Fiore Sardo Cheese

“Fiore Sardo” is a hard paste cheese manufactured exclusively from whole, raw ovine milk coagulated with lamb or kid rennet paste. Since long time ago, Fiore Sardo has been recognized as a typical food product (D.P.R. 30.10.1955 N 1279) by the Italian Government and in 1996 obtained the Protected Denomination of Origin (PDO) from the EU Commission (EC Regulation 1236/1996). Based on this latter EC Regulation, Fiore Sardo cheese can be manufactured exclusively within the Sardinian region (Italy). Currently, the consortium of producers of Fiore Sardo cheese (“Consorzio per la Tutela del Formaggio Fiore Sardo”; http://www.fioresardo.it/) monitors and guarantees the adoption, by the single producers, of strict cheese-making procedures and, more generally, is committed to the valorization of the cheese. Fiore Sardo is the typical cheese of the Sardinian agro-pastoral tradition and is produced seasonally at the farm level (approximately 500 tons/year) using ovine milk from flocks mainly raised at pasture. Fiore Sardo cheese plays a significant role for the economy of rural areas of Sardinia.