Patrick Oconnell
Yellow American cheese is a processed cheese made from blending cheddar, Colby, and/or Swiss cheeses with a liquid and an emulsifying agent. The orange-red dye used in yellow American cheese is annatto, sourced from the achiote tree, and is often used to make the cheese more appealing and to mask imperfections. Cheddar, on the other hand, is a singular, natural cheese made from pressed and salted curds from 100% cow's milk. While American cheese has a soft and creamy texture, cheddar is hard and crumbly.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Color | Yellow |
| Type of Cheese | Processed |
| Ingredients | Cheddar, Colby, or similar cheeses, in conjunction with sodium citrate |
| Texture | Soft, creamy, and salty |
| Consistency | Medium-firm |
| Melting Point | Low |
| Taste | Mild with a slight bitterness |
| Seasoning | Annatto |
| Coloring | Annatto, Paprika |
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What You'll Learn
- Yellow American cheese is seasoned and coloured with annatto
- Cheddar is a singular, natural cheese made from pressed and salted curds from 100% cow's milk
- American cheese is a processed cheese made from a blend of cheeses and other ingredients
- The colour of cheese before the 17th century indicated its quality
- American cheese is typically packaged in individually wrapped slices or sold in blocks
Yellow American cheese is seasoned and coloured with annatto
Yellow American cheese is a type of processed cheese made from cheddar, Colby, or similar cheeses, in conjunction with sodium citrate, which permits the cheese to be pasteurized without its components separating. It is seasoned and coloured with annatto, a condiment and food colouring derived from the seeds of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana), native to tropical parts of the Americas. Annatto is commonly used to impart a yellow to red-orange colour to many industrialized and semi-industrialized foods, including cheese, ice cream, bakery products, desserts, fruit fillings, yogurt, butter, oils, margarines, processed cheese, and fat-based products.
The use of annatto in cheese dates back to at least 1743, when it was mentioned in a Dutch volume, Huishoudelyk Woordboek (Household Dictionary). Other historical documents from the period confirm that annatto was being used to colour cheese by the mid-18th century. England is another country that has used annatto to colour its cheeses; colourants have been added to Gloucester cheese as early as the 16th century to allow inferior cheese to masquerade as the best Double Gloucester, with annatto later being used for that purpose. This usage was subsequently adopted in other parts of the UK, for cheeses such as Cheshire and Red Leicester, as well as coloured Cheddar made in Scotland.
Annatto is primarily sourced from South America, but is also grown in Mexico, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Kenya, India, and The Philippines. It is often sold in the form of ground seeds, which are mixed with other seeds or spices to make a paste or powder for culinary use, especially in Latin American, Jamaican, Belizean, Chamorro, Vietnamese, and Filipino cuisines. In addition to its use as a colouring agent, annatto also has a slightly nutty, sweet, and peppery flavour, with a scent that is slightly peppery with a hint of nutmeg.
American cheese was invented in the 1910s by James L. Kraft, the founder of Kraft Foods Inc., who obtained a patent for his manufacturing process in 1916. The term "American cheese" rapidly began to refer to the processed variety instead of the traditional but more expensive cheddars also made and sold in the U.S. Processed American cheese is packaged in individually wrapped slices, as unwrapped slices sold in stacks, or in unsliced blocks. It is a common choice for sandwiches because of its versatile nature, pairing well with a variety of meats and other ingredients. It is also recognized for its smooth and meltable texture, which makes it a reliable cooking ingredient for many dishes, such as cheeseburgers and Philly cheesesteaks.
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Cheddar is a singular, natural cheese made from pressed and salted curds from 100% cow's milk
Cheddar is a natural cheese made from pressed and salted cow's milk curds. It is the most popular cheese in the United Kingdom and the second most popular in the United States, after mozzarella. The cheese originates from the village of Cheddar in Somerset, southwest England, where the humidity and temperature of the local caves provided the ideal environment for maturing the cheese.
Cheddar is a hard cheese with a sharp taste, and its colour can range from white to deep yellow, depending on factors such as the cows' diet, breed, and the amount of cream in the milk. While some producers allow a dry, hard rind to develop on their cheddar, similar to that found on Parmesan, others prevent it from forming by covering the cheese.
In the 19th century, Somerset dairyman Joseph Harding played a key role in modernising and standardising the production of cheddar. He introduced new equipment, such as the "revolving breaker" for curd cutting, and his method became the first modern system for cheddar production based on scientific principles. Harding also introduced cheddar to Scotland and North America, while his sons facilitated the establishment of the cheese industry in Australia and New Zealand.
During the Second World War and the decade that followed, most of the milk in Britain was used to make a type of cheddar nicknamed "government cheddar" due to rationing. This led to a decline in the production of other types of cheese in the country, with fewer than 100 cheese producers remaining after the war, compared to over 3,500 before World War I.
American cheese, on the other hand, refers to a type of processed cheese made from cheddar, Colby, or similar cheeses, combined with sodium citrate, which allows for pasteurisation without separation. It was invented in the 1910s by James L. Kraft and is typically sold in individually wrapped slices or blocks. While blocks of American cheese are more similar to traditional cheddar, the individually wrapped slices, known as "singles", are usually the least like traditional cheese.
