Bushra Griffith
Artificial cheese, also known as fake, synthetic, or imitation cheese, is typically made from a blend of ingredients such as vegetable oils, food colourings, emulsifiers, and artificial flavourings. These ingredients are processed to mimic the look, feel, and taste of real cheese. The term American Cheese often refers to processed cheese, which may or may not contain cheddar or other dairy products. Vegan cheese, a type of artificial cheese, is made from soybeans, rice, almonds, nutritional yeast, or other plant-based ingredients.
Characteristics of Artificial Cheese
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Vegetable oils (palm, sunflower), food colorings, emulsifiers, artificial flavorings, milk, butter, water, whey, milk protein concentrate, vegetable protein, soybeans, rice, almonds, nutritional yeast, and other non-dairy ingredients |
| Texture | Smooth, creamy, sliceable when chilled, and easily meltable |
| Taste | Similar to natural cheese |
| Nutrition | Lower in fat, cholesterol-free, and a source of soy protein and isoflavones |
| Advantages | Consistent cheese quality, uniform melting, long shelf life, easy to store, and cheaper |
| Use Cases | Culinary replacement for cheese, salad bars, pizza-making, breakfast items, and burgers |
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What You'll Learn
- Vegetable oils, food colourings, emulsifiers, and artificial flavourings
- Vegan cheese made from soybeans, rice, almonds, and nutritional yeast
- Kraft Singles: a blend of milk, food colourings, emulsifiers, and artificial flavourings
- Parmesan: often a processed cheese made from cow's milk, water, milk fat, and cellulose
- Synthetic mozzarella: made from casein, calcium hydroxide, and calcium chloride
Vegetable oils, food colourings, emulsifiers, and artificial flavourings
Fake cheese, also known as imitation cheese or cheese analogue, is made from a combination of vegetable oils, food colourings, emulsifiers, and artificial flavourings. These ingredients are processed to closely mimic the sensory qualities of real cheese, such as its look, feel, and taste. However, it's important to note that artificial cheese may significantly differ from natural cheese in terms of nutritional value and taste.
Vegetable oils, such as palm or sunflower oil, are commonly used in the production of imitation cheese. These oils serve as a replacement for dairy fat, providing a cheaper and more readily available alternative. The use of vegetable oils also contributes to the desired texture and consistency of the final product.
Food colourings are added to artificial cheese to replicate the colour of natural cheese. This is particularly important in creating a visually appealing product that resembles real cheese as closely as possible. Various types of colourings, both natural and artificial, can be used to achieve the desired shade of yellow or orange typically associated with cheese.
Emulsifiers are another crucial component of artificial cheese. They play a vital role in stabilizing the mixture of ingredients and ensuring a uniform texture. Emulsifiers help combine the oils and other components, preventing them from separating and creating a smooth, consistent product. Common emulsifiers used in food production include lecithin, mono- and diglycerides, and various gums and starches.
Artificial flavourings are added to enhance the taste of imitation cheese, making it more closely resemble the flavour profile of natural cheese. These flavourings can include a wide range of substances, both natural and synthetic, designed to evoke the savoury, creamy, or tangy notes typically found in different varieties of cheese.
While artificial cheese aims to replicate the sensory experience of natural cheese, it is important to recognize that it is a processed product. The manufacturing process involves combining and treating various ingredients to create a product that mimics cheese. This process differs significantly from the traditional cheesemaking process, which primarily involves the treatment and aging of milk products.
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Vegan cheese made from soybeans, rice, almonds, and nutritional yeast
Artificial cheese, also known as fake, imitation, or analogue cheese, is typically made from vegetable oils, food colourings, emulsifiers, and artificial flavourings. These ingredients are processed to mimic the sensory qualities of real cheese, such as its look, feel, and taste. However, the nutritional value and flavour of artificial cheese can significantly differ from those of its natural counterpart.
Vegan cheese, a type of artificial cheese, is specifically designed to be animal-free. It is usually derived from vegetable proteins and can be made from various plant-based ingredients. Common ingredients in vegan cheese include soybeans, rice, almonds, and nutritional yeast.
Soybeans, in the form of soy milk, soy yogurt, or raw cashews, are often used as a base for vegan cheese. Soy milk is preferred due to its neutral taste and nutrient composition, yielding a creamier texture. Soy yogurt adds tanginess and sourness, reminiscent of real cheese, while also enhancing creaminess. Raw cashews, a soybean product, can be soaked and blended to create a rich and creamy cheese that melts and slices well.
Rice, in the form of rice milk, can be used as a substitute for soy milk in vegan cheese recipes. However, it is important to avoid sweetened rice milk as it can overpower and imbalance the flavours in the recipe.
Almonds, either blanched or raw, can be used in vegan cheese recipes. Almonds can be blended with plant-based milk, such as almond milk, to create a firm, rich, and smooth cheese. Almonds can also be boiled and blended to make a nut-based cheese dip with a creamy texture.
Nutritional yeast is a crucial ingredient in vegan cheese, providing the characteristic cheesy flavour. It is a flaky yellow powder with an umami flavour. Nutritional yeast also offers health benefits, such as complete proteins, which assist with tissue repair and absorption, potentially reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer.
