La Tur Cheese

Because La Tur is pasteurized at a low temperature, the risk of ingesting dangerous bacteria is greater than that from eating cheese pasteurized at high temperatures.  As such, we recommend holding off on serving La Tur until your child is at least 18 months old and even then, to consider the risk carefully.

Hailing from the Alta Langhe region of Italy, La Tur is soft-ripened cheese made from a blend of cow, goat and sheep milk. The cheese has a cakey rind with a rich, oozy interior that tastes buttery and earthy. La Tur is typically served with bread or fruit.

Yes and no. La Tur offers healthy fats, protein, and minerals, like vitamin A and calcium, and the cheese is lower in toxins than most American cow’s milk cheeses (thanks to the European Union’s ban on growth hormones and many other pesticides) but because it is pasteurized at low temperatures, it dances on the border of unpasteurized cheese, which brings some risk. (Consuming unpasteurized cheese can increase the risk of ingesting bacteria in food.)

In general, when shopping for cheese, you want to look for cheese that is:

After your child’s first birthday, you may introduce a wider range of cheese, but just keep tabs on overall sodium consumption.

It can be, though thanks to its soft, runny texture, it certainly presents less of a hazard than hard cheese does. You may also want to remove the potent, edible rind of La Tur as it is a bit firmer than the super soft interior. Additionally, if you spread La Tur onto other food (such as bread or crackers), consider the choking risk of that food.

For more information, visit our section on gagging and choking and familiarize yourself with common choking hazards.

Yes. La Tur is a dairy product, and all dairy products are common food allergens. What’s more, aged cheese tends to be high in histamines, which can worsen the symptoms of an allergic response and cause reactions in histamine-sensitive individuals.

Fortunately, research shows that the majority of children with cow's milk allergy will outgrow it by age 6 and many babies with milder symptoms of milk protein allergy (which can show up as painless blood in stool) are able to successfully reintroduce cow's milk as early as their first birthday, with the guidance of their doctors.

If you have a family history of allergies or suspect your baby may be allergic to dairy products, consult an allergist before introducing cheese at home.

As with all new foods, introduce the cheese by serving a small amount and watch closely as your baby eats. If there is no adverse reaction, gradually increase the quantity over future servings.