Bushra Griffith
Cheddar cheese is often associated with the colour orange, but is this the result of artificial colouring? The answer is yes, and no. The colour of cheddar cheese is dependent on the diet of the cows from which the milk is sourced. In the 17th century, English cheesemakers realised they could make more money by skimming off the cream and selling it separately, or making butter from it. The remaining lower-fat cheese was a paler colour, so to trick buyers into thinking it was higher quality, they added pigment from saffron, marigold, and carrot juice. This tradition carried over to the U.S., where cheesemakers in Wisconsin, Ohio, and Indiana wanted to ensure a uniform colour throughout the year. Today, the colour of cheddar cheese most often comes from annatto, a flavourless food colouring made from the seeds of the achiote tree.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Natural color | White or light yellow |
| Reason for artificial coloring | Partly tradition, partly marketing |
| Artificial color source | Annatto, a food coloring made from the seeds of the achiote tree |
| Other color sources | Saffron, marigold, carrot juice, paprika |
| Coloring motivation | Uniform color throughout the year, distinction from other cheeses |
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What You'll Learn
The natural colour of cheddar cheese
Cheeses made from the milk of cows that graze on grass high in beta-carotene will have a bright yellow colour. Certain breeds of cows, such as Jersey and Guernsey, produce milk that tends to be richer in colour from beta-carotene in the grass they eat. This milk then produces cheese with a natural yellowish-orange pigment.
In the 17th century, English cheesemakers realized that they could make more money if they skimmed off the cream and sold it separately or made butter from it. They then added pigment from saffron, marigold, and carrot juice to their white cheeses to trick people into thinking they were getting authentic, higher-quality cheese. The more yellow the colour of the cheese, the higher the price. This tradition then carried over to the U.S. with cheesemakers in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, and New York wanting to ensure a uniform colour throughout the year.
Today, the colour of cheddar cheese most often comes from annatto, a flavourless food colouring and condiment made from the seeds of the achiote tree, and/or paprika. Annatto has been used to dye cheese for more than 200 years, giving cheddar cheese the same colour year-round, and it is imported from Latin America.
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Why is artificial colouring added?
The addition of artificial colouring to cheddar cheese dates back to 17th-century England. At the time, cheddar cheese was produced from cows that grazed on grass, resulting in milk and cheese with a rich, yellowish-orange pigment due to the high beta-carotene content in their diet. This colour was associated with high-quality, flavourful cheese, and people were willing to pay more for it.
However, not all cows produced milk with this pigment, and the colour of cheese naturally varied depending on the seasons and the cow's diet. To meet the demand for orange cheese, cheesemakers began adding natural dyes like saffron, marigold, and carrot juice to their cheese to mimic the colour of high-quality cheddar. This practice was continued by some cheesemakers in the United States, particularly in states like Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin, to achieve a uniform colour throughout the year and distinguish their products from the white cheese of New England and New York.
The use of artificial colouring in cheddar cheese became even more widespread with the introduction of annatto, a food colouring made from the seeds of the achiote tree, which grows in tropical regions of Central and South America. Annatto was imported to Europe as early as the 16th century and was associated with high-quality cheeses. It became a popular colouring agent for cheddar, as it provided a consistent orange colour year-round and was flavourless, allowing cheesemakers to standardise their product without altering its taste or texture.
Today, annatto is still commonly used to colour cheddar cheese, and its addition is often based on tradition and marketing. The orange colour has become so synonymous with cheddar that the naturally white or light yellow variety is often labelled as "white cheddar" to distinguish it from the artificially coloured version.
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The history of colouring cheddar cheese
The colouring of cheddar cheese has a long and intriguing history, with the practice of adding dye to cheese having its roots in 17th-century England. At the time, cheddar cheese was produced from cows that grazed on grass, resulting in milk with a higher beta-carotene content and an orange pigment. This hue became associated with high-quality cheese, leading producers of lower-fat cheese to add pigments from saffron, marigold, and carrot juice to enhance the colour of their product.
As the tradition of cheese-making spread, particularly to the United States, cheesemakers in states like Wisconsin, Ohio, and Indiana adopted the practice of colouring their cheese. This was done to achieve a uniform colour throughout the year, as the natural colour of cheese varied depending on the cows' diet of grass in spring or hay in winter. The addition of dye also helped cheesemakers distinguish their product from the white cheese commonly produced in New England and New York.
The colour orange became so strongly associated with cheese that Americans typically recognise orange as the standard colour for cheddar in the dairy aisle. This perception was influenced by the historical practice of adding pigment to cheese, which has now become a tradition in certain regions. The motivation for continuing this practice includes a mix of tradition, marketing to make their cheeses stand out, and achieving a consistent colour.
