Patrick Oconnell
Pizza Hut is a popular pizza chain that primarily uses mozzarella cheese on its pizzas. However, there have been questions raised about whether the cheese they use is real mozzarella. Some sources indicate that Pizza Hut uses part-skim mozzarella cheese, which has less fat and calories than whole-milk mozzarella. Others suggest that Pizza Hut's cheese is a pizza cheese blend made by Leprino Foods, which may contain modified food starch and other additives. Leprino Foods has been accused of using an industrial chemical in its cheese, but they have denied these claims and stated that they comply with FDA regulations. The company has also worked closely with Pizza Hut to meet their specific needs, such as creating a preservative mist to address issues with crumbling cheese. While the exact ingredients of Pizza Hut's cheese may not be publicly known, it is a topic of interest for many pizza enthusiasts.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of cheese used | Mozzarella, Parmesan Romano |
| Producer of the cheese | Leprino Foods |
| Ingredients | Pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes, modified food starch, whey protein concentrate, nonfat |
| Cheese variety | Part-skim mozzarella |
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What You'll Learn
Pizza Hut uses part-skim mozzarella cheese
Leprino Foods' mozzarella has been the subject of some controversy, with a 2006 report by "The Milkwood" magazine suggesting that it contains polydimethylsiloxane, an industrial chemical not approved by the FDA for use in food. However, Leprino Foods has denied this claim and stated that it fully complies with FDA regulations.
The use of part-skim mozzarella is a common practice in the pizza industry, as it is more cost-effective and retains its chewiness after heating, resulting in the stretchy texture that is often preferred by American consumers. Pizza Hut has also addressed concerns over the ingredients in its cheese, stating that it consists of pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes, modified food starch, whey protein concentrate, and nonfat ingredients.
While whole-milk mozzarella is considered to have a richer flavor and melt better, it is more difficult to find and has a shorter shelf life. As a result, many consumers and pizzerias opt for part-skim mozzarella, which is more readily available and cost-effective without compromising on taste and texture.
In summary, Pizza Hut's use of part-skim mozzarella cheese is a deliberate choice to balance flavor, texture, and cost-effectiveness, reflecting the preferences of its customers and the practical considerations of the pizza industry.
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This is produced by Leprino Foods
Pizza Hut uses a "pizza cheese" that is produced by Leprino Foods. This cheese is not "real" mozzarella, but part-skim mozzarella, also known as skim milk mozzarella, loaded with modified food starch. It is designed to retain its chewiness after heating and is produced in frozen, pre-sliced blocks. This allows pizza-makers to simply layer a few slices onto each pie, improving efficiency and standardising portions.
Leprino Foods is a Colorado-based company and the largest mozzarella cheese producer in the world. It sells more than a billion pounds of cheese a year, generating $3 billion in revenue. Leprino Foods' success can be attributed to its focus on large pizza chains, supplying to competitors such as Pizza Hut, Domino's, Papa John's, and Little Caesars.
The company's relationship with Pizza Hut began in 1968, when Pizza Hut was seeking a supplier to help reduce costs and standardise portions. Leprino Foods' innovation of selling frozen, pre-sliced blocks of cheese addressed Pizza Hut's challenges with inconsistent shredding in franchises. Over time, Leprino Foods has adapted its product to meet Pizza Hut's evolving needs, such as changing the formula when Pizza Hut adopted a hotter conveyor oven to prevent the cheese from burning at higher temperatures.
Leprino Foods has also demonstrated flexibility in its offerings to Pizza Hut. For instance, when Pizza Hut franchises reported issues with cheese crumbling due to delayed thawing of pre-sliced mozzarella, Leprino Foods introduced a preservative mist. This not only improved preservation but also enabled the addition of flavours such as salted caramel and jalapeño.
While Leprino Foods has been central to Pizza Hut's operations, concerns have been raised about the ingredients used in its cheese. In 2006, a report by "The Milkwood" magazine suggested that Leprino Foods' mozzarella cheese contained polydimethylsiloxane, an industrial silicone chemical not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in food. However, Leprino Foods has denied the use of this chemical, asserting full compliance with FDA regulations.
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Leprino Foods is the world's largest mozzarella producer
Leprino Foods, now known as Leprino, is the world's largest producer of mozzarella cheese. The company was founded in 1950 by Mike Leprino, James Leprino's father, as a small family-run grocery store in Denver, Colorado, selling handmade cheese. Leprino has since expanded globally, with locations across the United States, Brazil, Singapore, Northern Ireland, and Wales.
Leprino's largest plant is located in Lemoore, California, which is one of the largest cheese manufacturing plants in the world. The company also has a major manufacturing facility in Greeley, Colorado, and a new state-of-the-art facility under construction in Lubbock, Texas, with a focus on sustainability.
