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{{Short description|Italian hard cheese}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Redirect-multi|2|Parmigiano|Reggiano|the Emilian dialect|Reggiano (dialect)|other uses}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox cheese
| name          = Parmesan
| image         = Parmigiano Reggiano, Italien, Europäische Union.jpg
| othernames    = Parmigiano Reggiano (in [[Italian language|Italian]]) 
| country       = [[Italy]]
| region        = [[Emilia-Romagna]]
| town          = Provinces of [[Province of Parma|Parma]], [[Province of Reggio Emilia|Reggio Emilia]], [[Province of Modena|Modena]], [[Province of Bologna|Bologna]] (west of the [[Reno (river)|River Reno]]) and [[Province of Mantua|Mantua]] (on the right/south bank of the [[Po (river)|River Po]])
| source        = [[Dairy cattle|Cows]] (mostly [[Holstein Friesian|Friesian]] and Reggiana cattle)
| pasteurised   = No
| texture       = [[Types of cheese#Hard cheese|Hard]]
| fat           = 
| protein       = 
| dimensions    = 
| weight        = 
| aging         = Minimum: 12 months<br />''Vecchio'': 18–24 months<br />''Stravecchio'': 24–36 months
| certification = Italy: [[Protected designation of origin|DOP]]: 1955<br />[[European Union|EU]]: [[Protected designation of origin|PDO]]: 1992
}}

'''Parmesan''' ({{langx|it|Parmigiano Reggiano|italics=no}}, {{IPA|it|parmiˈdʒaːno redˈdʒaːno|pron}}) is an [[Italian cuisine|Italian]] [[Types of cheese#Hard cheese|hard]], [[Granular cheese|granular cheese]] produced from [[Dairy cattle|cow's milk]] and aged at least 12 months. It is a [[Grana (cheese)|grana]]-type cheese, along with [[Grana Padano]], the historic {{Ill|Granone Lodigiano|it}}, and others.

The term ''Parmesan'' may refer to either Parmigiano Reggiano or, when outside the [[European Union]] and [[Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration|Lisbon Agreement]] countries, a locally produced [[Parmesan#Non-European Parmesan cheese|imitation]].

'''Parmigiano Reggiano''' is named after two of the areas which produce it, the Italian provinces of [[Province of Parma|Parma]] and [[Province of Reggio Emilia|Reggio Emilia]] (''Parmigiano'' is the Italian adjective for the city and province of Parma and ''Reggiano'' is the adjective for the province of Reggio Emilia); it is also produced in the part of [[Province of Bologna|Bologna]] west of the [[Reno (river)|River Reno]] and in [[Province of Modena|Modena]] (all of the above being located in the [[Emilia-Romagna]] region), as well as in the part of [[Province of Mantua|Mantua]] ([[Lombardy]]) on the south bank of the [[Po (river)|River Po]]. 

The names ''Parmigiano Reggiano'' and ''Parmesan'' are [[protected designation of origin|protected designations of origin]] (PDO) for cheeses produced in these provinces under Italian and European law.<ref>[http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=68112&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN Case C-132/05 Commission v Germany] European Commission Legal Service, July 2008 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190405205116/http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=68112&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN |date=2019-04-05 }}</ref> Outside the EU, the name ''Parmesan'' is legally used for imitations, with only the full Italian name unambiguously referring to PDO Parmigiano Reggiano.<ref name="FakeForbes" /> A 2021 press release by the Italian farmer-rancher association Coldiretti reported that, in the United States, 90% of "Italian sounding" cheese sold as parmesan, mozzarella, grana, and gorgonzola was produced domestically.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Paoloni |first=Massimiliano |date=2021-06-16 |title=Contraffazione: con il Covid 100 mld di italian sounding |url=https://www.coldiretti.it/economia/contraffazione-con-il-covid-100-mld-di-italian-sounding |access-date=2025-06-14 |website=Coldiretti |language=it-IT}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]). We should get the original report.|date=June 2025}}

Parmigiano Reggiano, among others, has been called "[[king of cheeses]]".<ref name="lacucinaitaliana.com" /><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kkBNAAAAYAAJ&dq=Parmesan+%22king+of+cheeses%22&pg=PA32 |title=The Farmer's Magazine |date=January 1881 |publisher=Rogerson and Tuxford |pages=32 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Kitchen (Firm) |first=America's Test |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xdczDwAAQBAJ&dq=Parmesan+%22king+of+cheeses%22&pg=PA283 |title=Best of Americas Test Kitchen 2018 |date=2017 |publisher=America's Test Kitchen |isbn=978-1-945256-03-5 |pages=283 |language=en}}</ref>

==Definitions==
[[File:Region Parmigiano-Reggiano.png|thumb|The production region of PDO Parmigiano Reggiano]]
[[File:Logo Parmigiano reggiano.svg|alt=Parmigiano Reggiano in gold letters|thumb|upright|Official logo of [[Protected designation of origin|PDO]] Parmigiano Reggiano]]
The name ''Parmigiano'' is legally protected in the European Union and, in Italy, exclusive control is exercised over the cheese's production and sale by The Consortium of Parmigiano Reggiano, which was created by a governmental decree. Each wheel must meet strict criteria early in the aging process, when the cheese is still soft and creamy, to merit the official seal and be placed in storage for aging.

