Even today, Emmentaler AOP is still made in the traditional way using artisanal skills. Producers still follow the original Emmentaler AOP recipe and adhere to the strict regulations of the Emmentaler Switzerland functional specification document. Emmentaler Switzerland, as the interprofessional organization for Emmentaler AOP, is responsible for maintaining the high quality standards for this cheese. They conduct around 1,400 grading inspections on cheese wheels every year.
The grading of wheels of Emmentaler AOP is carried out in accordance with the Emmentaler Switzerland functional specification document, and takes the following criteria into account: holes, curds, flavour and physical characteristics, care, posture and shelf life. Each criterion is graded on a scale from 1 to 5 points. In order to qualify as class 1 Emmentaler AOP (approved for sale), the cheese must achieve at least 18 points in total and it must not score lower than 4 on any single criterion.
