There are some types of cheeses that get better with age, just like wine. The maturation period varies, from several weeks to years. Mozzarella cheese is ripened for 2 weeks. Parmesan and cheddar cheese are ripened for 2 or more years. While some cheeses, particularly those from Europe, take longer, like Bitto Storico for example. This cheese from Italy may reach its best quality in 18 years. Typically, cheese makers age cheese in a ripening cellar or a room where the conditions support the ripening process such as controlled humidity and temperature. During aging, three components in the cheese degrade, namely casein, lipids or fats, and lactose. This leads to the formation of flavorful aroma molecules that are distinct to aged cheeses. The flavor profile of the cheese depends largely on the microbes involved and how the fat in the milk was broken down.

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When cheese production in North America and Europe reached industrial scale, cheese became more popular, undoubtedly. But when exporting of cheese began in the late 19th century, exporters saw one big problem during the transport— how to keep cheese from spoiling fast. Deterioration of cheese was more frequent during transport to distant areas. To address the predicament, a new type of cheese that is more shelf life stable had to be created. And it turned into fruition in the formed of processed cheese.

WHAT IS PROCESSED CHEESE?

Natural cheeses are made basically with high quality milk, culture (lactic acid bacteria), enzyme (rennet), natural colors, and salt. They may or may not be ripened. Cheeses that are not aged, also called fresh cheese, are made with fresh curds.

These ingredients alone proved to be not enough for cheeses meant for sending to far places. The first attempt to making a cheese that is more resistant to spoiling was done in Germany in 1980.

But significant development came in 1911 when Walter Gerber and Fritz Stettler of Switzerland added citric acid salts to heated natural Emmentaler cheese. The product was a cheese that was less perishable and had better meltability. The Swiss called this cheese “Schachtelkase” (boxed cheese).

In 1915, a similar method was done in the United States. Canadian-American inventor James Craft added phosphoric acid salts to Cheddar cheese to improve its keeping quality. The result? A dairy product we now know as American processed cheese. In 1916, Kraft filed a patent for this process of pasteurizing and emulsifying cheese. This proved to be a major contribution in the food manufacturing industry. By 1930 in the US alone, a study revealed that more than 40% of the cheese consumed were Kraft’s.

Today, manufacturers use scrap unripened cheese as its basis for processed cheese. A mixture of cheeses of different maturity may be added. This is mixed with a mixture of emulsifying salts. These include sodium phosphate, sodium citrate, and sodium polyphosphate.

So yes. If the box says things like “cheese food,” “processed cheese,” or “prepared cheese,”, it is not all cheese.

PROCESSED CHEESE PRODUCTS

Like we already know, processed cheese is not 100% cheese. Typically, processed cheeses contain around 50% to 60% natural cheese. McDonald’s says their cheese slices in their burgers contain 60% real cheese. But this does not change the fact that the processed cheese industry is enjoying economic growth. This is due in large part of mass production that lowers the price of processed cheese. In fact, Statistica estimated the value of the processed cheese market at 16.3 billion US dollars worldwide in 2020. By 2029, the market is projected to reach 24 billion U.S. dollars.

Over the years, processed cheese manufacturers have used other ingredients in their product to appeal to a wider audience. This is the reason why we see processed cheeses of different flavors, textures, colors, and even shapes at the supermarket. Some processed cheeses come packed in cans, blocks, or individual slices wrapped in wax paper.

Here are the three main varieties of processed cheese.

Pasteurized process cheese

Pasteurized process cheese is the most commonly manufactured cheese in the United States. According to the Food And Drug Administration (FDA), pasteurized processed cheese is the food producing by comminuting, mixing, with the aid of heat, one or more cheeses of the same, or two or more varieties for manufacturing with an emulsifying agent . . . into a homogeneous plastic mass. The FDA excludes some varieties of cheeses such as cream cheese, cottage cheese, neufchatel cheese, cottage cheese, and low fat cottage cheese for producing pasteurized process cheese.

Meltability is one of the advantages of processed cheese over natural cheeses. The addition of an emulsifier such as sodium citrate or disodium phosphate allows the cheese to melt uniformly and smoothly during cooking. Emulsifiers do this by holding the protein and fat together. Unprocessed cheeses such as mozzarella and Cheddar tend to separate into molten protein gel and liquid fat during prolonged heating.

By standards, pasteurized process cheese contains not more 40% moisture by weight, not less than 30% fat, and has a pH (acidity) of not less than 5.3. The pH of most pasteurized process cheese in the market is 5.6 to 5.8.

Pasteurized process cheese may also contain an optional mold-inhibiting ingredient of not more than 0.2% by weight of sorbic acid, sodium sorbate, potassium sorbate or any combination or these.

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Some products contain fruits, vegetables, meat, and pimentos.

Pasteurized process cheese food

Pasteurized process cheese food is very similar to pasteurized process cheese in terms of ingredients and manufacturing process. Although there a few differences. Generally, pasteurized process cheese food contains more moisture, less fat, and has a lower pH.

By standards, pasteurized process cheese food contains at least 51% cheese by weight. It has a moisture content of not more than 44% by weight, fat content of not less than 23%, and has a pH of not less than 5.0. Organic acids such as lactic, citric, and phosphoric acid may be added to lower the pH.

An emulsifying agent may be added provided that the weight of the solids is not more than 3% of the weight of the pasteurized process cheese food.

Pasteurized process cheese food may contain optional ingredients such as non-fat dry milk, cream, non-fat milk, whey, and other coloring and flavoring agents.

In terms of quality, pasteurized process cheese food has a milder flavor, softer texture, and melts readily.

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Pasteurized process cheese spread

Pasteurized process cheese spread is also similar to pasteurized process cheese. But the main difference is that pasteurized process cheese spread contains more moisture in order to be more spreadable.

By standards, pasteurized process cheese spread contains at least 51% cheese by weight. In many standards, pasteurized process cheese spread must contain not more than 60% of moisture. In the US, the moisture content should be between 44% to 60% to be spreadable at 70 °F (21 °C). It should also contain not less than 20% fat and a pH of not less than 4.0.

For better water retention, binding agents such as gums and gelatin may be added in amounts not exceeding 0.8% of the weight of the finished product.

The US standards for these processed cheese varieties can be found here on Wiley.

Other references:

M. Wallert, K. Colabroy, B. Kelly, J. Provost (2016). The Science of Cooking: Understanding the Biology and Chemistry Behind Food and Cooking. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

V. Vaclavik, E. Christian (2014) Essentials of Food Science (4th Edition). Springer

A. Gouda, A. Abou El-Nour (2003). Encyclopedia of Food Sciences and Nutrition (Second Edition). Academic Press.

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