Because it is widely imitated, Parmigiano Reggiano has become an increasingly regulated product, and in 1955 it became what is known as a certified name (which is not the same as a [[Brand|brand name]]). In 2008, an EU court determined that the name ''Parmesan'' in Europe only refers to Parmigiano Reggiano and cannot be used for imitation Parmesan.<ref>Marsha A. Echols Geographical Indications for Food Products – 2008 Page 190 – "A defence was that the name 'Parmesan' has become generic and so cannot be a protected designation of origin. The Court disagreed. It commented that 'in the present case it is far from clear that the designation parmesan has become ..."</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=O'Connor |first=Bernard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8vO0EJled1wC&pg=PA136 |title=The Law of Geographical Indications |publisher=Cameron May Ltd |year=2004 |isbn=9781874698999 |location=London |pages=136 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250704040204/https://books.google.com.sv/books?id=8vO0EJled1wC&lpg=PA1&pg=PA136#v=onepage&q&f=false |archive-format=p. 136 |archive-date=4 July 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>The Great Food Robbery: How Corporations Control Food 2012  "In 2008, however, the EU ruled that the same applied to all cheese produced under the name "Parmesan", a generic term widely used for cheeses produced around the world. The EU issued a similar ruling for Feta, claiming that it could be  ...</ref> Thus, in the [[European Union]], Parmigiano Reggiano is a [[protected designation of origin]] (PDO); legally, the name refers exclusively to the Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese manufactured in a limited area in northern Italy.

Special seals identify the product as authentic, with the identification number of the dairy, the production month and year, a code identifying the individual wheel, and stamps regarding the length of aging.<ref name="zeldes">{{cite web |last=Zeldes |first=Leah A. |author-link= |date=2010-10-06 |title=Eat this! Parmigiano-Reggiano, the king of cheeses |url=http://www.diningchicago.com/blog/2010/10/06/eat-this-parmigiano-reggiano-the-king-of-cheeses/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230130201/http://www.diningchicago.com/blog/2010/10/06/eat-this-parmigiano-reggiano-the-king-of-cheeses/ |archive-date=December 30, 2010 |access-date=2010-11-17 |work=Dining Chicago |publisher=Chicago's Restaurant & Entertainment Guide, Inc.}}</ref>

==Name==
The English name ''parmesan'' is borrowed from French ''parmesan'', earlier ''parmisan'', in turn borrowed from Italian ''parmigiano''. In French, it is first attested as a name for the cheese in 1414, and in English, in 1519.<ref>{{Cite OED|term=parmesan|id=4470914647|access-date=24 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Parmesan |url=http://stella.atilf.fr/Dictionnaires/TLFi/Rechercher/index.php?mot=parmesan |access-date=24 August 2025 |website=Trésor de la langue française informatisé (TLFi)}}</ref> The regular English pronunciation is {{nowrap|{{IPA|[ˈpɑː(ɹ).məˌzɑːn]}}}} but in US English it is often pronounced as the "[[Hyperforeignism|hyper-French]]" {{nowrap|[ˈpɑː(ɹ).məˌʒɑːn]}}, using the French sound /ʒ/ (not used in this word in French) to represent the Italian sound /dʒ/.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Language Log » How to pronounce "parmesan" |url=https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=19115 |access-date=2025-08-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Joseph |first=Brian D. |date=1994-01-01 |title=Systematic Hyperforeignisms As Maximally External Evidence for Linguistic Rules |url=https://www.academia.edu/425947/Systematic_Hyperforeignisms_As_Maximally_External_Evidence_for_Linguistic_Rules |journal=The reality of linguistic rules |pages=80}}</ref>

==Industry==
All producers of Parmigiano Reggiano belong to the {{lang|it|Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano}} ({{literally|Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese Consortium}}), which was founded in 1928.<ref>Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano, "The Consortium and its History"[https://www.parmigianoreggiano.com/consortium/consortium_history/default.aspx]</ref> Besides setting and enforcing the standards for the [[Protected designation of origin|PDO]], the ''Consorzio'' also sponsors marketing activities.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.parmigianoreggiano.com/consortium/consortium_history/default.aspx |work=Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano |title=2018 Export Projects |date=2 August 2024 }}</ref>

{{asof|2017}}, about 3.6 million wheels (approx. 137,000 [[Tonne|metric tons]]) of Parmesan are produced every year; they use about 18% of all the milk produced in Italy.<ref>CLAL (Italian dairy consulting company), "Italy: Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese Production" [https://www.clal.it/en/?section=produzioni_parmigiano]</ref>

