🧀 Saint-Paulin
Also known as: St Paulin
Saint-Paulin is a ripened firm to semi-hard cheese with its own Codex Alimentarius standard (CXS 271-1968).
Saint-Paulin is a ripened firm to semi-hard cheese with its own international Codex standard. Its body is near white, ivory, light yellow or yellow, firm under the thumb but flexible, and it is made from cows' milk, buffaloes' milk or a mix of the two. 1
Codex is precise about the label. The country of origin means the country where the cheese was made, not the country the name came from, and repacking, cutting, slicing or grating does not change that. 1
The standard sets at least 40 % milkfat in the dry matter, with 40–50 % as the usual reference. Dry matter must reach 44 % when fat in dry matter is 40–60 %, and 54 % when it is higher. 1
Acidity develops through microbes, and the cheese is salted in brine. Ripening normally takes from one week at 10–17 °C, depending on how mature it should be; ripening-enhancing enzymes may be used if the result has the same properties. 1
It is sold with or without a rind. The rind is dry or slightly moist, hard but elastic under the thumb, and it may be coated. 1
The usual shape is a small, flat cylinder with slightly convex sides, about 20 cm across and weighing at least 1.3 kg. 1
Additives are limited: colours only to reach the described colour, and rice, corn or potato starch only on the surface of cut, sliced or shredded cheese, to stop pieces sticking. 1
French dairy guidance groups Saint-Paulin with the uncooked pressed cheeses, together with reblochon, saint-nectaire and morbier: pressing drains the curd hard and gives a compact, supple paste under a hard rind. 4
On French packs, the fat figure is given per 100 g of the finished cheese, unless the nutrition table already shows it, and words like “crème” or “double crème” have fixed meanings: 45 to under 60 g and 60 to under 75 g of fat per 100 g of dry matter. 3
Facts
| Raw material | Cows' or buffaloes' milk, or a mixture 1 |
|---|---|
| Minimum maturation | From 1 week 1 |
| Temperature | Ripening normally at 10–17 °C 1 |
| Status | Name allowed only for cheese that meets the Codex standard 1 |
| Legal basis | Codex CXS 271-1968 1; France: décret 2007-628 3 |
How it connects to Cheese
🧀 Saint-Paulin → kind of → 🧀 Semi-hard cheeses → kind of → 🧀 Cheese
Links
- Made from which milk
- 🥛 Cow's milk
- Part of
- 🧀 Semi-hard cheeses, 🇫🇷 French cheeses
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Saint-Paulin is full of holes?
No. Gas holes are generally absent, though a few openings and splits are acceptable. [1]
What if a Saint-Paulin is richer than usual?
Above the 40–50 % reference, the label must say so with a qualifier or the fat content, near the name. [1]
How must the fat content be shown?
As a percentage by mass, as fat in dry matter, or in grams per serving, whichever the country of sale accepts. [1]
How big are Petit and Mini Saint-Paulin?
Smaller sizes: Petit is 8–13 cm across and at least 150 g, Mini at least 20 g. [1]
Can it contain a salt substitute?
Yes. Codex allows potassium chloride as a substitute for sodium chloride. [1]
Similar
🧀 Caerphilly cheese · 🧀 Maasdam · 🧀 Tilsit cheese · 🧀 Edam · 🧀 Butterkäse · 🧀 Tulum cheese
ℹ️ Dairy products contain lactose and milk proteins: if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein, ask a doctor.