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Ingredient dictionary

Cotija cheese on a food label: it contains milk

Cotija cheese is a kind of cheese. It contains milk, so the allergen labelling rules apply. It is not vegan. Open Food Facts finds it in 89 products, most often in dressings and sauces.

By Bravoora teamUpdated Sources checked 6 sourcesHow we check

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Cotija cheese=milk

Does cotija cheese contain an allergen?

Yes. Cotija cheese contains milk: labels in the US, the UK, Europe and the Gulf must declare it.

AllergenUSUK and EuropeGulf
MilkRequiredRequiredLactose includedRequiredLactose included

Read the milk guide

Is cotija cheese vegan?

No. Cotija cheese is not vegan: it is made from milk. Whether it is vegetarian depends on the make too.

VeganNot for youNot vegan: it is made from milk.
VegetarianHeads upSome kinds are made with an animal product vegetarians avoid, and a label rarely says which.
Milk allergyNot for youIt contains milk.

A pack can differ from the usual recipe: the app reads the label in your hand.

What other names does cotija cheese have on a label?

In English cotija cheese can also read “Cotija”. On European labels it is “Queso Cotija” in French, “Cotija-Käse” in German and “Queso Cotija” in Spanish. The other 3 languages are listed below.

In EnglishCotija
French
Queso Cotija, Cotija
German
Cotija-Käse, Cotija
Spanish
Queso Cotija, Cotija
Italian
formaggio Cotija
Hungarian
Cotija
Croatian
kotija sir

Which foods contain cotija cheese?

Open Food Facts lists cotija cheese in the ingredients of 89 products, most often dressings and sauces, ready meals and cheese. Most of them are sold in the United States, France and Canada.

  • Dressings and sauces13
  • Ready meals12
  • Cheese8
  • Fruit and vegetables4
  • Sandwiches2
  • Processed meat2

Products with it, by country of sale: United States 85 · France 2 · Canada 1 · Germany 1.

Counted on 13 October 2026 from the Open Food Facts product database, which volunteers fill from real packs: it shows where cotija cheese turns up, not how much of the market it is.

What kind of ingredient is cotija cheese?

Cotija cheese is a kind of cheese.

Bravoora reads this ingredient for everyone you shop for: an allergy or intolerance, a vegan or vegetarian diet, a calorie or protein goal, and the labels on supplements and skincare too. Build a profile · For dietitians, doctors and trainers

Sources

An allergen is stated only when two of three checks agree: the Open Food Facts record, Bravoora’s label checker, and the ingredient’s own name or family (oat flour is oats, a cheese is milk). Every name where they disagree waits for a person to review it.

  1. Open Food Facts: Cotija cheese
  2. Open Food Facts: ingredients taxonomy (names, family tree, allergen and vegan flags), ODbL
  3. Open Food Facts: product database, 4,535,553 products, read 13 October 2026, ODbL
  4. European Union: Regulation 1169/2011 on food information to consumers, Annex II
  5. UK Food Standards Agency: Allergen guidance for food businesses (the 14 allergens)
  6. US FDA: Questions and Answers Regarding Food Allergen Labeling, Edition 5 (January 2025)

Contains information from Open Food Facts, which is made available here under the Open Database License (ODbL). Read the licence · Download this dictionary’s data · How we check

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