Most workers in the Italian dairy industry (''bergamini'') belong to the [[Italian General Confederation of Labour]]. As older dairy workers retire, younger Italians have tended to work in factories or offices. Immigrants have filled that role. In 2015, 60 percent of the workers in the Parmesan industry were [[Indians in Italy|immigrants from India]], almost all [[Sikhs]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Mitzman|first1=Dany|title=The Sikhs who saved Parmesan|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33149580|access-date=5 February 2018|work=BBC News|date=25 June 2015}}</ref>

==Production==
{{Refimprove section|date=August 2019}}
[[File:Unapproved Parmigiano-Reggiano wheel on shelf.JPG|thumb|A wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano with PDO marking and "Parmigiano Reggiano" written around the side. An official certification is stamped into the central oval when it is graded.]]
Parmigiano Reggiano is made from unpasteurised [[Dairy cattle|cow's milk]]. The whole milk of the morning milking is mixed with the naturally skimmed milk of the previous evening's milking, resulting in a part skim mixture. This mixture is pumped into copper-lined vats, which heat evenly and contribute copper ions to the mix.<ref>{{cite web |first=Molly |last=McDonough |title=Why Copper Vats Matter |work=Culture: The Word on Cheese |url=https://culturecheesemag.com/cheese-iq/copper-vats-cheesemaking |date=July 19, 2017 }}</ref>

Starter [[whey]] (containing a mixture of certain [[thermophile|thermophilic]] [[lactic acid bacteria]]) is added, and the temperature is raised to {{convert|33|-|35|C}}. Calf [[rennet]] is added, and the mixture is left to curdle for 10–12 minutes. The curd is then broken up mechanically into small pieces (around the size of rice grains). The temperature is then raised to {{convert|55|C}} with careful control by the cheese-maker. The curd is left to settle for 45–60 minutes. The compacted curd is collected in a piece of [[muslin]] before being divided in two and placed in molds. There are {{convert|1100|L|usgal}} of milk per vat, producing two cheeses each. The curd making up each [[Truckle|wheel]] at this point weighs around {{convert|45|kg}}. The remaining whey in the vat was traditionally used to feed the pigs from which ''prosciutto di Parma'' was produced. The barns for these animals were usually just a few metres away from the cheese production rooms.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}

The cheese is put into a stainless steel, round form that is pulled tight with a spring-powered buckle so the cheese retains its wheel shape. After a day or two, the buckle is released and a plastic belt imprinted numerous times with the Parmigiano Reggiano name, the plant's number, and month and year of production is put around the cheese, and the metal form is buckled tight again. The imprints take hold on the rind of the cheese in about a day and the wheel is then put into a brine bath to absorb salt for 20–25 days. After brining, the wheels are then transferred to the aging rooms in the plant for 12 months. Each cheese is placed on wooden shelves that can be 24 cheeses high by 90 cheeses long or 2,160 total wheels per aisle. Each cheese and the shelf underneath it is then cleaned every seven days, and the cheese is turned.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}

[[File:Parmesan Cheese Parmigiano-Reggiano.jpg|thumb|Parmigiano Reggiano]]
At 12 months, the {{lang|it|Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano}} ({{literally|Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese Consortium}}) inspects every wheel. The cheese is tested by one of the country's 25 master graders, known as {{lang|it|battitore}} ({{literally|batter}}), who taps each wheel with a small hammer (informally called {{lang|it|martelletto}}) to identify undesirable cracks and voids within the wheel, a process that takes about six or seven seconds.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-10-20 |title=Parmigiano Reggiano: 6 seconds to make a Dop - Cucine d'Italia |url=https://cucineditalia.com/en/parmigiano-reggiano-6-seconds-to-make-a-dop/ |access-date=2025-04-12 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Danter |first=Jennifer |date=2017-07-24 |title=This is the best Italian cheese out there {{!}} Canadian Living |url=https://www.canadianliving.com/food/food-tips/article/this-is-the-best-italian-cheese-out-there |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=www.canadianliving.com}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fRnGDQAAQBAJ |title=The Oxford Companion to Cheese |date=2016-10-25 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-933089-8 |pages=148-150, 187-190, 539-541 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Italpress |first=Agenzia di Stampa |date=2024-12-02 |title=Parmigiano Reggiano, battitura al via per controllare la qualità Agenzia di stampa Italpress |url=https://www.italpress.com/parmigiano-reggiano-battitura-al-via-per-controllare-la-qualita/ |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=Italpress |language=it-IT}}</ref> There are three grading categories.<ref name=":1" /> Wheels in the top category are heat-branded on the rind with the {{lang|it|Consorzio}}'s logo. Those in the second tier bear the mark but have their rinds marked with lines or crosses all the way around to inform consumers that they are not getting top-quality Parmigiano Reggiano. Cheese in the third category is simply stripped of all rind markings.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Harper |first1=Douglas |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L0qppDj5PowC |title=The Italian Way: Food and Social Life |last2=Faccioli |first2=Patrizia |date=2010-01-15 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |isbn=978-0-226-31726-7 |pages=187 |language=en}}</ref>

