How good is eidam cheese? The consumer magazine dTest examined a total of twenty-one samples of eidam cheese with a fat content in the dry matter of 30 and 45 percent in terms of quality, taste and purity. The cheeses did not inspire much in taste during testing, but on the other hand they surprised with their protein content.
Eidam, originally from the Netherlands, has had a place in Czech cuisine since the 19th century. Gradually, however, it acquired the form of a cheap cheese suitable more for baking and frying. During its testing, the dTest magazine focused mainly on sliced sliced eidams, but blocks were also represented. Among those tested were both products from well-known manufacturers and private labels of retail chains.
“The cheeses were first examined for fat content in the dry matter. As there is no binding regulation for eidams, the values obtained were compared according to the voluntary Guild Standard for eidams issued by the Czech Food Chamber,” explains Hana Hoffmannová.
“In general, the more fat was measured in the dry matter, the better the rating we gave. However, we took into account whether the types were 30% or 45% and set different criteria for each category,” he adds.
The proportion of fat in the dry matter for less fatty cheeses ranged from 30.5% (Madeta Jihočeský Eidam 30% slices) to 35% (Golden cheese Eidam 30% slices). In 45% of eidams, the Slovak brand Liptov failed, where the laboratory reached only 44.4% fat in dry matter.
The cheeses of the Billa / Clever and Albert / Česká taste brands had the highest fat content. A value of 47.1% was reported for both.
The comparison of the measured values with the data stated on the packaging was basically without problems. “In two cases the label indicated less dry matter and in one case the information on the fat content of the dry matter did not agree. However, these were not serious offenses and in all cases this could be justified by measurement uncertainty,” the dTest report said.
According to the authors of the test, the measurement of the protein content brought the most interesting results. The average measured value of the tested samples was 29% for 30% of cheeses and 26% for 45% of cheeses. “In last June’s test, we measured a protein content of around 15.5% for mozzarella, it was about 14% for barbecue sticks from July, and raw lean beef offers 20% protein. So Eidam can boldly compete with protein bars with values from 20 to 50%, “adds Hoffmann.
Measurement of the salt content showed that eidams with 30% fat in dry matter have an average of 1.67% salt, in the fatter category it was 1.49%. The tested products are similar to mozzarella (1.4%) and cheddar (1.7%). Compared to parmesan (2.5%) and blue cheese (2.3%), eidam is an unsalted relative.
Kvasinky i Escherichia coli
During the sensory evaluation, eidams were divided according to their fatness into two groups, and a nine-member commission subsequently evaluated the color, consistency, taste, and aroma according to a set standard.
“Almost all eidams had at least one noteworthy error. The exception was Globus Eidam 45% natural sliced cheese, which became the premier of tasting. Most comments generally fell to taste, with each category of eidam bothered by something different,” he said. test summary.
In the case of cheeses with 30% fat in dry matter, the commission most often complained of a less pronounced taste. In the fatter eidams, there were problems with unpleasant flavors such as bitterness and sourness.
The purity of the samples was also checked – in particular the presence of undesirable yeasts, salmonella bacteria, listeria and Escherichia coli was examined.
None of the monitored microorganisms was found in nine cheeses. “We most often encountered yeast in the test, but it poses a threat to the taste and smell of the product. But we also found Escherichia coli in 30% of Agrico and Kaufland / K-Classic eidams. In both cases, there were hundreds of bacteria in one gram, which still fit within the allowed thousand limit, “says Hoffmann.
A total of 15 cheeses were then dispensed with without the support of substances such as preservatives, dyes or stabilizers. The most frequently declared substance was the calcium chloride stabilizer, which manufacturers use to help curd milk. However, the preservative potassium nitrate and the dyes carotene and annatto also appeared.
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