Over time, the colouring of cheddar cheese evolved with the introduction of annatto as a dye. Annatto is a food colouring made from the seeds of the achiote or annatto tree, which is native to tropical regions in Central and South America. It has been used to dye cheese for over 200 years and provides a consistent orange colour to cheddar cheese. The use of annatto in cheese was influenced by its association with high-quality cheeses like Gloucester or Leicester, and its status as an imported item contributed to its popularity among the upper classes.
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How does the colour of a cow's diet affect the cheese?
The colour of a cow's diet can significantly impact the resulting colour of cheese made from its milk. This is because the natural pigment beta-carotene, which is found in the grass that cows eat, is transferred to their milk and then to the cheese. Cows that graze on grass high in beta-carotene will produce milk with a deeper yellow colour, resulting in cheese with a more vibrant yellow hue. Conversely, during the winter months when cows' diets consist primarily of hay, their milk will have lower beta-carotene levels, leading to a paler cheese.
Breeds of cows, such as Jersey and Guernsey, tend to produce milk that is naturally richer in beta-carotene due to their grass-heavy diet. As a result, cheese made from their milk often has a yellowish-orange pigment. In the 17th century, English cheesemakers recognised that the orange pigment in cheese was considered a mark of quality. Lower-fat cheeses of inferior quality could be made to appear more valuable by adding pigments from saffron, marigold, or carrot juice.
The tradition of colouring cheese to indicate quality carried over to the United States, particularly in states such as Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Cheesemakers in these regions would add dyes to their cheese to make it look like the higher-quality spring cheese, ensuring a uniform colour throughout the year. The colour orange became so strongly associated with cheese that Americans typically recognise orange as the standard colour for cheddar cheese.
Today, artificial colouring is often added to cheddar cheese to achieve a consistent orange hue. Annatto, a food colouring made from the seeds of the achiote tree, is commonly used and is known to have little to no impact on the flavour or texture of the cheese. The use of annatto to colour cheese dates back to the 16th century when it was imported from Latin America and associated with high-quality cheese.
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How does the colour of cheese affect its perception?
The colour of cheese has a significant impact on its perception, and this is evident in the case of cheddar cheese. In its natural state, cheddar cheese is white or has a light yellow colour, depending on the diet of the cow from which the milk is derived. However, consumers often associate the colour orange with cheddar cheese due to historical reasons and marketing choices.
Centuries ago in England, especially in the 17th century, many cheeses had a natural yellowish-orange pigment. This colour came from the milk of certain breeds of cows, such as Jersey and Guernsey, whose diets were rich in beta-carotene from the grass they consumed. As a result, the orange pigment in the milk transferred to the cheese, and this colour was considered a mark of quality. Lower-quality cheese producers realised that adding pigment from saffron, marigold, or carrot juice could make their cheese appear higher quality.
The tradition of colouring cheese then carried over to the United States, particularly in states like Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, and New York. Cheesemakers in these states continued the practice of colouring cheddar cheese to achieve a uniform colour throughout the year, as the colour varied with the cows' diet. The colour orange became so strongly associated with cheese that Americans typically recognise orange as the standard colour for cheddar in grocery stores.
The perception of orange cheddar cheese as higher quality or more authentic has influenced the marketing and sales of cheese. Cheese shops were able to charge more for orange cheddar, and the addition of dye became a way to deceive consumers into thinking they were purchasing superior cheese. This perception has persisted over time, and the colour orange has become synonymous with cheese in American culture, influencing even cheese-flavoured snacks like Cheetos.
Today, the colour of cheddar cheese is often derived from annatto, a food colouring made from the seeds of the achiote tree, which is imported from Latin America. Annatto is flavourless and does not affect the taste or texture of the cheese. It is purely a colouring agent to meet consumer expectations and standardise the appearance of cheddar cheese.
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Frequently asked questions
In its natural state, cheddar cheese is white or yellowish in colour. The orange colour comes from artificial dyes, such as annatto, a food colouring made from the seeds of the achiote tree, or paprika.
Centuries ago in England, lots of cheeses had a natural yellowish-orange pigment. The cheese came from the milk of certain breeds of cows, such as Jersey and Guernsey, whose milk tends to be richer in colour from beta-carotene in the grass they eat. This orange pigment was considered a mark of quality.
Adding yellow/orange colouring makes the cheese look like the best cheeses of the spring, year-round. It also helps cheesemakers achieve a uniform colour in their cheeses.
Cheddar cheese can also be white or light yellow. It can also be red or green, with the colour coming from their flavours—spinach and curry, respectively.
