Cheese: Fresh Asiago Cheese

Asiago is a cow's milk cheese that originated in the Veneto region of Italy. It is typically made from unpasteurized cow's milk, but pasteurized milk is also used. The cheese is aged for varying lengths of time, which affects its texture and flavor, ranging from mild and smooth when young to crumbly and sharp when aged.

Manufacturers add Asiago cheese to provide a savory, nutty, and slightly sharp flavor to foods. It is often used as a topping or ingredient in salads, pasta dishes, soups, and baked goods. Its firm texture also makes it suitable for grating over dishes.

Asiago cheese is a source of protein, calcium, and other nutrients. Like other dairy products, it contains saturated fat and sodium. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists cheese as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS). Major international food safety bodies like the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) evaluate food ingredients, but specific evaluations for Asiago cheese as a distinct ingredient are not typically highlighted outside of its general classification as a dairy product.