Parmigiano Reggiano is a unique product, but there is one for every taste: it only contains three ingredients (milk, salt and rennet), but the biodiversity of the cattle breeds (Italian Friesian, Modena White, Brown, Reggio Red cows), maturations (from 12 up to more than 60 months!) and the “certified” products (from Mountain products to Kosher, from Halal to organic cheese) feature extremely varied tastes, flavours, nuances and emotions. This is what makes this cheese different from all others. It is not only an extremely versatile and distinctive product, but a Made-in-Italy symbol that makes dishes unique, is featured on the menus of the best chefs in the world and is paired with wines, distillates, sweets and fish. It’s not just a piece of cheese: it is an icon of that Italian lifestyle that is loved by consumers in Italy and abroad.
CATTLE BREEDS
Italian Friesian cow (Frisona italiana)
It is the most common breed among Parmigiano Reggiano producers: imported from Holland, it is known as Friesian because the original stock is found in the Dutch region of Friesland. The first cattle were brought to Italy at the end of the 19th-century. In the 20th century cattle from Italian breeding farms were introduced and the breed, by then acclimatised, established itself for its high productivity and became the most widespread milk-producing breed in Italy and in the Parmigiano Reggiano area.
Modena white cow (Bianca modenese)
It is a triple-attitude breed, as in the past it provided considerable help in the fields, in addition to the production of milk and meat. It derives from golden-coated cattle, similar to the Reggio Red cow, cross-bred with grey cattle of the Podolic group. Its milk is particularly suitable for the production of Parmigiano Reggiano and for cheese making, thanks to the optimum ratio between fat and protein percentages, and to the high content of K-casein, that favours a fast and more lasting milk curdling. It is a Slow Food presidium.
Brown cow (Bruna)
The introduction of the brown breed in the Parma area dates back to the mid-18th century, even though 16th and 17th-century documents already mention cattle with a brown coat, probably of Swiss origin and brought over from Lombardy. This cattle became very popular because it was easy to keep and tame, suitable for draught work. Through the years the brown breed became known for its production of milk, whose rheological characteristics make it highly suitable for cheese making thanks to its high casein and fat content.
Red cow (Vacche rosse)
Until just after the Second World War, in the traditional barns of courtyard farms there were cows with a reddish coat and a triple-purpose. The breed dates back to the year One Thousand, probably in Pannonia, today’s Hungary. Its milk is rich in protein - in particular casein - calcium, and phosphorous, and it has optimal cheese making characteristics: the right amount of cream rises to the surface, the milk clots quickly, the curd is firm and elastic and the dairy yield is high. The Reggiana Breed Association has established that 24 months is the minimum maturation time for the cheese.
MATURATION
Unlike other cheeses, Parmigiano Reggiano can have long maturation periods, giving unparalleled sensations in the mouth, whilst keeping a perfect balance of flavours and, in the chefs’ hands, it turns into a tool that gives the recipes an unmistakeable touch. Minimum maturation is 12 months (the longest minimum maturation for any PDO cheese), but Parmigiano Reggiano reaches a degree of maturation that fully expresses its typical characteristics at approximately 24 months. It can mature up to 36, 48 months or longer, acquiring unexpected and unparalleled flavours and aromas. During maturation, thanks to the action of the enzymes released by lactic bacteria, proteins are broken down into smaller pieces, free peptides and amino acids, the basic bricks of the protein chain. This action of protein breakdown (proteolysis) determines the structure and sensory properties of Parmigiano Reggiano and its high digestibility.
12-19 months: delicate – Parmigiano Reggiano matured for 12-19 months has a harmonious and delicate flavour with scents of milk, yoghurt and butter. The lactic base is characterised by vegetable notes such as grass, boiled vegetables and sometimes fruit and flowers. The cheese is simultaneously sweet and sour, with granularity, crumbliness, and solubility beginning to be perceptible. It is particularly well-suited for aperitifs paired with sparkling white wines, or to enrich salads and cold dishes.
20-26 months: balanced – Parmigiano Reggiano expresses a perfectly balanced richness of aromas and flavours on the nose and palate. The lactic family is enriched, as, in addition to milk and butter one can detect notes of melted butter or Parmigiano Reggiano rind. Fresh fruit, such as banana, pineapple and citrus fruits appear along with hints of nuts and spices. Beef stock or stock cube are also perceptible. The flavour evolves into a balance between sweet and savoury and the cheese is perfectly soluble, crumbly and grainy. The presence of numerous tyrosine crystals indicates the progress of proteolytic processes. Perfect with medium bodied wines and to add flavour to all the dishes of the Italian tradition.
27-34 months: aromatic – The cheese is well-matured, and the phenomena associated with maturation give a pronounced, but balanced flavour. The cheese is drier, crumblier, and more soluble. Sometimes the crumbliness is so pronounced as to give the product an almost sandy texture. The taste is stronger and spicier, with the spiced and nutty notes being clearly predominant. It is an ideal ingredient for filled and baked pastas or to be enjoyed at the end of meals, paired with fruit and honey.
35-45 months: intense – The colour of the cheese is an intense straw yellow, verging on amber; the amino acidic crystals and formations resulting from the proteolytic processes are clearly visible. The olfactory analysis highlights warm spicy notes and the smell of hay. The prevailing aroma is that of chestnut and meat stock, slightly spicy and astringent; this cheese features a perfect balance among the five key flavours. To be paired with structured or full-bodied red wines.
More than 45 months – The colour of the cheese is amber straw yellow with an intense toasted smell. The aromatic analysis highlights typical leather, dried mushroom and smoky notes. The cheese has a special structure: dry, very crumbly and soluble. It is an exclusive gift and a pleasant companion to be tasted with structured and meditation wines.
CERTIFIED PRODUCTS
Mountain product
In 2013, EU Regulation no. 1151/12 introduced the denomination “Mountain Product” to identify food products coming from mountain areas in the European Union.
Parmigiano Reggiano is the most important PDO product made in the mountains: in 2023, the production of the 83 PDO mountain dairies exceeded 861,000 wheels. In order to further support sustainability in mountain areas and to offer guarantees that include, in addition to its origin, the quality of the cheese, the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium has launched “Mountain Product - Consortium Land Project.” The certification requirements are:
· 100% of milk produced in barns located in mountain areas;
· over 60% of the cattle feed grown in mountain areas;
· dairy, and maturation stage of at least 12 months, in mountain areas or within a range of 30km from the administrative border of the mountain area;
· quality selection at 20 months with “hammer” evaluation carried out by Consortium experts;
· sensory evaluation (tasting group) and chemical composition analysis;
· obligation of writing the name of the producer dairy on the label.
Kosher
Kosher-certified Parmigiano Reggiano, for observant Jews, is made at all steps of production, from milking to cutting, in accordance with kashrut, the Jewish religious dietary rules derived from the Torah. The production phases are overseen by a rabbi and checked by Ok Kosher Certification, one of the most accredited and recognized kosher certification agencies in the world.
Halal
Halal Parmigiano Reggiano follows both PDO production specifications and the directions of Islamic regulations concerning “permissible food” according to the Koran. The certification, which makes the product suitable for the Islamic market, entails full product traceability and monitoring of all production phases.
Organic
Parmigiano Reggiano from organic farming entails full product traceability at all production phases and certification according to the legal requirements for organic farming production.
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