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American cheese is a processed cheese made from a blend of cheeses and other ingredients
American cheese is a processed cheese with a soft texture made from a blend of cheeses and other ingredients. It is typically yellow or white in colour. The yellow variety is seasoned and coloured with annatto, a dye extracted from the seeds of the achiote tree, which is primarily sourced from South America. Annatto is a natural additive that does not affect the flavour of the cheese. The white variety is made without annatto and is slightly creamier and softer than the yellow version, with a touch more salt.
The process of making American cheese involves melting chunks of cheeses such as cheddar, Colby, Swiss, Jack, or Grana with a liquid and an emulsifying agent. This mixture is then moulded into bricks or slices and packaged. American cheese can be sold in individually wrapped slices, small pre-sliced blocks, or sliced off a block at a deli counter. It is a common choice for sandwiches and burgers due to its versatility and meltability.
According to the FDA, American cheese is considered a "pasteurized process cheese", which means it only needs to contain a minimum of 51% real cheese. The remaining portion can be combined with other ingredients such as milk, skim milk, buttermilk, cream, and whey proteins. This allows for a significant amount of "filler" and "approved ingredients", which can result in a lower-quality product.
Cheddar cheese, on the other hand, is a singular, natural cheese made from pressed and salted curds from 100% cow's milk. It has a hard and crumbly texture and does not contain emulsifiers, which is why it separates when it melts. Cheddar cheese can also be coloured with annatto, resulting in the familiar yellow or orange shade.
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The colour of cheese before the 17th century indicated its quality
Before the 17th century, the colour of cheese indicated its quality. Most cheese was made in England, and the milk used was golden in colour. This was because the cows, particularly the Jersey and Guernsey breeds, grazed on beta-carotene-rich grass. The pigment was then transferred to the cow's milk and eventually to the cheese, resulting in a natural yellowish-orange colour. The colour indicated that the cheese was full-fat and of superior quality.
However, in the 17th century, English cheesemakers discovered that they could increase their profits by skimming the cream from the milk and selling it separately or making butter from it. This practice resulted in the production of white cheese, which had less fat and flavour and lacked the golden orange mark of excellence. To compensate for the loss of colour, cheesemakers began adding colourings to their cheese, such as extracts from marigolds, saffron, carrots, and eventually annatto, which was imported to England at the time.
The addition of colourings allowed cheesemakers to pass off their skimmed-milk cheese as the full-fat, naturally yellowish-orange variety that was favoured by Londoners. This practice became known as a fraudulent scheme, as the colour of the cheese no longer indicated its quality. The tradition of colouring cheese then carried over to the United States, particularly in states such as Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, and New York, where cheesemakers have a long history of colouring cheddar.
Today, American cheese, a type of processed cheese made from cheddar, Colby, or similar cheeses, is often coloured yellow with annatto. This practice was introduced in the 1910s by James L. Kraft, the founder of Kraft Foods Inc., who patented a new method for manufacturing processed cheese. As a result, the term ""American cheese" became associated with the processed variety, which is milder, creamier, and more easily meltable than traditional cheddar.
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American cheese is typically packaged in individually wrapped slices or sold in blocks
American cheese is a processed cheese made from a blend of cheeses, including cheddar, Colby, and Swiss, along with other flavour- and texture-enhancing ingredients. It was invented in the 1910s by James L. Kraft, the founder of Kraft Foods Inc. American cheese is typically packaged in individually wrapped slices or sold in blocks.
Individually wrapped slices of American cheese, often sold as 'singles', are the least like traditional cheese. They are usually mild in flavour with a soft, creamy texture and a salty tang. They melt beautifully and are a popular choice for sandwiches and burgers, where they act as an adhesive layer to maintain the form of the dish.
Blocks of American cheese, on the other hand, are more similar to traditional cheese. These blocks are sliced to order at deli counters and are considered to be of better quality than pre-sliced cheese. They have a firmer, more fudgy texture when cold and are often used in cold-cut sandwiches.
The colour of American cheese can vary, with both yellow and white varieties available. Yellow American cheese is coloured with annatto, a dye extracted from the seeds of the achiote tree, which is native to tropical regions. Annatto is flavourless and has been used in the dairy industry for around 150 years to make cheese more visually appealing, especially during transportation and preservation. White American cheese, on the other hand, does not contain any colouring additives and tends to be slightly creamier and softer than its yellow counterpart.
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Frequently asked questions
Yellow American cheese is made from a blend of cheeses, including cheddar, Colby, and/or Swiss, along with other ingredients. It is a processed cheese with a soft, creamy, and meltable texture.
American cheese is made by melting chunks of cheeses with a liquid and an emulsifying agent. It is then molded and packaged into slices or blocks.
Yellow American cheese gets its color from annatto, a dye extracted from the seeds of the achiote tree. It also sometimes includes paprika for added color. White American cheese does not contain any coloring additives and is slightly creamier and softer.
Cheddar cheese can be yellow due to the use of annatto seeds, which give it a more desirable look and help with preservation. White cheddar is simply cheddar without any added coloring.
American cheese is a processed cheese made from a blend of cheeses and other ingredients, resulting in a soft and creamy texture. Cheddar is a natural cheese made from pressed and salted curds from cow's milk, giving it a hard and crumbly texture.
