Bulgaria to implement stricter standards for cheese and yellow cheese

The Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and Food is preparing to implement stricter regulations for white brined cheese and yellow cheese to ensure higher product quality and authenticity. The proposed changes to the dairy products ordinance aim to reduce the maximum water content in cheese from 60% to 58% and mandate a minimum dry matter content of 42%.

Under the new rules, the category of ‘cheese with high water content’ will be abolished, as Deputy Minister Krum Nedelkov noted that products with 63–65% water content no longer align with the characteristics of traditional cheese. The ministry expects these requirements to take effect by late November or by the end of 2026 at the latest.

Regarding consumer impact, the ministry anticipates that these changes will not lead to significant price increases, projecting a minimal rise of approximately 0.2–0.3%.

In addition to cheese, new standards for Bulgarian yellow cheese are being considered. These include requirements for production to be a continuous process, with interruptions not exceeding 24 hours, to limit the use of intermediate semi-finished products and encourage the use of domestic milk.