Dairy, Cheese product, pasteurized process, American, vitamin D fortified

Fun Facts

1. Processed cheese is also known as “process cheese”, “prepared cheese”, and “cheese food”.
2. Yes, it’s made with regular cheese, but with the addition of one or more of the following: whey, emulsifiers, milk, salts, preservatives, and food coloring.
3. The most popular processed cheese in the US is “American Cheese” although there is no one definition for that term. In most people’s minds, the term has come to mean a smooth, mild flavored cheese.
4. Processed cheese was invented over 100 years ago in Switzerland, but it took an American, James L. Kraft, to manufacture the first commercially available sliced processed cheese, just after World War 2.
5. Kraft Singles, a product introduced in 1947, was an instant hit and went on to become an American legend.
6. One of the biggest consumer benefits of processed cheese is “the melt”. The use of emulsifiers in processed cheese lets it melt smoothly and uniformly when heated.
7. An important factor for food manufactures is the extended shelf life of processed cheese, due to the additives used.