In a move sure to confuse sandwich eaters countrywide, the USDA has changed the rules about the size of holes in Grade A Swiss cheese. The change was made to keep the cheese from clogging slicing machines. Under the previous standard, the size of the holes -- or "eyes" as they're called in the cheeze biz -- was 11/16 to 13/16 of an inch in diameter. The new standard, which takes effect Feb. 22, reduces the minimum hole size to 3/8 of an inch. Although standards for cheese and other dairy products imposed by the USDA are voluntary, they are used throughout the industry to ensure consistency and determine prices.
Cheese Change
In a move sure to confuse sandwich eaters countrywide, the USDA has changed the rules about the size of holes in Grade A Swiss cheese. The change was made to keep the cheese from clogging slicing machines. Under the previous standard, the size of the holes -- or "eyes" as they're called in the cheeze biz -- was 11/16 to 13/16 of an inch in diameter. The new standard, which takes effect Feb. 22, reduces the minimum hole size to 3/8 of an inch. Although standards for cheese and other dairy products imposed by the USDA are voluntary, they are used throughout the industry to ensure consistency and determine prices.
