Kamil Perry
Cheetos are a popular snack food, known for their cheesy goodness and crispy crunch. They are manufactured by blending corn and water, frying the mixture, and then coating it with cheese powder. But are Cheetos made with real cheese? The answer is yes. According to Kimberly Scott, the director of communications at PepsiCo, Inc./Frito-Lay North America, it takes 11 million gallons of milk to make the 10 million pounds of cheddar cheese used in Cheetos seasoning each year. This process requires the milk from 5,000 cows. In addition to cheddar cheese, the cheese powder contains ingredients such as whey, canola oil, maltodextrin, salt, whey protein concentrate, monosodium glutamate, natural and artificial flavors, lactic acid, citric acid, and artificial colors.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Made with real cheese | Yes |
| Type of cheese | Cheddar |
| Type of cheddar | Wisconsin Cheddar |
| Yearly supply | Requires 5,000 cows |
| Milk required | 11 million gallons |
| Cheese weight | 10 million pounds |
| Other ingredients | Enriched corn meal, vegetable oil, whey, salt, cultured milk, enzymes, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, maltodextrin, disodium phosphate, sour cream, artificial flavor, monosodium glutamate, lactic acid, artificial colors, citric acid, sugar, vitamin B, MSG |
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What You'll Learn
Cheetos contain real cheese
Cheetos are manufactured by blending corn and water. The germ of the corn is removed to prevent spoilage, and the corn is then ground into cornmeal. This cornmeal is then enriched by adding nutrients to increase its nutritional value. The enriched cornmeal is then fried and rolled in cheese powder, which contains whey, yellow 6, lactic acid, citric acid, vegetable oil, vitamin B, sugar, salt, and MSG, among other things.
This cheese powder is made from real cheese. According to Kimberly Scott, the director of communications at PepsiCo, Inc./Frito-Lay North America, it takes 11 million gallons of milk to make the 10 million pounds of cheddar cheese used in Cheetos seasoning each year. This requires the milk from 5000 cows. The cheese used is Wisconsin cheddar, the same type that the US Army used in its dehydrated products during World War II.
Cheetos are therefore made with real cheese, although they also contain artificial ingredients and are not vegetarian-friendly, as they are produced using animal enzymes.
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They are made with dehydrated cheese
Cheetos are made with dehydrated cheese. The snack was first introduced in 1948 by Frito-Lay (then the Frito Company), and it contained Wisconsin cheddar, the same type of dehydrated cheese used by the army. This dehydrated cheese is created by removing moisture from regular cheese, which extends its shelf life and reduces its weight.
The process of dehydration involves removing the moisture from the cheese, which can be done through various methods such as air drying, freeze-drying, or using a machine that combines heat and pressure. This results in a dry, crumbly, or powdery substance that can be easily stored and transported. Dehydrated cheese has a longer shelf life than its fresh counterpart and does not require refrigeration, making it ideal for use in snacks like Cheetos.
The cheese used in Cheetos is dehydrated cheddar cheese, which is made from cultured milk, salt, and enzymes. According to Kimberly Scott, the director of communications at PepsiCo, Inc./Frito-Lay North America, it takes 11 million gallons of milk to produce the 10 million pounds of cheddar cheese needed for the Cheetos seasoning each year. This requires milk from approximately 5,000 cows.
The dehydrated cheese is then combined with other ingredients, such as whey, canola oil, maltodextrin (made from corn), salt, and whey protein concentrate, to create the distinctive Cheetos cheese seasoning. This seasoning is what gives Cheetos their iconic cheesy flavour and orange colour.
While Cheetos are made with real dehydrated cheese, they are not suitable for vegetarians or vegans as they also contain animal enzymes and dairy products.
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The cheese is seasoned with whey, canola oil, and salt
Cheetos are manufactured by blending corn and water. The corn is ground into cornmeal, which is then enriched by adding nutrients to increase its nutritional value. This cornmeal is fried and then coated in cheese powder, which contains whey, canola oil, and salt, as well as other ingredients like cheddar cheese, maltodextrin, and artificial colours and flavours.
The cheese powder used in Cheetos is made from dehydrated Wisconsin cheddar, which was originally developed by the US military in the WWII era. According to Kimberly Scott, the director of communications at PepsiCo, Inc./Frito-Lay North America, it takes 11 million gallons of milk to make the 10 million pounds of cheddar cheese used in Cheetos every year, which requires milk from 5,000 cows.