Leprino's mozzarella cheese is used by pizza chains such as Pizza Hut, which primarily uses part-skim mozzarella on its pizzas. Leprino's cheese is also known as "'pizza cheese'" and is made with modified food starch, giving it a chewy texture even after heating. While some have questioned the ingredients used by Leprino, the company has addressed concerns and stated that it complies with FDA regulations.
As the world's largest mozzarella producer, Leprino is focused on making pasta filata cheese, a type of cheese made through a patented process of heating and stretching. This process ensures the cheese has the right amount of flavor, melt, and stretch. Leprino's commitment to sustainability is also evident in its water recycling capabilities at its Roswell plant, where treated water is used for irrigation on adjacent cropland.
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The cheese is not real mozzarella
It is a well-known fact that Pizza Hut uses mozzarella cheese on its pizzas. However, it is not clear whether the mozzarella cheese used by Pizza Hut is "real" mozzarella. Several sources suggest that Pizza Hut uses a type of "pizza cheese" that is made specifically for the company by Leprino Foods, a company based in Colorado that is the largest mozzarella cheese producer in the world. This "pizza cheese" is not the same as the mozzarella cheese that can be purchased in stores, and it is loaded with modified food starch to retain its chewiness after heating.
While Pizza Hut states that its pizzas contain part-skim mozzarella cheese, also called pizza cheese, there are some concerns about the ingredients used by Leprino Foods. In 2006, a report by the magazine "The Milkwood" suggested that Leprino Foods' mozzarella cheese uses polydimethylsiloxane, a silicone industrial chemical that is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in food. Leprino Foods has denied these claims and stated that they fully comply with FDA regulations.
Additionally, it is important to note that Pizza Hut has made changes to its cheese supplier in the past due to concerns over the ingredients. While the current supplier is unknown, it is likely that Pizza Hut is still using a type of "pizza cheese" that is not the same as "real" mozzarella. This is supported by the fact that whole milk mozzarella, which is considered the best type of mozzarella for pizza, is difficult to find in stores and is not typically used by large pizza chains due to its high cost and short shelf life.
Furthermore, Pizza Hut has a history of prioritizing cost-cutting and standardization over the quality of their ingredients. When Pizza Hut franchises reported that their presliced mozzarella was crumbling, Leprino Foods responded with a preservative mist that allowed them to add flavors and reduce fat, rather than improving the quality of the cheese. This focus on efficiency and cost-cutting suggests that Pizza Hut is unlikely to use "real" mozzarella, which is more expensive and may not meet their specific performance requirements.
In conclusion, while Pizza Hut uses mozzarella cheese on its pizzas, it is unlikely that this cheese is "real" mozzarella. The company has a history of using cheese blends and additives to improve performance and reduce costs, and their current supplier, Leprino Foods, has been accused of using non-approved ingredients. Therefore, it is safe to assume that Pizza Hut's cheese is not the same as the mozzarella that can be purchased in stores or used by high-end pizzerias.
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It contains modified food starch
Pizza Hut uses a "pizza cheese" made by Leprino Foods, which is not "real" mozzarella. It is loaded with modified food starch, which helps the cheese retain its chewiness after heating. This is different from regular mozzarella, which releases its oils and becomes greasy when used on pizza.
Leprino Foods changed the formula of their cheese to suit Pizza Hut's needs when the chain started using a hotter conveyor oven. The new formula prevented the cheese from burning at higher temperatures.
Leprino Foods also supplies cheese to other large pizza chains, including Domino's, Papa John's, and Little Caesars. The company is the largest mozzarella cheese producer in the world, and Pizza Hut is one of its biggest customers.
Leprino Foods' mozzarella cheese has been the subject of controversy due to allegations that it contains polydimethylsiloxane, a silicone industrial chemical not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in food. However, the company has denied these claims and stated that it fully complies with FDA regulations.
While Pizza Hut's cheese may not be considered "real" mozzarella due to the presence of modified food starch, it is designed to meet the specific needs of a large pizza chain, ensuring that the cheese melts evenly and retains its texture and taste during delivery.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Pizza Hut uses real cheese. However, it is not "real" mozzarella as it is loaded with modified food starch. It is a part-skim mozzarella cheese, also called "pizza cheese", produced by Leprino Foods.
There is little difference between Pizza Hut's mozzarella and regular mozzarella. However, Pizza Hut's cheese is a part-skim variety, which has less fat and calories than whole-milk mozzarella.
Pizza Hut uses part-skim mozzarella as it is more cost-effective and consistent than whole-milk mozzarella. It also has a longer shelf life and does not crumble as easily.
It is unclear if Pizza Hut uses the same cheese in all countries. However, it is known that they use skim milk mozzarella in the USA.