Traditionally cows are fed only on grass or hay, producing [[Cattle feeding#Grass-fed|grass-fed]] milk. Only natural whey culture is allowed as a starter, together with calf rennet.<ref>"[http://www.famigliagastaldello.it/a_52_IT_251_1.html Standard di Produzione] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060513123536/http://www.famigliagastaldello.it/a_52_IT_251_1.html |date=2006-05-13 }}". ''Disciplinare del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano D.O.P.'' (fourth paragraph). Famiglia Gastaldello, 2005–2008.</ref>

The only additive allowed is salt, which the cheese absorbs while being submerged for 20 days in brine tanks saturated to near-total [[salinity]] with Mediterranean sea salt. The product ages for a minimum of one year and an average of two years;<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thespruceeats.com/parmesan-vs-parmigiano-591198|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240802002709/https://www.thespruceeats.com/parmesan-vs-parmigiano-591198|archive-date=2 August 2024|title=Learn the Difference Between Parmesan and Parmigiano Reggiano|first1=Jennifer|last1=Meier|website=The Spruce Eats|language=en|access-date=2020-03-23}}</ref> an expert from the ''Consorzio'' typically conducts a sound test with a hammer to determine if a wheel has finished maturing.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://michellealtenberg.com/parmigiano-reggiano-tour/|title=The Best Parmigiano Reggiano Tour|website=MichelleAltenberg.com|date=23 May 2024 |language=en|access-date=2024-05-23}}</ref>

A typical Parmigiano Reggiano wheel is about {{convert|18|-|24|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} high, {{convert|40|-|45|cm|in|abbr=on}} in [[diameter]], and weighs {{convert|38|kg|lb|abbr=on}}.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}

<gallery mode="packed" widths="240" heights="180">
File:Parmigiano-Reggiano Factory.png|alt=A factory. On the left are large tubes. On the right are large vats with an orange interior.|Copper-lined vats for the production of Parmigiano Reggiano
File:Parmigiano reggiano factory.jpg|alt=An aisle in a room. On both sides are large yellow flattened spheres stacked on shelves to the ceiling.|A Parmigiano Reggiano factory maturation room
File:Parmigiano-Reggiano.png|alt=An infographic describing production.|Product process of Parmesan cheese
</gallery>

==Consumption==
[[File:Half wheel parmesan cheese.jpg|thumb|Half a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano carved with a [[Parmesan knife]] and communal fork]]
Parmigiano Reggiano is commonly grated over pasta dishes, stirred into soups and [[risotto]]s, and eaten on its own. It is often shaved or grated over other dishes such as salads.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-02|title=Discover Parmigiano Reggiano DOP|url=https://www.eataly.com/us_en/magazine/eataly-stories/discover-parmigiano-reggiano-dop/|access-date=2021-04-23|website=Eataly|language=en|archive-date=February 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202075345/https://www.eataly.com/us_en/magazine/eataly-stories/discover-parmigiano-reggiano-dop/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Slivers and chunks of the hardest parts of the crust are sometimes simmered in soups, broths, and sauces to add flavor. They can also be broiled and eaten as a snack if they have no wax on them, or infused in olive oil or used in a steamer basket while steaming vegetables.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-07-14|title=7 Genius Uses For Parmesan Rinds|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/leftover-parmesan-rind_n_5785981ee4b03fc3ee4e762e|access-date=2021-12-30|website=HuffPost|language=en}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:parmigiano reggiano.jpg|thumb|Parmigiano Reggiano festival in [[Modena]], Italy; each wheel (block of cheese) costs [[Euro|€]]490.]]
[[File:vinegar and cheese.jpg|thumb|Parmigiano Reggiano being taste-tested at a festival in Modena, with [[balsamic vinegar]] drizzled on top]]
According to legend, Parmigiano Reggiano was created in the course of the [[Middle Ages]] in the ''[[comune]]'' (municipality) of [[Bibbiano]], in the [[province of Reggio Emilia]]. Its production soon spread to the [[Parma]] and [[Modena]] areas. Historical documents show that in the 13th and 14th centuries, Parmigiano Reggiano was already very similar to that produced today, which suggests its origins can be traced to far earlier. Some evidence suggests that the name was used in Italy and France in the 17th-19th century.<ref name=":0" /> The earliest written record of this cheese is from the year 1254.<ref name=Zannoni15/>

