White Collar inspired question

[ratcreature]

In the recent ep Diana claims that Neal's raw milk Pecorino cheese was illegal (Neal counters that it was a gift, not sold), which I found very strange. I know that there is more concern about risks of raw milk products in the US than elsewhere, but surely the US wouldn't outlaw all kinds of cheeses? What on earth would be sold as Parmesan cheese in the US for example (I mean if you want the non-ersatz kind, i.e. proper Parmigiano-Reggiano), if raw milk cheese was really illegal? Or Gruyère? Or any of the other common cheeses that need raw milk? It's not like raw milk is only used in obscure specialty cheeses foodie snobs seek out.

Comments

[teneagles.livejournal.com]

In New York, raw milk itself is tightly regulated, sold only on a small number of licensed farms, and raw milk products are entirely banned. People who want raw milk products can cross the border into Connecticut, but can't bring it back to New York; it's a federal crime to transport raw milk across state lines.

Raw milk cheeses are legal in every state, under federal law, provided it's been aged at least sixty days.

[ratcreature]

Next thing you know, you'll have mafia controlled cows. Italians love their cheeses after all, many from raw milk. LOL (Or worse, like that Casu Marzu that was outlawed by EU regulations for a little while because maggots in food were considered blanket unsafe, but Sardinians wanted to keep it, so now they have to use sterile flies that never came into contact with garbage to lay the eggs, and still can get their cheese with living fly maggots under the traditional food exceptions to the EU hygiene rules...)