Bushra Griffith
Imitation cheese, also known as a cheese analogue, is a culinary replacement for cheese. It is usually made by blending fats or proteins and is used in convenience foods. Vegan cheese, for example, is made from soybeans, rice, almonds, nutritional yeast, and other non-dairy ingredients. The texture of imitation cheese is determined by starch concentration and can be modified to improve emulsification and stability upon melting. The hardness and rigidity of imitation cheeses increase with higher starch concentrations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Texture | Determined by starch concentration and not the emulsion of fat |
| Hardness and Rigidness | Increases with increasing starch concentration |
| Fat Droplets | Larger fat droplets indicate reduced fat emulsification |
| Ingredients | Vegetable oil, additives, soybeans, rice, almonds, nutritional yeast, nut milk |
| Moisture Content | 49.0% |
| Fat Content | 20.0% |
| Protein Content | 18.0% |
| Salt Content | 1.5% |
| Cooked Viscosity | 5711.0-7500.0 cP |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Vegan cheese made from nut milk
Vegan cheese, or cheese analogue, is a product used as a culinary replacement for cheese. Vegan cheese is often made from soybeans, rice, almonds, nutritional yeast, and other non-dairy ingredients. Nut-based vegan cheeses are made from nut milk instead of animal milk.
Nut-based vegan cheeses are made from raw, organic nuts that are washed, soaked, and turned into nut milk. The size and density of the nuts dictate their soak time. Fermenting nut milk creates a soft, malleable cheese, some of which is set aside and sold as a cream cheese substitute. The rest of the batch is molded and aged—the depth of flavor and "cheesy" odor increase the longer the nut cheese ferments. Aging is a key part of the cheese-making process—it’s when mild nut cheeses can develop structure and real depth of flavor. To keep vegan cheeses from tasting like wet nuts, flavorful ingredients are commonly added during fermentation. These ingredients include reishi mushroom spores, blue-green algae, saffron, truffles, and lapsang souchong (a strong, smoky Chinese black tea that mimics the flavor of smoked gouda).
Nut-based vegan cheeses are lower in saturated fat and sodium than dairy-based cheeses. They are also more sustainable, as cheese processing is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than any other product in the dairy sector.
There are many recipes for making vegan cheese at home with simple ingredients and minimal time. Nut-based vegan cheeses can be made from cashews, macadamia, brazil nuts, and almonds. Cashews are most commonly used due to their high fat content, which helps create a rich texture that mimics dairy products. Almonds are more complicated to use because their skin is bitter.
Semi-Soft Cheese: What Milk is Best?
You may want to see also
Imitation cheese with starch for texture
Imitation cheese, also known as a cheese analogue, is a culinary replacement for cheese. It is often used as a substitute for those who are lactose intolerant or vegan.
Imitation cheese is made by blending other fats or proteins and is used in convenience foods. The texture of imitation cheese is determined by starch concentration, with an increase in starch leading to an increase in hardness and rigidity. Starch modification can improve emulsification and stability upon melting.
One study found that the melting properties of imitation cheese could be correlated with microstructural stability by determining the fat emulsification. The study also found that the largest area increase after melting was observed in the imitation cheese with the largest fat droplets, and that an emulsifying starch decreased the fat droplet size.
Imitation cheese can be made without emulsifying salts using a combination of culture-based acid curd and micellar casein concentrate (MCC). One formulation for imitation mozzarella cheese (IMC) targeted a composition of 49.0% moisture, 20.0% fat, 18.0% protein, and 1.5% salt.
Vegan imitation cheeses are often made from nut milks, such as soy, rice, or almond milk, and can be designed to mimic specific types of cheese, such as cheddar, feta, or herb cheese.
Who Crafted Harry Potter's Cheese Cauldron?
You may want to see also
Pasteurized processed cheese products
In the United States, processed cheese and related products fall into three main categories: pasteurized process cheese, pasteurized process cheese food, and pasteurized process cheese spread. These categories are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Pasteurized processed cheese products, such as those commonly found in American stores and generic brands, are not held to the same standard of identity as their regulated counterparts. This means that manufacturers can use terms like "pasteurized prepared cheese product" or "pasteurized process cheese product" without being accused of false labeling.
The lack of regulation allows these products to include ingredients that would not be permitted in processed cheese, such as milk protein concentrate (MPC). The motivation behind this labeling practice is often economic, as manufacturers can replace some of the cheese in their products with inexpensive imported milk protein concentrate.
