
Wax · For the surface[svecia-pgi]
Starter: lactic acid bacteria culture

Total time across the recorded steps: 2 months

Start
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72 °C

What changes: The milk is heated to 72 °C, then cooled to about 30 °C for cheesemaking

Step 1 of 7
Pasteurise and temper the milk
Time
Not documented
Temperature
72 °C → 30 °C
Set
Salt
None given
Acidity
Not documented
Which microbes the steps name, step by step
Lactic acid bacteria
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

Svecia's small irregular holes come from air trapped when the curd is moulded loosely, unlike the round, even eyes of Herrgård. It is a national cheese made in dairies across lowland Sweden, not tied to one district.

Milk
Pasteurised cow milk
Fat
28 % fat in the cheese (45 % in dry matter); salt normally 1.0–1.5 %
Ripening
At least 2 months
Rind
Waxed
Size
Cylinder 35 cm across, 12–15 kg

Related ferments

Variants

  • Low-fat Svecia17 % fat in the cheese (30 % in dry matter).
  • High-fat Svecia33 % fat in the cheese (55 % in dry matter).

Safety

The specification requires pasteurised milk (72 °C) and ripening of at least two months.

History and sources

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

The application says making this kind of cheese in Sweden probably dates back to the 13th century, and the name Svecia, from the Latin for Sweden, has been used since the 1920s. A Swedish cheese book lists Svecia among the classics now made by the large dairies, with Kalmar dairy making it alongside grevé, herrgård and präst. It was registered as a PGI in 1997.

  1. [svecia-pgi] National Food Administration (Sweden), Application for registration under Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92, Svecia PGI, summary sheet SE/1561 (English translation, eAmbrosia); registered by Commission Regulation (EC) No 2325/97spec
  2. [arena2015] Ostlandet Sverige, excerpt from a book on Swedish cheeses published by Arena (2015)book
  3. [wp] Wikipedia, Svecia (outline only)wiki