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Dec 24, 2025 - Foods

Goat and Sheep Cheese: Happy Holidays, but with Caution!

More and more cheese specialties are finding enthusiastic followers. Goat and sheep cheeses are at the top of the list for gourmets, often also handcrafted. The Baden-Württemberg CVUA Stuttgart analyzed 178 different cheese preparations in 2022-24 as part of routine samples, which were not cow milk products. An evaluation by Dr. Sylvie Krüger was recently published on the agency's website.

The good news: almost everywhere untainted enjoyment possible. However, 17 "alternative cheese samples" were conspicuous, including two goat soft cheeses that were deemed "harmful to health." Once detection of toxin-producing staphylococci, once Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia (E.) coli (STEC). Reference should be made in the latter case to the findings of STEC in mung bean sprouts (see BAV notice on public recall) as well as in doughs and flours (see BAV notices).

The authority assessed three samples as "not safe" due to excessively high counts of yeasts and molds. The CVUA points out that especially fresh and soft cheese preparations are more susceptible to spoilage. Best-before dates and suitable storage temperatures should be observed.

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