It was praised as early as 1348 in the writings of [[Giovanni Boccaccio|Boccaccio]]; in the ''[[The Decameron|Decameron]]'', he invents a "mountain, all of grated Parmesan cheese", on which "dwell folk that do nought else but make [[macaroni]] and [[ravioli]], and boil them in capon's broth, and then throw them down to be scrambled for; and hard by flows a rivulet of [[Vernaccia]], the best that ever was drunk, and never a drop of water therein".<ref>Giovanni Boccaccio, [https://books.google.com/books?id=yQMsAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA2-PA22 ''Decamerone'' VIII 3]. The translation quoted here is [http://infomotions.com/etexts/gutenberg/dirs/1/3/1/0/13102/13102.htm that by J.M. Rigg] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014102951/http://infomotions.com/etexts/gutenberg/dirs/1/3/1/0/13102/13102.htm |date=2008-10-14 }}.</ref>

During the [[Great Fire of London]] of 1666, [[Samuel Pepys]] buried his "Parmazan cheese, as well as his wine and some other things" to preserve them.<ref>See Pepys's [http://www.pepys.info/1666/1666sep.html diary entry for 4 September, 1666] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170515112509/http://www.pepys.info/1666/1666sep.html |date=2017-05-15 }}</ref>

In the memoirs of [[Giacomo Casanova]], he remarked that the name ''Parmesan'' was a misnomer common throughout an "ungrateful" Europe in his time (mid-18th century), as the cheese was produced in the ''[[comune]]'' (municipality) of [[Lodi, Lombardy|Lodi]], in Lombardy, not Parma.<ref>Casanova, ''Histoire de ma vie'' 8:ix.</ref>

The industrialization and subsequent standardization of Parmesan production in the 19th and 20th centuries have reduced the heterogeneity in its sensory characteristics, but the key characteristics: hardness, sharpness, aroma, saltiness, and savoriness have remained.<ref name=Zannoni10/><ref name=Zannoni15>{{cite conference |last1=Zannoni |first1=Mario |title=Changes in Production Practices, Trade, and Quality Assessment of Protected Designation of Origin Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese From XIX To XXI Century |date=2015 |doi=10.22004/ag.econ.200230|conference=European Association of Agricultural Economists (EAAE) > 145th Seminar, April 14-15, 2015, Parma, Italy}}</ref>

===Original texture===
[[Alberto Grandi]] and others have claimed that early Parmesan was softer and fattier, with a black rind resembling the Wisconsin version.<ref name="Slate-Podcast">{{cite web |last1=Paskin |first1=Willa "A" |last2=Juusty |first2=Mariana "B" |last3=Grandi |first3=Alberto "C" |last4=Stefanini |first4=Giacomo "D" |last5=Chinoto |first5=Simone "E" |last6=Matteski |first6=Mike "F" |last7=Foster |first7=Aaron "G" |date=12 July 2023 |title=Is the Best Italian Parmesan Made in… Wisconsin? |url=https://slate.com/podcasts/decoder-ring/2023/07/parmesan-cheeses-journey-from-italy-to-wisconsin |website=Slate Magazine |language=en}} [https://slate.com/transcripts/NjV3TEJTa0FHaC9naWNvRjdHcU12ajRTcmU1V2RPa0ludks1RnU0QzFycz0= transcript]</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Giusti |first1=Marianna |title=Everything I, an Italian, thought I knew about Italian food is wrong |url=https://www.ft.com/content/6ac009d5-dbfd-4a86-839e-28bb44b2b64c |work=Financial Times |date=March 23, 2023 |language=en-gb}}</ref> However, it is well documented that it has been consistently dry, hard, and grainy since the 15th century.<ref name=Zannoni10>{{cite journal |last1=Zannoni |first1=Mario |title=Evolution of the sensory characteristics of Parmigiano–Reggiano cheese to the present day |journal=Food Quality and Preference |date=December 2010 |volume=21 |issue=8 |pages=901–905 |doi=10.1016/j.foodqual.2010.01.004}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The source has multiple parts. More specific reference needed.|date=July 2025}}

==Society and culture==
Parmigiano Reggiano has been the target of [[organized crime in Italy]], particularly the Mafia or [[Camorra]], which ambush delivery trucks on the [[Autostrada A1 (Italy)|Autostrada A1]], in northern Italy, between [[Milan]] and [[Bologna]], hijacking shipments. The cheese is ultimately sold in southern Italy.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/dec/03/italy.barbaramcmahon1|title= It's hard cheese for Parmesan producers targeted by Mafia|last=McMahon|first=Barbara|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=3 December 2006|access-date=18 February 2016}}</ref> Between November 2013 and January 2015, an organised crime gang stole 2039 wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano from warehouses in northern and central Italy.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/notizie/2015-09-24/maxi-furto-parmigiano-reggiano-11-arresti-075622.shtml|title=Maxi-furto di Parmigiano Reggiano: rubate 2mila forme, 11 arresti|trans-title=Parmigiano Reggiano heist: 2000 wheels stolen, 11 arrested|language=it|date=24 September 2015|access-date=18 February 2016}}</ref> Some banks (such as the [[Credito Emiliano]]) accept Parmesan cheese as [[Collateral (finance)|collateral]] for a loan.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Nobel |first=Carmen |date=2015-07-01 |title=A Bank That Accepts Parmesan As Collateral:  The Cheese Stands A Loan |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/hbsworkingknowledge/2015/07/01/a-bank-that-accepts-parmesan-as-collateral-the-cheese-stands-a-loan/ |access-date=2025-11-21 |work=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>

