My immense popularity stems from my taste, versatility, many varieties and nutritional package.
Cheese, a concentrated dairy food made from milk, is defined as the fresh or matured product obtained by draining the whey (moisture or serum of original milk) after coagulation of casein, the major milk protein. Casein is coagulated by acid, which is produced through the addition of select microorganisms and/or by coagulating enzymes, resulting in curd formation. Milk may also be acidified by adding food-grade acidulants, which is the process often used in the manufacture of fresh cheese.
Cheese can be made from whole, 2% lowfat, 1% lowfat or fat-free milk, or combinations of these milks. About one-third of all milk produced each year in the United States is used to make cheese. In 2003, a total 8.5 billion pounds of cheese was produced in the United States.
Different ingredients and processes employed during the making and aging of cheese result in a wide variety of available cheeses, each with its own distinct texture and flavor profile. There are more than 200 varieties of cheese produced in the United States; more than 1,400 varieties are catalogued in the World Cheese Exchange Database.
Cheeses are categorized in several ways: natural versus process cheeses, unripened versus ripened and soft versus hard.
Natural cheeses:
Natural cheese is a general classification for cheese that is made directly from milk. In fresh, unripened cheese, the curd, separated from the whey, can be formed into cheese immediately, whereas in matured or ripened cheese, the curd may be further treated by the addition of select strains of bacteria, mold, yeast or a combination of these ripening agents. The bacteria, mold and yeast continue to ripen the cheese over time, changing the cheese’s flavor and texture as it ages.
When choosing natural cheese as an ingredient, it’s important to understand how a cheese will perform in a finished product based on its age and storage conditions.
Natural cheeses are often categorized according to their moisture or degree of softness or hardness. Soft cheeses include Brie, Camembert, ricotta and cottage cheese. Semisoft cheeses include blue, brick, feta, Havarti, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, Muenster and provolone. Hard cheeses include Cheddar, Colby, Edam, Gouda and Swiss. Very hard cheese varieties include Parmesan and Romano.
Process cheeses:
These cheeses are made by blending one or more natural cheeses into a homogenous mass, heating the mix and adding emulsifying salts, which modify the appearance, texture and flavor of the cheese. Process cheeses contain more moisture than natural cheeses. Pasteurized process cheeses include American cheese, cheese spreads and cheese foods. Cold-pack cheese is a blend of natural cheeses processed without heat. Flavoring and seasonings are often added.
Cheese powders:
Cheese powders, or dehydrated cheeses, are prepared using a single cheese variety or a blend of various cheeses. Products may be all cheese or a blend of cheese with other dairy ingredients (for example, whey, nonfat dry milk, etc.), food ingredients and/or color. Some typical applications for cheese powders include prepared dry mixes, sauces and snack foods.
Enzyme-modified cheese:
These cheeses are special flavor ingredients that blend lipases (natural food-grade enzymes) together with natural cheese to intensify the effect of cheese flavor development. Available in paste or powder form, applications include flavor enhancement of pasteurized process cheese and cheese sauce, salad dressing and snack foods.
Cheese analogs:
Analogs, or cheese substitutes, are cheeselike products made with nondairy ingredients such as corn oil. These nondairy products have less flavor and poor melting performance.