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Kraft Singles: a blend of milk, food colourings, emulsifiers, and artificial flavourings
Kraft Singles are a blend of milk, food colourings, emulsifiers, and artificial flavourings. They are often described as a "processed cheese product".
The term "American Cheese" was originally used to refer to cheese (Cheddar) made in America. However, over time, the usage changed, and today, American Cheese often refers to processed cheese, which may or may not contain some cheddar. It can be a mixture of different cheeses or, as is often the case, contain only some dairy products such as milk, cream, or whey.
Kraft Singles were created by blending all the unusable pieces of cheese with a few other ingredients. The result was single slices of American cheese. Kraft was the first to process cheese in this way, but other manufacturers soon followed, creating similar products such as Velveeta and Kraft Singles. These products taste like cheese but are labelled as "pasteurized processed cheese food".
While it is completely legal to make cheese this way, it is important to note that Kraft Singles cannot be labelled as "cheese" because they contain more than the traditional ingredients of milk, rennet, and salt. They are highly processed and may contain additives, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and contaminants like mercury and BPA.
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Parmesan: often a processed cheese made from cow's milk, water, milk fat, and cellulose
Artificial cheese, also known as imitation cheese or cheese analogue, is typically made from vegetable oils, food colourings, emulsifiers, and artificial flavourings. These ingredients are processed to mimic the look, feel, and taste of real cheese. However, it is important to note that artificial cheese may significantly differ from natural cheese in terms of nutritional value and taste.
Parmesan cheese, often a processed cheese, is usually made from cow's milk, water, milk fat, and cellulose. In Europe, the terms Parmesan and Parmigiano Reggiano are protected designations of origin (PDO) for cheeses produced in specific Italian provinces under European law. Parmigiano Reggiano is made from unpasteurised cow's milk, while traditional Parmigiano-Reggiano uses raw milk. The milk is placed in shallow, copper-lined vats to stand overnight, allowing natural creaming to occur. In the morning, the milk is mixed with fresh whole milk, resulting in a part-skim mixture. This mixture is then heated, contributing to the distinct flavour of Parmigiano Reggiano.
Outside of the European Union, the name Parmesan is legally used for imitations produced locally. These imitations are generally made from cow's milk and other ingredients, such as water, milk fat, and cellulose. Grated Parmesan cheese, particularly those manufactured in the United States, may contain a mixture of other cheeses and cellulose instead of pure Parmigiano Reggiano.
Parmesan cheese has a distinct hard, gritty texture and a fruity and nutty flavour. It is typically consumed grated over pasta, soups, and risottos. The high free amino acid content, particularly natural free glutamate, gives Parmesan its salty, umami taste. The production process of Parmesan, including the use of cow's milk, water, milk fat, and cellulose, contributes to its unique characteristics and flavour profile.
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Synthetic mozzarella: made from casein, calcium hydroxide, and calcium chloride
Synthetic mozzarella cheese is made from casein, calcium hydroxide, and calcium chloride. It is an imitation mozzarella cheese suitable for pizza pies and other products that typically use mozzarella cheese.
Casein is a crucial component of synthetic mozzarella, constituting about 15-35% of the total ingredients, with at least 70% being sodium caseinate. Casein is a type of protein found in milk and is essential for providing structure and texture to the cheese.
Calcium hydroxide, also known as slaked lime, plays a vital role in adjusting the pH level of the cheese mixture. By adding calcium hydroxide, the pH level is raised, creating the optimal environment for curd formation and influencing the final texture of the mozzarella.
Calcium chloride is another key ingredient in synthetic mozzarella. It serves as a source of calcium ions, which are necessary for the proper formation of curds. Calcium chloride helps replace the calcium lost during the ultra-pasteurization process, ensuring the curds have the right texture and stretchiness characteristic of mozzarella.
Other ingredients used in synthetic mozzarella include vegetable oils, such as hydrogenated vegetable oil with a low melting point, and edible acids like lactic acid or sorbic acid. These ingredients are combined in precise ratios and mixed at specific temperatures to create a product that mimics the taste, texture, and functionality of traditional mozzarella cheese.
While synthetic mozzarella made from these ingredients may not have the same nutritional value as its traditional counterpart, it offers advantages such as consistent quality, easy meltability, and a longer shelf life, making it a popular choice for food manufacturers and consumers alike.
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Frequently asked questions
Artificial cheeses, also known as fake, synthetic, or imitation cheeses, are typically made from vegetable oils (like palm or sunflower oil), food colourings, emulsifiers, and artificial flavourings.
Vegan cheeses are made from vegetable proteins and can be derived from various sources such as soy, nuts (like cashews and macadamias), rice, almonds, nutritional yeast, and other plant-based ingredients.
Kraft Singles is an example of an artificial cheese product. It is made with milk, food colourings, emulsifiers, and artificial flavourings.
One example of a vegan cheese is the "artificial chewy substance" used on pizzas that melts well and is much cheaper to produce than real cheese.
