Feta

For other uses, see FETA (disambiguation).

Feta
Country of origin	Byzantine Empire
Source of milk	Sheep (≥70%) and goat per PDO; similar cheeses may contain cow or buffalo milk
Pasteurised	Depends on variety
Texture	Depends on variety
Aging time	min. 3 months
Certification	PDO, 2002

Feta (Greek: φέτα) is a brined curd cheese traditionally made in Greece. Feta is an aged crumbly cheese, commonly produced in blocks, and has a slightly grainy texture. It is used as a table cheese, as well as in salads (e.g. the Greek salad), pastries and in baking, notably in the popular phyllo-based dishes spanakopita ("spinach pie") and tyropita ("cheese pie") and combined with olive oil and vegetables. It can also be served cooked or grilled, as part of a sandwich or as a salty alternative to other cheeses in a variety of dishes.

Since 2002, feta has been a protected designation of origin product in the European Union. According to the relevant EU legislation, only those cheeses produced in a traditional way in some areas of Greece (mainland and the island of Lesbos), and made from sheep milk, or from a mixture of sheep and goats’ milk (up to 30%) of the same area, may bear the name "feta". However, similar white brined cheeses (often called 'white cheese' in various languages) are found in the eastern Mediterranean and around the Black Sea. Similar brined white cheeses produced outside the EU are often made partly or wholly of cow's milk, and may legally be called 'feta'.

Description

Feta is a soft white brined cheese with small holes, a compact touch, few cuts, and no skin. It is usually formed into large blocks, which are submerged in brine. Its flavor is tangy and salty, ranging from mild to sharp. Its maximum moisture is 56%, its minimum fat content in dry matter is 43%, and its pH usually ranges from 4.4 to 4.6.

Production

Feta is salted and cured in a brine solution (based on water or whey) for several months. When removed from the brine, it dries out rapidly. It is made with goat's or sheep's milk. However in modern times imitations are often produced commercially with pasteurized cow's milk. Curdled milk with rennet is separated and left to drain in a special mold or a cloth bag. Afterwards, it is cut to large slices that are salted and then packed in barrels filled with brine.

Historical origins

Feta (typical)

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	1,103 kJ (264 kcal)
Carbohydrates	4 g
Fat	21 g
Protein	14 g
Vitamin A	422 IU
Riboflavin (vit. B2)	0.84 mg (70%)
Pantothenic acid (B5)	0.97 mg (19%)
Vitamin B6	0.42 mg (32%)
Vitamin B12	1.7 μg (71%)
Calcium	493 mg (49%)
Sodium	1116 mg (74%)
Zinc	2.9 mg (31%)
Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database

Feta cheese is first recorded in the Byzantine Empire under the name πρόσφατος (prósphatos, "recent", i.e. fresh), and was associated specifically with Crete. An Italian visitor to Candia in 1494 describes its storage in brine clearly.

The Greek word "feta" comes from the Italian word fetta ("slice"). It was introduced into the Greek language in the 17th century. Opinions vary whether it refers to the method of cutting the cheese in slices to serve on a plate or because of the practice of slicing it to place in barrels.^{[citation needed]}

Certification

After a long legal battle with Denmark, which produced a cheese under the same name using artificially blanched cow's milk, the term "feta" has been a protected designation of origin (PDO) since July 2002, which limits the term within the European Union to feta made exclusively of sheep's/goat's milk in Greece. According to the Commission, the biodiversity of the land coupled with the special breeds of sheep and goats used for milk is what gives feta cheese a specific aroma and flavor.

When needed to describe an imitation to feta, names such as "salad cheese" and "Greek-style cheese" are used. The European Commission gave other nations five years to find a new name for their "feta" cheese, or to stop production. Because of the decision by the European Union, Danish dairy company Arla Foods changed the name of their product to apetina.

Greek salad. Feta cheese, a traditional product, is usually sliced in small cubes or crumbled.^{[citation needed]}

Similar cheeses around the world

Similar cheeses can be found in:

• Albania (djath i bardhë or djath i gjirokastrës)
• Bulgaria (сирене, sirene)
• Egypt (domiati); Sudan (gibna beyda)
• Finland (salaattijuusto, salad cheese)
• Georgia (ყველი, kveli, lit. cheese)
• Iran (panir lighvan)
• Israel (gvina bulgarit, lit. Bulgarian cheese)
• Republic of Macedonia (бело сирење, belo sirenje, lit. white cheese)
• Lebanon (gibneh bulgharieh, lit. Bulgarian cheese)
• Poland (bryndza)
• Romania (brânză telemea)
• Russia (брынза, brynza)
• Serbia (сир, sir)
• Turkey (beyaz peynir, lit. white cheese)
• Ukraine (бринза, brynza)

See also

• List of cheeses
• Greek cuisine
• Greek food products

Further reading

• Dalby, Andrew (1997). Siren feasts: a history of food and gastronomy in Greece. New York: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-11620-1. OCLC 150826555. 

External links

• Feta registered as Protected Designation of Origin
• Fetamania - Feta's history, production and conservation methods, and recipes