Frederic Melton
Cheddar cheese is one of the most popular cheeses, but have you ever wondered why it's orange? The answer lies in the history of English cheesemaking. In the 17th century, cows grazed on grass rich in beta-carotene, which gave their milk an orange-yellow tone. This colour became associated with high-quality, full-fat cheese. Cheesemakers, wanting to maximise profits, realised they could skim off the cream and sell it separately or make butter from it. However, this resulted in low-fat cheese made from white milk. To disguise this, they added pigments from saffron, marigold, carrot juice, or annatto, a food colouring made from the seeds of the achiote tree. This tradition of colouring cheese carried over to the US, particularly in the northeastern states, to create a uniform colour throughout the year and distinguish their products.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for orange cheddar cheese | The orange pigment was originally a marker of high-quality cheese. |
| Cheesemakers would add pigment to low-quality, low-fat cheese to make it look higher quality. | |
| The orange color is now added to make the cheese look like what people expect. | |
| Original source of orange pigment | Milk from cows that ate a lot of grass with beta-carotene. |
| Modern source of orange pigment | Annatto, a food coloring made from the seeds of the achiote tree. |
| Other modern sources of orange pigment | Paprika, saffron, carrot juice, and marigold. |
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What You'll Learn
- The orange colour comes from annatto, a food colouring made from the achiote tree
- Cheddar was originally produced from cows with a grass diet high in beta-carotene, which gave milk an orange pigment
- The orange colour became a marker of high-quality cheese
- Cheesemakers added pigment from saffron, marigold and carrot juice to low-fat cheese to make it look higher quality
- The colour doesn't affect the flavour or texture of the cheese
The orange colour comes from annatto, a food colouring made from the achiote tree
The orange colour of cheddar cheese has an interesting history. Several centuries ago, English cheesemakers produced cheese with a yellow tone thanks to the milk from certain cows. These cows, often Jersey and Guernsey breeds, ate a lot of grass that was packed with beta-carotene, which gave the milk an orange-yellow tone. Back then, cheddar cheese with a yellow hue was seen as a sign of quality.
However, some cheesemakers would add pigment from saffron, marigold, and carrot juice to make their pale cheese appear higher quality. This tradition of colouring cheese carried over to the US, with cheesemakers in Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, and New York having a long history of colouring cheddar. The motivation was part tradition, part marketing, and part achieving a uniform colour.
Today, the orange colour of cheddar cheese usually comes from annatto, a food colouring made from the seeds of the achiote tree, which grows in tropical regions in Central and South America. Annatto seeds are ground into a red powder and used for colouring foods. It has been used to dye cheese for over 200 years, giving cheddar cheese a consistent colour year-round without affecting its flavour or texture.
Some cheesemakers, particularly in the northeastern United States, choose to produce white cheddar cheese. This variation in colour does not affect the flavour or texture of the cheese, and white cheddar may be preferred by those who associate orange cheese with lower quality due to its historical use for this purpose.
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Cheddar was originally produced from cows with a grass diet high in beta-carotene, which gave milk an orange pigment
The orange colour of cheddar cheese is a result of the diet of cows that produce the milk used to make the cheese. In the 17th century, English cheesemakers produced cheddar cheese with a yellow tone due to the milk from certain cows. These cows, often Jersey and Guernsey breeds, ate a lot of grass that was packed with beta-carotene, which gave the milk an orange-yellow tone. The orange hue came to be associated with high-quality cheese, which led to the addition of pigment from saffron, marigold, and carrot juice by producers of lower-quality, lower-fat cheese to make it look like high-quality cheese.
Over time, the colour orange became associated with cheese itself, which explains why American cheese and cheese snacks are also orange. The colour does not noticeably affect the flavour or texture of the cheese. The use of annatto colouring, a food colouring made from the seeds of the achiote tree, has been a part of the cheddar cheese standard since the late 1800s. The addition of annatto gives cheddar cheese its distinctive orange hue.
The original cheddar cheese, produced from cows with a grass diet high in beta-carotene, had a pale golden yellow colour. However, as demand grew and non-local milk was sourced, annatto was added to create a uniform colour. The orange pigment in the milk and cheese was considered a marker of quality. The tradition of colouring cheese was continued in the United States, particularly in states such as Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, and New York.
Today, most cheesemakers use annatto to create the orange colour expected of cheddar cheese. The addition of annatto does not alter the flavour of the cheese but rather standardises its appearance. The colour of cheddar cheese can vary from a pale golden yellow to a rich orange hue, depending on the diet of the cows and the use of colouring agents.
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The orange colour became a marker of high-quality cheese
Several factors contribute to the association of orange cheddar cheese with high quality. In seventeenth-century England, cheddar cheese derived its colour from the beta-carotene-rich grass consumed by cows, resulting in an orange-yellow pigment in their milk. This hue became synonymous with high-quality cheese, as it indicated the presence of full-fat, naturally yellowish-orange cheese. Cheesemakers soon capitalised on this perception by adding pigments from saffron, marigold, and carrot juice to their lower-fat, pale cheese, thereby elevating its perceived quality.