October 27 is designated "Parmigiano Reggiano Day" by The Consortium of Parmigiano Reggiano.<ref name="lacucinaitaliana.com" /> This day celebrating the "[[king of cheeses]]" originated in response to the two earthquakes hitting the area of origin in May 2012. The devastation was profound, displacing tens of thousands of residents, collapsing factories, and damaging historical churches, bell towers, and other landmarks.<ref name="lacucinaitaliana.com">{{Cite web|date=2020-10-27|title=The Touching Story Behind Parmigiano Reggiano Day|url=https://www.lacucinaitaliana.com/trends/events/the-touching-story-behind-parmigiano-reggiano-day|access-date=2022-01-04|website=La Cucina Italiana|language=en-US}}</ref> Years of cheese production were lost during the disaster, about $50 million worth. To assist the cheese producers, Modena native chef [[Massimo Bottura]] created the recipe ''riso cacio e pepe''. He invited the world to cook this new dish along with him launching "Parmigiano Reggiano Day"—October 27.<ref name="lacucinaitaliana.com"/>

==Components==
{{nutritionalvalue
| name = Cheese, Parmesan, Hard
| kcal = 392
| protein = 35.75&nbsp;g
| fat = 25.83&nbsp;g
| satfat = 16.41&nbsp;g
| monofat = 7.52&nbsp;g
| polyfat = 0.57&nbsp;g
| carbs = 3.22&nbsp;g
| sugars = 0.8&nbsp;g
| fiber = 0.0&nbsp;g
| sodium_mg = 1602
| potassium_mg = 92
| vitA_ug = 207
| vitC_mg = 0.0
| thiamin_mg = 0.04
| riboflavin_mg = 0.33
| niacin_mg = 0.27
| folate_ug = 7
| vitE_mg = 0.22
| vitK_ug = 1.7
| calcium_mg = 1184
| iron_mg = 0.82
| phosphorus_mg = 694
| magnesium_mg = 44
| zinc_mg = 2.75
| vitB6_mg = 0.09
| vitB12_ug = 1.2
| vitD_iu = 19
| water = 29.16 g
| source_usda = 1
}}
Parmigiano Reggiano has many [[Odor|aroma]]-active compounds, including various [[aldehyde]]s and [[Butyric acid|butyrates]].<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1002/ffj.1194 |url=http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/104520040/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0 |title=Potent aroma compounds in Parmigiano Reggiano cheese studied using a dynamic headspace (Purge-trap) method |date=2003 |last1=Qian |first1=Michael |last2=Reineccius |first2=Gary |journal=Flavour and Fragrance Journal |volume=18 |issue=3 |pages=252–259 |archive-date=January 5, 2013 |access-date=February 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130105140815/http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/104520040/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Butyric acid]] and [[3-Methylbutanoic acid|isovaleric acid]] together are sometimes used to imitate the dominant aromas.<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20090203043112/http://www.senseofsmell.org/feature/odor/odor_whitepaper_3.php I Know What I Like: Understanding Odor Preferences]". The Fragrance Foundation, 2008.</ref>

Parmigiano Reggiano is also particularly high in [[Glutamic acid|glutamate]], containing as much as 1.2&nbsp;g of glutamate per 100&nbsp;g of cheese. The high concentration of glutamate explains the strong [[umami]] taste of Parmigiano Reggiano.<ref>{{cite web|website=Word of Mouth blog|publisher=[[The Guardian]]|title=Umami: why the fifth taste is so important|author=Amy Fleming|date=9 April 2013|quote=parmesan is probably the most umami ingredient in western cookery|url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/apr/09/umami-fifth-taste}}</ref>

