This document specifies a fluorimetric method for the determination of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (EC 3.1.3.1) activity in cheese.

This method is applicable to soft cheeses, semi-hard and hard cheeses provided that the mould is only on the surface of the cheese and not also in the inner part (e.g. blue veined cheeses). For large hard cheeses, specific conditions of sampling apply (see Clause 7).

The instrument used for the determination of ALP can read activities in the supernatant up to 7 000 milliunits per litre (mU/kg).