Despite not being subject to the same regulations, pasteurized processed cheese products must still meet certain standards. The moisture content in the final product, for example, cannot be more than 1% greater than the maximum for the natural cheese used, and it must contain at least 51% cheese. The fat content must be at least 20%, and allowable ingredients include all of the pasteurized process cheese ingredients, as well as a minimal amount of antibacterial natural food preservatives, gums, and sweetening agents.
The advantage of using pasteurized processed cheese products is that they can be formulated to work with basic cheese-making equipment, without requiring the additional processes and equipment that traditional cheeses like mozzarella need. This makes them much quicker and cheaper to produce. They are also designed to melt well and have a chewy texture, making them ideal for use on pizzas.
Cheese Substitutes: Vegan-Friendly, Dairy-Free Options Explained
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Analogue pizza cheese with vegetable oil
Analogue pizza cheese, also known as imitation cheese, is a substitute for milk cheese. It is similar in composition, appearance, characteristics, and intended use to milk cheese. In analogue pizza cheese with vegetable oil, the milk protein and milk fat are partly or wholly replaced by vegetable proteins (e.g. peanut protein, soybean protein) and vegetable fats and oils (e.g. palm oil, partially hydrogenated vegetable fat).
The manufacturing process for analogue pizza cheese involves blending ingredients like casein, emulsifying salts, vegetable oil, water, acid regulators, and flavouring materials. This blending occurs in a horizontal twin-screw cooker with simultaneous steam injection to raise the temperature to 85°C. The gross compositional parameters of analogue pizza cheese are similar to those of low-moisture Mozzarella cheese (LMMC). However, analogue pizza cheese generally has a lower level of protein and a higher level of fat, calcium, and phosphorus.
The use of vegetable oil and additives in place of dairy fat allows for a product that is much quicker and cheaper to produce than traditional cheese. Analogue pizza cheese is designed to melt well while remaining chewy. It tends to have a soft texture, and once melted, it may have a slightly "stringy" quality.
The inclusion of vegetable oil in analogue pizza cheese contributes to its organoleptic properties, while proteins and emulsifiers provide stability and facilitate emulsification. Analogue pizza cheese offers nutritional advantages over traditional cheese due to its high unsaturated fatty acid content, lack of cholesterol, and reduced calorie count. It is important to note that analogue pizza cheese must not be nutritionally inferior to the cheese it aims to mimic.
Vegan Cheddar Cheese: What's in the Recipe?
You may want to see also
Vegan herb, plain, and aged cheeses
Imitation cheese is often made with starch as the main ingredient, which gives it its hardness and rigidity. The higher the starch concentration, the greater the area increase after melting.
Now, for vegan herb, plain, and aged cheeses, there are a variety of recipes and products available. Many vegan cheeses are made from nuts, such as cashews, almonds, and macadamias. For example, cashew cream is used in a vegan camembert recipe, which is aged for 2-3 weeks and develops a white and flowery rind. This cheese is made using traditional techniques and has a true cheese aroma and texture.
Vegan herb cheese is another option, which can be made at home by blending cashews with mixed herbs and heating the mixture in a pan. This results in a spreadable cheese with a consistency similar to a mix between cream cheese and cheddar.
Vegan plain cheese can be made by simply omitting the herbs from the above recipe or purchasing a block of plain vegan cheese from brands like Great Value Plant-Based or Miyoko's Creamery.
Vegan aged cheese is also available, with brands like Miyoko's Creamery offering aged varieties such as Sharp Farmhouse and Aged Black Ash. These cheeses are likely aged for a longer period, resulting in a sharper flavor.
String Cheese: The Process From Start to Finish
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Imitation cheese is usually made by blending other fats or proteins and is used in convenience foods. Vegan imitation cheese is made from nut milks, soybeans, rice, almonds, nutritional yeast, and other non-dairy ingredients. The texture and melting properties of imitation cheese are determined by starch concentration and fat emulsification.
Imitation cheese is used as a culinary replacement for cheese. It is often used in commercially produced pizzas, salad bars, and pizza-making due to its lower cholesterol content and different melting points.
Imitation cheese includes vegan cheese as well as some dairy-containing products that do not qualify as traditional cheeses, such as processed cheese. Vegan cheese is a type of imitation cheese designed for those who are vegan or lactose intolerant.