==Non-European Parmesan cheese==
[[File:Parma Food Producers Worry About Impact of Imitations.oggtheora.ogv|thumb|Report on Parmesan cheese and its imitations]]
Parmesan cheese made outside of the European Union is a family of hard-grating cheeses made from cow's milk and inspired by the original Italian cheese.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D6whAgAAQBAJ&q=history+of+parmesan&pg=PA264 |title=Handbook of cheese in health: Production, nutrition and medical sciences |series=Human Health Handbooks | editor-first = Victor R. | editor-last = Preedy | editor2-first = Ronald Ross | editor2-last = Watson | editor3-first = Vinood B. | editor3-last = Patel | page = 264 | publisher= Wageningen Academic Publishers | location = The Netherlands | isbn = 978-90-8686-211-5 | doi = 10.3920/978-90-8686-766-0 | date=2013-10-15 |volume=6 |access-date=2014-05-30}}</ref> They are generally pale yellow in color and usually used grated on dishes such as [[Pizza in the United States|American pizza]] and [[Caesar salad]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=waPVq7au8NsC&q=history+of+parmesan&pg=PA151 |title=Wisconsin Cheese: A Cookbook and Guide to the Cheeses of Wisconsin – Martin Hintz, Pam Percy – Google Books |date=2008-02-26 |isbn=9780762751969 |access-date=2014-05-30|last1=Hintz |first1=Martin |last2=Percy |first2=Pam |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield }}</ref> Some American generic "Parmesan" is sold already grated and has been aged for less than 12 months.<ref name="FakeForbes">{{Cite web |last=Olmsted |first=Larry |date=November 19, 2012 |title=Most Parmesan Cheeses In America Are Fake, Here's Why |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2012/11/19/the-dark-side-of-parmesan-cheese-what-you-dont-know-might-hurt-you/ |access-date=2020-03-23 |website=[[Forbes]] |language=en |quote=... that it has earned the nickname in the dairy industry, the 'king of cheeses'.}}</ref> 

In many areas outside Europe the name ''Parmesan'' has become [[Generic trademark|genericised]] and may denote any of several hard Italian-style grating types of cheese.<ref>[[Oxford Companion to Food]], ''s.v.'' 'parmesan'</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Cox|first1=James|title=What's in a name?|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/economy/trade/2003-09-09-names_x.htm|website=[[USA Today]]|access-date=27 November 2014|date=9 September 2003}}</ref> These cheeses, chiefly from the US and Argentina, are often sold under names intended to evoke the original, such as Parmesan, Parmigiana, Parmesana, Parmabon, Real Parma, Parmezan, or Parmezano.<ref name=FakeForbes/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thephcheese.com/parmesan-vs-parmigiano-whats-the-difference | title=Parmesan vs. Parmigiano: What's the Difference? | date=26 March 2018 }}</ref>

===Non-European production===
Parmesan cheese is defined differently in various jurisdictions outside of Europe.
* In the United States, the ''[[Code of Federal Regulations]]'' includes a [[Standards of identity for food|Standard of Identity]] for "Parmesan and Reggiano cheese".<ref name=CFR-133>{{citation | chapter-url = https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-133/subpart-B/section-133.165 | title = Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 21 – Food and Drugs, Chapter I – Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health and Human Services (continued) (Parts 1–1299), Part 133 – Cheeses and related cheese products | chapter = §&nbsp;133.165: Parmesan and reggiano cheese | pages = 338–339 | date = April 1, 2006 | author = Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health and Human Services | author-link = Food and Drug Administration | publisher = [[United States Government Publishing Office]]}}</ref> This defines both aspects of the production process and of the final result. In particular, Parmesan must be made of cow's milk, cured for 10 months or more, contain no more than 32% water, and have no less than 32% [[milkfat]] in its solids.<ref name=CFR-133 />
* The Canadian regulation similarly includes moisture and fat levels, but has no restriction on aging time.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Legislative Services Branch |title=C.R.C., c. 870 B.08.033 (1) [S]. (Naming the variety) Cheese |url=https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/c.r.c.,_c._870/page-27.html |website=laws-lois.justice.gc.ca |date=15 February 2023}}</ref>

Kraft Foods is a major North American producer of [[Grated cheese|grated]] Parmesan (a locally-legal term) and has been selling it since 1945.<ref name="citba">{{cite web|url=http://citba.org/pdf%20files/2007%20Waggoner%20paper.pdf|date=12 October 2007|title=Acquiring a European Taste for Geographical Indications|author=Justin M. Waggoner|access-date=2014-09-22|archive-date=2017-12-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206074625/http://citba.org/pdf%20files/2007%20Waggoner%20paper.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Brodsy |first=Alyson |url=http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=45724 |title=U.S. cheese maker says it can produce Parmesan faster |work=Indiana Daily Student |access-date=2014-05-30 |archive-date=2014-05-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531124320/http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=45724 |date=14 February 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Some non-European Parmesan producers have taken strong exception to the attempts of the European Union to globally control the trademark of the Parmesan name.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/trade-battle-ferments-european-cheeses | title=Trade battle ferments over European cheeses | website=[[PBS]] |date=11 March 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2003-09-07-0309060398-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624050213/https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2003-09-07-0309060398-story.html |archive-date=24 June 2021 |work=[[Baltimore Sun]] |title=Europe's claims about cheese curdle the blood in Wisconsin |date=7 September 2003 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Auricchio |first=Errico |date=July 14, 2015 |title=Why Europe Must not own 'Parmesan' and 'Feta' |url=https://blog.usdec.org/usdairyexporter/why-europe-must-not-own-parmesan-and-feta |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=The U.S. Dairy Exporter Blog: Market Analysis, Research & News |publisher=U.S. Dairy Export Council |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hoffmeyer-Zlotnik |first1=Paula |last2=Lavenex |first2=Sandra |last3=Lutz |first3=Philipp |date=2023-11-16 |title=The Limits of EU Market Power in Migration Externalization: Explaining Migration Control Provisions in EU Preferential Trade Agreements |url=https://doi.org/10.1111/jcms.13563 |journal=JCMS: Journal of Common Market Studies |volume=62 |issue=5 |pages=1351–1378 |doi=10.1111/jcms.13563 |issn=0021-9886 |quote="The EU has been actively working to control the international market for many such common names by including protective terms for GIs in international trade agreements."}}</ref>

