Editing Roquefort (section)

==Production==
[[File:Brebis lacaune.jpg|thumb|250px|A Lacaune flock in France]]
[[File:Elevage-drone-1.png|thumb|A Roquefort farm in Southern France]]
[[File:Traite-lait.png|thumb|Sheep being milked for Roquefort production]]
Roquefort is made entirely from the milk of the [[Lacaune (sheep)|Lacaune]] breed of sheep. Prior to the [[Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée]] (AOC) regulations of 1925, a small amount of cow's or goat's milk was sometimes added. Around {{convert|4.5|L|USgal|frac=8|abbr=on}} of milk is required to make one kilogram of Roquefort.<ref name=masui/>

Roquefort is produced throughout the ''[[département]]'' of [[Aveyron]] and part of the nearby ''départements'' of [[Aude]], [[Lozère]], [[Gard]], [[Hérault]] and [[Tarn (department)|Tarn]].<ref name=inao>{{cite web|url=http://www.inao.gouv.fr/public/produits/showTexte.php?ID_TEXTE_CONSOLIDE=791|title=AOC Roquefort|publisher=INAO|access-date=22 November 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170306193150/http://www2.inao.gouv.fr/public/produits/showTexte.php?ID_TEXTE_CONSOLIDE=791|archive-date=6 March 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> {{As of|2009}}, there are seven Roquefort producers. The largest-volume brand by far is {{ill|Roquefort Société|fr|Société (marque)}} made by the ''Société des Caves de Roquefort'',<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.roquefort-societe.com/anglais/index.html|title= Roquefort Société|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090205025429/http://www.roquefort-societe.com/anglais/index.html|archive-date= 5 February 2009}}</ref> since 1990 a subsidiary of [[Lactalis]].<ref>https://www.lactalis.com/en/the-group/the-groups-history/</ref> Other producers are Papillon, Carles, {{ill|Gabriel Coulet|fr|Gabriel Coulet (marque)}}, {{ill|Fromageries occitanes|fr|Les Fromageries occitanes}}, Vernières and Le Vieux Berger.

Around three million cheeses were made in 2005 (18,830 tons) making it, after [[Comté (cheese)|Comté]], France's second-most-popular cheese.<ref name="masui" /> Roquefort has a high content of free [[Glutamic acid|glutamate]], 1,280&nbsp;mg per 100 g of cheese.<ref>{{cite news |last=Renton |first=Alex |date=10 July 2005 |title=If MSG is so bad for you... |url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/foodmonthly/story/0,,1522368,00.html |access-date=22 May 2010 |newspaper=[[The Observer]] |location=London}}</ref>

The mold that gives Roquefort its distinctive character (''[[Penicillium roqueforti]]'') is found in the soil of the local caves. Traditionally, the cheesemakers extracted it by leaving bread in the caves for six to eight weeks until it was consumed by the mold. The interior of the bread was then dried to produce a powder. In modern times, the mold can be grown in a laboratory, which allows for greater consistency. The mold may either be added to the [[curd]] or introduced as an [[Particulate|aerosol]] through holes poked in the rind.{{cn|date=June 2022}}

The regional cuisine in and around [[Aveyron]] includes many Roquefort-based recipes for main-course meat sauces, savory tarts and quiches, pies, and fillings.<ref name="Roquefortadvice">[http://www.roquefort.fr/decouvrir/le-fromage/gastronomie.html Gastronomie du roquefort sur le site ''roquefort.fr''.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100212170932/http://www.roquefort.fr/decouvrir/le-fromage/gastronomie.html |date=12 February 2010 }} Consulté le 25 décembre 2009.</ref>

===AOC regulations===
The {{lang|fr|[[Appellation d'origine contrôlée]]}} regulations that govern the production of Roquefort have been laid down over a number of decrees by the [[INAO]]. These include:<ref name=inao/>
#All milk used must be delivered at least 20 days after lambing has taken place.
#The sheep must be on pasture, whenever possible, in an area that includes most of [[Aveyron]] and parts of neighboring departments. At least 75% of any grain or fodder fed must come from the area.
#The milk must be whole, raw (not heated above {{convert|34|°C|°F|abbr=on|disp=sqbr}}), and unfiltered except to remove macroscopic particles.
#The addition of [[rennet]] must occur within 48 hours of milking.
#The ''Penicillium roqueforti'' used in the production must be produced in France from the natural caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon.
#The salting process must be performed using dry salt.
#The whole process of maturation, cutting, packaging and refrigeration of the cheese must take place in the commune of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon.