Frederic Melton
The colour of cheese is a curious topic. Cheddar cheese, for example, is often coloured orange, but this is not its natural hue. In fact, the cheese gets its orange colour from a plant extract of the achiote tree called annatto. This tradition of colouring cheese is thought to have originated in 17th-century England, when cheesemakers realised they could make more money by skimming off the cream and selling it separately or making butter from it. However, this resulted in a loss of colour, as the natural orange pigment is carried in the fatty cream. To compensate, cheesemakers added colourings to their cheese, passing it off as full-fat, high-quality cheese.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for orange cheese | Signifier of high-quality cheese |
| To differentiate their product | |
| To achieve a uniform color | |
| To compete with European counterparts | |
| Tradition and marketing | |
| To disguise low-fat cheese | |
| To maintain continuity | |
| Sources of orange color | Beta-carotene from grass in cow's diet |
| Saffron | |
| Marigold | |
| Carrot juice | |
| Annatto seed |
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What You'll Learn
The origin of orange cheese
During World War II, dyeing cheese was temporarily halted to follow the British national recipe, resulting in the creation of White Leicester cheese. However, after the war, the practice of dyeing cheese resumed, and Leicestershire cheese became known as Red Leicester, leading to the popularity of orange cheddar.
It's worth noting that not all regions embraced the tradition of dyeing cheese. New England dairy farms, for example, are known for their preference for naturally white cheddar cheese, often sourced from grass-fed cows in Vermont.
While the exact reasons for the original dyeing of cheese may never be fully known, it is clear that the practice has had a significant impact on the cheese industry, shaping consumer expectations and preferences for orange cheddar in certain regions.
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The role of beta-carotene in milk colour
Beta-carotene is a type of carotenoid, a naturally occurring compound found in fruits and vegetables. Carotenoids are fat-soluble and contribute to the characteristic yellow hue associated with dairy products. Beta-carotene, in particular, lends an orange pigment to milk.
Beta-carotene is an important nutrient for mammals, as its metabolism forms vitamin A, which is essential for maintaining good health. A deficiency in vitamin A can lead to substantial public health burdens. Thus, understanding the role of beta-carotene in milk colour can have important implications for addressing dietary deficiencies.
In dairy cows, the beta-carotene content of their milk can be influenced by their diet. For example, cows that consume a diet high in grass silage tend to have higher levels of beta-carotene in their milk compared to those fed corn silage. This was observed in a study where 18 dairy cows were divided into two groups and fed either a high or low carotenoid diet. The group fed grass silage had higher plasma concentrations of carotenoids and vitamins, which were reflected in their milk.
Additionally, genetic variations among cows can also impact the beta-carotene content of their milk. A study identified a mutation in the bovine β-carotene oxygenase 2 (BCO2) gene, which is involved in beta-carotene metabolism. Cows with this mutation had higher concentrations of milk beta-carotene, suggesting that BCO2 plays a key role in regulating beta-carotene levels in milk.
In conclusion, beta-carotene is a carotenoid that contributes to the colour of milk and is important for the nutritional value of milk products. The concentration of beta-carotene in milk can be influenced by both dietary factors and genetic variations in cows. By understanding these factors, dairy producers can optimise the beta-carotene content of their products and address potential vitamin A deficiencies.
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The significance of colour in cheese quality perception
The colour of cheese is a significant factor in determining its quality and has been so for centuries. The perception of high-quality cheese being orange dates back to 17th-century England, when cows grazing on grass and flowers produced milk with a yellowish hue due to their diet being rich in beta-carotene. This milk, when turned into cheese, carried an orange pigment, which became associated with high-quality, full-fat cheese.
The colour of cheese became a marker of quality, with a deeper orange indicating higher fat content and, thus, better flavour. Cheesemakers began to manipulate this perception by adding pigments to their cheese to make it appear higher quality. This practice, known as "cheese fraud," involved adding dyes made from saffron, marigold, and carrot juice, and annatto seed to enhance the orange colour and make the cheese seem like it was made from higher-quality milk.
The tradition of colouring cheese was also influenced by butter-making practices. In the 13th and 17th centuries, when dairymen began using cow's milk instead of sheep's milk, they skimmed the fat from the milk to make butter, a luxury good at the time. To achieve the desired golden hue for their butter, they added dyes, and this practice eventually carried over to cheese-making.
The colour orange became so ingrained in the perception of quality cheese that even when the cows' diets changed, and the milk lost its natural yellowish hue, cheesemakers continued to dye their cheese orange. This tradition persists in some regions, like the Midwest in the United States, where orange cheddar remains popular. However, in other regions, like New England, there has been a preference for naturally white cheddar, and the artisanal food movement is now bringing back cheese made from the milk of grass-fed cows, which has a more natural yellow hue.
In conclusion, the significance of colour in cheese quality perception has a long history, with the orange colour becoming a marker of high-quality, full-fat cheese. While the practice of cheese colouring may have originated from fraudulent activities, it has now become a tradition in some regions, while others have rejected it in favour of natural cheese colours.
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Historical fraud in cheese colouring
Cheese is a widely consumed dairy product, popular across the world. It is also a food product that is highly susceptible to fraud. Historical fraud in cheese colouring can be traced back to 17th-century England, where cheese was often coloured orange to signify quality.
Centuries ago, English cows that grazed on grass rich in beta-carotene produced milk with a yellowish-orange pigment. This pigment was considered a marker of high-quality cheese. Cheesemakers soon realised that they could increase their profits by skimming off the cream and selling it separately or making butter from it. However, this process removed most of the colour, as the natural orange pigment is carried in the fatty cream.
To compensate for the loss of colour and continue passing off their low-fat cheese as a high-quality product, cheesemakers began adding colour to their cheese. They used natural dyes such as saffron, marigold, carrot juice, and annatto, which is derived from the seeds of a tropical plant. This practice of colouring cheese to enhance its appearance and make it seem like a higher-quality product is considered a form of historical fraud.
The tradition of colouring cheese then carried over to the United States, particularly in the Midwestern states. Cheesemakers in Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, and New York have a long history of colouring cheddar to make their products stand out and achieve a uniform colour. However, this tradition did not catch on in New England, where there was a disdain for brightly coloured cheese. As a result, naturally white cheddar cheese is more common in states like Vermont.
The colouring of cheese, which began as a way to deceive consumers into thinking they were purchasing high-quality cheese, has now become a standard practice in certain regions. While the original intent may have been fraudulent, the continuation of this tradition highlights the complex nature of food production and the influence of historical practices on modern culinary preferences.
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The use of dyes and additives in modern cheese
The colour orange has long been associated with high-quality cheese. In the 13th century, butter was a luxury good, and butter with a golden hue was perceived to be of higher quality. As cheesemakers began to use cow's milk instead of sheep's milk, they skimmed most of the fat from the top to make butter, leaving little fat for cheese. To disguise the low-fat cheese, they added pigments from marigold, saffron, carrot juice, and annatto seed—a dye that is still used today.
The tradition of colouring cheese was then carried over to the United States. Midwestern cheesemakers dyed their cheese orange to compete with their European counterparts. This explains why today, orange cheese is popular in the Midwest, while the Northeast prefers white cheddar. However, the colouring of cheese is not a tradition that caught on in all regions. New England dairy farms, for example, have long had a disdain for brightly coloured cheese, and to this day, produce many naturally white cheddars.
In the 20th century, during World War II, dyeing cheese to follow the British national recipe was halted, and White Leicester was born. After the war, the practice of dyeing cheese resumed, and Leicestershire cheese became known as Red Leicester, leading to orange cheddar.
Today, most cows are not grazing on the same kinds of grasses, and are treated differently by mass dairy farms, so we don't get the same yellowish milk that we did when cheddar cheese first became popular. However, the habit of dyeing cheese orange has remained because that is what consumers are used to.
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Frequently asked questions
Cheese isn't always orange, but when it is, it's usually because of a dye. In the 17th century, English cheesemakers realised they could make more money if they skimmed off the cream from the milk to sell it separately or make butter. However, in doing so, most of the colour was lost, so to pass off the low-fat cheese as a high-quality product, they added dyes like saffron, marigold, carrot juice, and annatto seed.
Cows that graze on higher-quality grass produce more yellowish milk than those grazing on hay or bad grass. This is because of a higher beta carotene intake, which lends an orange pigment to their milk. So, cheese made from the milk of these cows was considered to be of higher quality.
There is no difference in taste between orange and white cheddar. The annatto dye used to colour the cheese does not contribute to the taste.
