Rigorously examined, as cheese might be (7)
I believe the answer is:
grilled
This clue is a double definition.
'rigorously examined' is the first definition.
(to grill is to interrogate or examine)
'as cheese might be' is the second definition.
(cheese is often grilled)
(Other definitions for grilled that I've seen before include "Subjected to intense questioning" , "Cooked; interrogated" , "Cooked by radiant heat" , "Cooked; questioned" , "Cooked - cross-examined" .)