Frequently used terms in the production of Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano.

What Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) is, how it works and how it differs from vacuum packaging for packaged foods.

What a best-before date means, how it differs from a use-by date and how it relates to shelf life on packaged foods.

Vacuum packaging is a technique that removes air from the package to protect the product and support its preservation.

Shelf life is the period during which a packaged product maintains its quality and safety characteristics when stored correctly.

Grana Padano Riserva is a Grana Padano PDO cheese aged for more than 20 months and with specific quality characteristics.

Lysozyme is a protein extracted from egg white and permitted in the production of Grana Padano PDO, with some exceptions.

“Naturally lactose-free” refers to a product in which lactose is naturally reduced during processing and aging, without lactose-removal treatments.

Tyrosine crystals are small white granules that may appear in the paste of long-aged cheeses.

The rind is the outer part of the wheel that develops during aging.

The side of the cheese wheel is the lateral part of the wheel, meaning the height of the cylinder that forms the cheese.