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Cheese
factories represent the oldest of these activities, in the midst
of agricultural product transformation. From the processing of
local milk, one of the most typically Modenese foodstuffs is produced:
Parmigiano Reggiano or Parmesan Cheese.
The area of Parmesan Cheese is composed of the provinces of Modena,
 Reggio
Emilia, Parma and parts of the provinces of Bologna and Mantua
on the left bank of the river Reno and on the right bank of the
river Po.
In order to preserve this product, which is the result of eight
centuries of tradition and experience, in 1954 a consortium called
"Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano" was created
(www.parmigiano-reggiano.it).
Its task is to support the productive process, in order to defend
the "Parmigiano Reggiano" mark by means of carefully
performed quality controls, aiming at protecting the interests
of the consumer.
Parmesan Cheese has been recognised as a D.O.C. product: a seal
that proves its quality and origin. Two ministerial decrees have
established many technical aspects of milk production and the
rules regarding the production, the maturing and characteristics
of Parmesan Cheese. They involve several aspects: from the cows
feeding that must be based on local forage crops and lacking in
antifermentative substances during milk processing, to maturing
rules and characteristics of the  cheese.
Since 1998 the Parmigiano-Reggiano has obtained the DOP label
(Denominazione di Origine Protetta), which is the most important
device in order to preserve the quality of food products, released
by the European Union.
However the ability of the producers is fundamental for the product
realization. Despite several technical transformations, the technology
and work organization of cheese factories is still craftmade.
The economies of scale in the productive process are rather low.
The productive cycle begins with the delivery of the milk to the
cheese factory. Then the milk is heated and the resulting mass
is wrapped up in special bands, deposited in mouls, salted, exposed
to the sun and finally stored in a warehouse for maturing (from
12 to 36 months). The observance of the production rules and the
product quality is guaranteed by the branding of the whole cheese
by the Consorzio.
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