Method for producing ripened hard or semi-hard cheese comprising the steps of: i) arranging one or more unripened cheese wheels (2) comprising phosphoproteins and lactic bacteria in a maturation environment (10); ii) providing at least one electro-acoustic transducer (6) configured to generate sound waves (4) in the maturation environment (10), at a time-varying frequency and at a sound pressure comprised in the range from 50-100 dB.sub.SPL; iii) for a treatment time, stimulating the at least one cheese wheel (2) of step i) with said sound waves (4) to accelerate a proteolysis of phosphoproteins by lactic bacteria; (iv) ripening the cheese wheel (2) for a ripening time to obtain a ripened cheese wheel (2). The present invention also regards a cheese wheel obtained using such method, and a production system.

A crate (1) for a cheese, said crate (1) comprising a base (2), an open top (3) substantially parallel to the base (2), a peripheral wall (4), the peripheral wall (4) forming a closed contour and forming with the base (2) a space (8) intended to receive the cheese, the peripheral wall (4) comprising a medium portion (29) which is approximately at mid-height of the space (8) intended to receive the cheese and further having at least one through-hole (36, 60) formed therein.

The peripheral wall (4) comprises a solid strip (27) enclosing the space (8) intended to receive the cheese while being substantially parallel to the base (2), said solid strip (27) including the medium portion (29) of the peripheral wall (4) and having a minimum height which is at least 15% of the height of the space (8) intended to receive the cheese.

A crate (1) for a cheese, said crate (1) comprising a base (2), an open top (3) substantially parallel to the base (2), a peripheral wall (4), the peripheral wall (4) forming a closed contour and forming with the base (2) a space (8) intended to receive the cheese, the peripheral wall (4) comprising a medium portion (29) which is approximately at mid-height of the space (8) intended to receive the cheese and further having at least one through-hole (36, 60) formed therein. The peripheral wall (4) comprises a solid strip (27) enclosing the space (8) intended to receive the cheese while being substantially parallel to the base (2), said solid strip (27) including the medium portion (29) of the peripheral wall (4) and having a minimum height which is at least 15% of the height of the space (8) intended to receive the cheese.