Definition of "Camembert de Normandie" : Camembert was invented in 1791 by Marie HAREL, a woman farmer from Camembert advised by a recalcitrant priest. In 1890, an engineer Mr RIDEL invented a wooden box which was used to carry the cheese and helped to send it for longer distances. Because of the lack of sufficient protection rules, Camembert was imitated outside of Normandy, and even if foreign countries. In 1926, the Court of Appeals in Orleans stated that the name "camembert" is a generic term, belonging to the public domain. Since 1983, the ladle moulded Camembert produced with raw milk in Normandy is protected by the French Label of Origin (AOC).

Decree of December 26th, 1986 (Article 2) relative to the Label of Origin " Camembert de Normandie " :

May be called "Camembert de Normandie" a lightly salted soft cheese ranging in colour from white to cream yellow, with superficial mould (white with some occasional red spots), undivisible curds sometimes slightly vertically cut, and spontaneous straining. It is a flat cylinder ranging in diameter from 10,5 to 11cm, made exclusively of cow milk containing rennet. Its fat content after complete desiccation must be at least 45 grs per 100 grs of cheese. The minimal weight for a cheese is 250 grs, and the total weight of dry matter must not be less than 115grs per piece.

Moreover, the milk production, the manufacturing, the drying and the maturing of the cheeses sold under this AOC-label must fit the following conditions:
a) The milk used for the cheese production must comply with the legal requirements: the livestock must be free of tuberculosis and brucellosis and the milk may not contain added condensed or dried milk, milk proteins or coloring substances.
Ultrafiltration methods are forbidden and milk may not be warmed to a temperature exceeding 37°C.
b) Coagulation of the milk is obtained exclusively with rennet.
c) The curds are ladle moulded and the ladle diameter must be the same as mould diameter. The process must be discontinuous with a minimal of 4 fillings per mould.
d) The salting must be done exclusively with dry salt.
e) After being salted, cheeses are stored for drying at a temperature ranging from 10 to 14°C, before being packed in wooden boxes (they may however be stored in cellars (8 to 9°C) before packaging). The maturing period after the manufacturing date is at least 21 days, from which 16 in the geographical area where they are produced.
f) Division is allowed only for ready to consume cheeses.

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