The practice of colouring cheese was not limited to England; it also gained traction in the United States, particularly in states like Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, and New York. Cheesemakers in these regions embraced the tradition of colouring cheddar, partly due to marketing advantages and the desire to make their products stand out. The uniform colour achieved through artificial means ensured a consistent appearance throughout the year, regardless of the cows' diet.
The addition of colour to cheese became so prevalent that it shaped consumer expectations. The orange hue came to signify the familiar, expected colour of cheddar cheese. This perception persisted even as the original association with high-fat content faded. The colour orange became so intertwined with the identity of cheddar cheese that it influenced consumer preferences and purchasing decisions.
Today, the orange colour in cheddar cheese is typically achieved using annatto, a natural food colouring derived from the seeds of the achiote tree. This practice has been a part of the standard for cheddar cheese since the late 1800s. Annatto gives cheddar cheese a consistent orange hue without significantly altering its flavour or texture. The use of annatto ensures a uniform colour across batches and seasons, maintaining the expected appearance sought by consumers.
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Cheesemakers added pigment from saffron, marigold and carrot juice to low-fat cheese to make it look higher quality
Several centuries ago, English cheesemakers produced cheese with a yellow tone thanks to the milk from certain cows. These cows, often Jersey and Guernsey breeds, ate a lot of grass that was packed with beta-carotene, which gave the milk an orange-yellow tone. Back then, cheddar cheese with a yellow hue was seen as a sign of quality.
However, not all cows produce milk with a high beta-carotene content, and as demand grew and non-local milk was sourced more, cheesemakers had to find a way to make their cheese appear higher quality. Cheesemakers would use colouring agents to make their cheese seem like it had been produced from high-beta-carotene milk. This was done to make their product seem of higher quality and to ensure a uniform colour throughout the year, as the colour of the cheese would change depending on the diet of the cows.
Cheesemakers added pigment from saffron, marigold, and carrot juice to low-fat cheese to make it look higher quality. The addition of these natural dyes made the cheese appear more yellow or orange, resembling the colour of cheese produced from cows that ate beta-carotene-rich grass.
Today, most cheesemakers no longer use saffron, marigold, or carrot juice to colour their cheese. Instead, annatto, a food colouring made from the seeds of the achiote tree, is commonly used to give cheese its characteristic orange hue. While the colour of cheese may vary, it does not affect the flavour or texture, so consumers can choose whichever variety they prefer without sacrificing taste or quality.
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The colour doesn't affect the flavour or texture of the cheese
The colour of cheddar cheese is influenced by the diet of cows and the addition of dyes or natural colourings. While the colour of cheddar cheese has varied throughout history, it is important to note that the colour does not affect the flavour or texture of the cheese.
Cheddar cheese was originally produced from cows that grazed on grass rich in beta-carotene, resulting in milk with an orange-yellow pigment. This hue became associated with high-quality, full-fat cheese. However, some cheesemakers began adding pigment from saffron, marigold, carrot juice, or annatto to their cheese to enhance its colour and make it appear more desirable.
Annatto, a natural food colouring derived from the seeds of the achiote tree, is commonly used today to give cheddar its characteristic orange hue. The addition of annatto does not significantly impact the flavour or texture of the cheese. Instead, the taste and texture of cheddar cheese are primarily determined by factors such as the age of the cheese, with younger cheese being milder and more buttery, and aged cheese developing a sharper, nuttier flavour and a drier, crumbly texture.
While the colour of cheddar cheese may have been influenced by historical fraud and marketing tactics, modern consumers can rest assured that the colour of the cheese they select will not affect its flavour or texture. The colour variation in cheddar cheese is purely cosmetic and does not reflect any significant differences in taste or quality.
Therefore, when choosing between orange or white cheddar, the decision can be based on personal preference or the desired aesthetic for a particular dish, without any concern that the colour will impact the sensory experience of the cheese.
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Frequently asked questions
Originally, cheddar cheese had a pale golden yellow colour due to the high beta carotene content of the milk of the local cows. As demand grew and non-local milk was sourced more, annatto was added to make the cheese uniform. Annatto is a natural food colouring derived from the seeds of the tropical achiote tree that gives cheddar a rich orange hue.
Yes, in the 17th century, cheesemakers realized they could make more money if they skimmed off the cream and sold it separately or made butter from it. However, in doing so, most of the colour was lost, so they added dye to pass off the low-fat cheese as a high-quality product.
The difference between white and orange cheddar cheese is the dye. White cheddar cheese is often referred to as "Vermont cheddar", even if it wasn't produced in Vermont.