===Adulteration controversy===
Many American manufacturers have been investigated for allegedly going beyond the 4% cellulose limit (allowed as an [[anticaking agent]] for grated cheese, 21 CFR 133.146).<ref name="bloomberg" /> In one case, FDA findings found "no Parmesan cheese was used to manufacture" a Pennsylvania manufacturer's grated cheese labeled "Parmesan", apparently made from a mixture of other cheeses and cellulose. The manufacturer pleaded guilty and received a sentence of three years' probation, a $5,000 fine, and 200 hours of community service.<ref name="bloomberg">{{cite news |first=Lydia |last=Mulvany |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-16/the-parmesan-cheese-you-sprinkle-on-your-penne-could-be-wood |title=The Parmesan Cheese You Sprinkle on Your Penne Could Be Wood: Some Brands Promising 100 Percent Purity Contained No Parmesan at All |work=Bloomberg Business |date=16 February 2016 |access-date=16 February 2016 }}</ref><ref name="dojPA">{{cite press release |publisher=United States Department of Justice |work=United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdpa/pr/castle-cheese-company-executive-michelle-myrter-sentenced-adulterated-cheese-case |title=Castle Cheese Company Executive Michelle Myrter Sentenced in Adulterated Cheese Case |date=11 October 2016 |access-date=7 August 2023 }}</ref>

==Similar cheeses==
Parmesan is the best-known of the [[Grana (cheese)|grana]]-type cheeses, but there are others.

===Grana Padano===
{{Main|Grana Padano}}
[[Grana Padano]] is an Italian cheese similar to Parmigiano Reggiano, but is produced mainly in [[Lombardy]], where ''Padano'' refers to the [[Po Valley]] (''Pianura Padana''); the cows producing the milk may be fed [[silage]] as well as grass; the milk may contain slightly less fat, milk from several different days may be used, and must be aged a minimum of 9 months.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Qian |first=M. C. |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=97qkAgAAQBAJ&dq=%22grana+padano+is+generally+less+fatty+than+parmigiano%22&pg=PA424 |title=Improving the Flavour of Cheese |date=2007-04-30 |publisher=Elsevier |isbn=978-1-84569-305-3 |editor-last=Weimer |editor-first=Bart C. |pages=424–442 |language=en |chapter=Hard Italian cheeses: Parmigiano-Reggiano and Grana Padano}}</ref>

===Reggianito===
{{Main|Reggianito}}
[[Reggianito]] is an Argentine cheese similar to Parmigiano Reggiano. Developed by [[Italian Argentines|Italian-Argentine]] cheesemakers, the cheese is made in smaller wheels and aged for less time but is otherwise broadly similar.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Santillo |first1=Antonella |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dkC8EAAAQBAJ&dq=parmigiano+reggiano+reggianito&pg=PA233 |title=Sensory Profiling of Dairy Products |last2=Albenzio |first2=Marzia |date=2023-05-15 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-1-119-61921-5 |editor-last=Tuohy |editor-first=John J. |pages=225–245 |language=en |chapter=Sensory Profiles of Very Hard Italian Cheeses and Related Varieties |quote=One of the most studied Grana-type cheese related to the Parmigiano Reggiano is named Regganito...}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Italy|Food}}
* [[List of Italian cheeses]]
* [[Parmesan knife]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last1=Zannoni |first1=Mario|chapter=Factors Influencing the Sensory Features of Parmigiano-Reggiano from the Renaissance to the Present Da|editor-last1=Ceccarelli |editor-first1=Giovanni |editor-last2=Grandi |editor-first2=Alberto |editor-last3=Magagnoli |editor-first3=Stefano |title=Typicality in History: Tradition, innovation, and terroir |date=2013 |publisher=Peter Lang |location=Brussels |isbn=9782875740076|doi=10.3726/978-3-0352-6328-2}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Parmigiano Reggiano}}
* [https://www.parmigianoreggiano.com/ Official website]

{{Italian cheeses}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Italian cheeses]]
[[Category:Italian products with protected designation of origin]]
[[Category:Cow's-milk cheeses]]
[[Category:Umami enhancers]]
[[Category:Cheeses with designation of origin protected in the European Union]]
[[Category:Cuisine of Emilia-Romagna]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:Italian cuisine]]
[[Category:Mediterranean cuisine]]
[[Category:Western cuisine]]
[[Category:Brined cheeses]]