Looking for some guidance in adding cheese to our products

I am looking for some guidance in adding cheese to our Products.

Background,

We are a Frozen Vegetable Packaging Operation and we are entertaining the idea in adding cheese pellets ( potentially frozen) or cheese seasoning.

For the US Market:

Do we need to be USDA inspected?

Any food safety considerations when handling cheese applications?

If someone could share their experience in this area, it will be greatly appreciated.

Kellio  

It's not quite my area, but I know cheese falls under the Food and Drug Administration's purview.  You will want to set up for non food contact surface Listeria testing. 

I have cheese sauce processing experience in a plant that handles USDA and FDA products, and most of our cheese sauces are FDA. The only ones we process that fall under USDA inspection are ones that include meat (such as a bacon cheese sauce).

One thing I will say about adding cheese to your process is to be wary of extended down time on your lines. Dairy products in general tend to grow coliforms when left waiting on food contact surfaces. Make sure you address this with sanitation.

To add to the above posts you are introducing an allergen to your product and your process so you need to ensure you address that in your product labeling, revisit your HACCP system and consider the possibility of cross-contamination.

Regards,

Tony

Thank you for the responses so far. 

Kellio :shades: