Yes, unpasteurized cheese is legal in Poland but subject to stringent EU and national food safety regulations. Domestic production and sale of raw-milk cheeses are permitted under strict hygiene controls enforced by the Polish Sanitary Inspectorate (PIS) and the Chief Veterinary Officer (Główny Lekarz Weterynarii). Imported raw-milk cheeses must comply with EU Regulation 853/2004, requiring health certificates and origin documentation. Recent 2026 amendments to Poland’s Food Safety Act tightened traceability requirements for raw-milk products, aligning with EFSA risk assessments on Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
Key Regulations for Unpasteurized Cheese in Poland
- EU Hygiene Package Compliance: Raw-milk cheeses must adhere to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, mandating farm-to-table hygiene controls, including cooling temperatures below 6°C during transport and storage.
- Polish Sanitary Inspectorate (PIS) Approval: Producers must register with PIS and undergo regular inspections; artisanal producers face additional microbiological testing for E. coli and Salmonella every 3 months.
- Import Restrictions: Non-EU raw-milk cheeses require a health certificate from the exporting country’s competent authority, validated by the Polish Ministry of Agriculture, and undergo border checks by the Veterinary Inspection (IW).