After the surface of the cheese has been dried, they undergo “dry salting”, when they receive approximately 1.5 to 2% of their weight in salt.
The salting of the cheese has three goals:
- To ensure the cheese’s keeping qualities by removing all the whey
- To encourage the ripening of the cheese through the development of surface flora
- To improve its tasting qualities
After salting, the cheeses are placed in a ripening room where the temperature and humidity levels are strictly controlled. This stage lasts for 2 to 3 days while the cheeses dry.
This drying stage lasts for 2 to 3 days.