2005 Arizona Revised Statutes - Revised Statutes §3-624  Cheese; ingredients; pasteurized cheese; part‑skim cheese; labeling; cottage cheese excepted

A. Cheese manufactured in the state for sale shall be made from pasteurized milk, skim milk, cream, goat milk or sheep milk conforming to the requirements prescribed by this article. All cheese sold shall be labeled to indicate the variety and grade of the cheese. Pasteurized cheese or pasteurized-blended cheese bearing a varietal name shall be made from cheese of the variety indicated and conforming to the requirements for fat and moisture prescribed for cheese of that variety. The standards of composition for pasteurized cheese, pasteurized-blended cheese, emulsified cheese and process cheese shall be fixed by the associate director and shall conform to those prescribed by the secretary of the United States department of agriculture. Cheese manufactured in the state shall be labeled at the factory with a manufacturer's factory number assigned annually by the associate director. If made outside the state, cheese shall bear a label stating the name and address of the manufacturer or distributor.

B. It is unlawful to expose for sale any part-skim cheese or skim cheese unless there is attached to the outside of every vessel, can, package or cheese exposed or sold a tag legibly bearing in black letters at least one inch in height the words "part-skim cheese No. 1," "part-skim cheese No. 2" or "skim cheese," as the case may be. All part-skim or skim cheddar or granular cheese shall be labeled to indicate the grade on its entire outer edge in a manner specified by the associate director. All other varieties of part-skim or skim cheese shall be labeled to indicate the grade in such manner as the associate director prescribes.

C. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to apply to cottage cheese. The addition of cream, milk or other fluids to uncreamed or creamed cottage cheese shall take place only in a milk distributing plant or a manufacturing milk plant licensed under this article.

D. This section does not apply to any cheese commonly referred to as "hard cheese" that is manufactured from unpasteurized milk products and that is aged for a period of sixty days from the date of its moulding as evidenced by the date of moulding stamped on the cheese at the time of manufacturing.