The cheese powder is what gives Cheetos their distinctive orange colour and cheesy flavour. While the exact recipe is proprietary, it is known that the cheese is seasoned with a combination of whey, canola oil, and salt, as well as other ingredients like cheddar cheese, maltodextrin, and artificial colours and flavours. This combination of ingredients creates a unique flavour profile that has made Cheetos a popular snack food around the world.
The process of making Cheetos involves frying the enriched cornmeal and then coating it in the cheese powder. The cornmeal is fed into an extruder, which rubs the meal between two metal plates, creating friction that melts the starch and causes the moisture to heat up. When it passes its boiling point, the cornmeal "pops" and takes on the distinctive Cheetos shape. The cheese powder, with its seasoned cheese, is then added to give the snack its final flavour.
The result is a crunchy, cheesy snack that has become a favourite for many. Cheetos have been described as "one of the most marvelously constructed foods on the planet", and their unique combination of ingredients, including the seasoned cheese, has created a snack that is beloved by many and has a dedicated fan base.
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It takes 5,000 cows to make a year's supply
Cheetos are a popular crunchy (or puffy) snack, coated in cheese powder. The cheese used in Cheetos is dehydrated cheddar cheese, which is blasted into a chamber of hot air, causing the cheese to evaporate and leave behind a solid, dusty substance. This process was originally developed by the US military, who were researching dehydrated cheese with the hopes of adding it to dried military meals.
Cheetos are manufactured in 22 countries worldwide, including Spain, Cyprus, Pakistan and Poland, and are produced using a range of local ingredients. However, the primary ingredient in Cheetos is cheese, and it takes a staggering amount of milk and cows to meet the annual demand for this snack.
According to Kimberly Scott, the director of communications at PepsiCo, Inc./Frito-Lay North America, it takes 11 million gallons of milk to make the 10 million pounds of cheddar cheese used in Cheetos each year. This amount of milk requires approximately 5,000 cows to produce. This equates to each cow providing around 2,200 gallons of milk per year.
The cheese is combined with other ingredients such as enriched cornmeal, vegetable oil, whey, salt, artificial flavours and colours, monosodium glutamate, lactic acid, and citric acid, to create the distinctive orange Cheetos. While the process of making Cheetos may seem straightforward, it involves a complex combination of ingredients and manufacturing steps to achieve the unique texture, flavour, and colour that have made Cheetos a popular snack worldwide.
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Cheetos are not vegetarian-friendly
Cheetos are a popular snack food, but they are not vegetarian-friendly. This is because animal-derived rennet is used in the cheese-making process. Rennet is an enzyme that comes from the stomach lining of slaughtered cows, sheep, or goats. Some places also use rennet derived from slaughtered pigs.
The use of animal enzymes in the cheese-making process means that Cheetos are not suitable for vegetarians. In addition to the cheese, other animal-derived ingredients are used in Cheetos, such as whey, sour cream, and lactic acid. These ingredients come from milk, which is produced by cows.
The company that makes Cheetos, Frito-Lay, has confirmed that animal enzymes are used in the cheese for all varieties of Cheetos. They also stated that most of the cheeses in their seasonings are made with animal enzymes, similar to the cheeses sold in grocery stores. So, it's not just the cheese in Cheetos that is the problem for vegetarians, but also the seasonings.
While Cheetos may not be vegetarian-friendly, there are some vegan alternatives available on the market. These include Vegan White Cheddar Hippeas, Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos, and Earth Balance Vegan White Cheddar Puffs. So, for those who are craving a cheesy snack but want to avoid animal products, there are some options available.
It's important to note that the vegetarian and vegan diets have different restrictions. Vegetarians typically avoid animal flesh, including meat, poultry, and seafood, while vegans avoid all animal products, including meat, dairy, and eggs. So, while vegan snacks may be suitable for vegetarians, it's important to check the ingredients to make sure they align with one's dietary restrictions and personal preferences.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Cheetos are made with real cheese. The cheese seasoning contains cheddar cheese, whey, canola oil, maltodextrin, salt, and whey protein concentrate, among other ingredients.
Cheddar cheese is used in Cheetos.
In addition to the cheese seasoning, Cheetos contain enriched cornmeal, vegetable oil, vitamin B, sugar, salt, and MSG.
According to Kimberly Scott, the director of communications at PepsiCo, Inc./Frito-Lay North America, it takes 11 million gallons of milk to make the 10 million pounds of cheddar cheese used in Cheetos seasoning each year.
No, Cheetos are not suitable for vegetarians or vegans as they contain dairy and are produced using animal enzymes.
