Babybel: A Soft, Wax-Covered Cheese For All Ages

Babybel is a brand of small, snack-sized cheese products that are individually packaged and available in various flavours. The original flavour is an Edam-style, semi-soft cheese with a delicate, nutty flavour. It is made using traditional Edam-making processes, except that rennet from vegetarian sources is used. Babybel is widely known for its packaging, with each piece of cheese encased in a blend of coloured paraffin and microcrystalline wax, inside a netted bag.

Babybel Original is an Edam-style cheese

The Babybel Original cheese is individually packaged, encased in a blend of coloured paraffin and microcrystalline wax, inside a cellophane wrapper. The product is known for its distinctive packaging and red wax coating. Each Babybel cheese wheel is a convenient, portable snack, perfect for lunchboxes or straight from the fridge.

Babybel Original is a product of Le Groupe Bel, a company with roots in the Jura region of France, started by Jules Bel in 1865. Today, half of the global production of Mini Babybel is made in Évron, a commune in the northwest of France. The company also has production facilities in the United States, Canada, and other parts of the world.

The Babybel Original cheese is a popular snack option, especially for those who enjoy cheese and crackers or pretzels. It is a good source of protein and calcium and is free from artificial growth hormones, colours, flavours, and preservatives. The product is also naturally lactose-free.

Babybel Original is a versatile cheese that can be enjoyed as a snack on its own or paired with other foods. It is a favourite among consumers for its convenience, taste, and playful snack experience. The process of unwrapping the bright red wax coating adds to the enjoyment of the product.

It is made using traditional Edam-making processes

Babybel Original is a semi-soft, mild, creamy, and delicious snack cheese. It is made using traditional Edam-making processes, with a few key differences. Firstly, Babybel is made with pasteurised milk, which is not a typical ingredient in traditional Edam cheese. In addition, Babybel uses rennet from vegetarian sources, rather than animal sources, making it suitable for lacto-vegetarians. The other ingredients are salt and lactic ferments, which are also used in traditional Edam cheese.

The process of making Babybel involves pressing, brining, and ageing the cheese, similar to the process for making Edam. However, the shape of Babybel cheese is perfectly round, which may lead some to believe that it is a processed cheese product like American cheese. Despite its appearance, Babybel is a 100% real cheese product, made with just four ingredients. The main ingredient is pasteurised milk, and it does not contain the emulsifiers typically found in American cheese slices.

Babybel Original falls into the Edam family of cheeses, sharing similar tasting notes and exterior characteristics. However, Babybel has a slightly softer texture than traditional Edam, with a creamy consistency and small holes throughout, giving it a lighter finish. The cheese is packaged in a blend of coloured paraffin and microcrystalline wax, which gives it its signature red coating.

Overall, Babybel Original is a unique snack cheese that combines traditional Edam-making processes with modern innovations to create a convenient and tasty treat for consumers.

Babybel is 100% real cheese

Babybel is a brand of small, snack cheese products, produced by Le Groupe Bel, a company with roots in the Jura region of France. The company has been around since 1952, but the miniature wax-wrapped discs first hit the shelves in 1977, so Gen X and millennials have fond memories of Babybel from their childhoods. The brand has since expanded to include a variety of flavours, including Light, White Cheddar, Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, and even Plant-Based options.

The Original flavour, however, remains the most popular. It is made in the same traditional manner as Edam, but with a few key differences. Firstly, Babybel is free of animal rennet, making it suitable for lacto-vegetarians. Secondly, it has a slightly softer texture than traditional Edam, with a creamy consistency and small holes throughout, giving it an airy bite.

Babybel's distinctive packaging also sets it apart from other cheeses. Each piece of cheese is encased in a blend of coloured wax, inside a cellophane wrapper made of wood pulp, cotton, or other vegetation. This wax coating not only preserves the cheese but also adds an element of fun to snack time, as there's something uniquely satisfying about unwrapping that bright red coating.

It is made with pasteurised milk, rennet, lactic ferments, and salt

Babybel Original is a semi-soft, mild, creamy, and delicious snack cheese. It is made with just four ingredients: pasteurised milk, rennet, lactic ferments, and salt. The use of pasteurised milk gives Babybel its semi-soft texture, which is smooth and creamy with a bit of bounce. The pasteurisation process also ensures that the cheese is safe to consume and extends its shelf life.

Pasteurisation is a heat treatment that kills harmful bacteria in milk. It is done by heating the milk to a specific temperature for a set period of time, which can vary depending on the type of pasteurisation process used. This process not only improves the safety of the milk but also helps to extend its shelf life. There are different types of pasteurisation, including High-Temperature Short Time (HTST) and Ultra-High Temperature (UHT) treatments. Each method involves heating the milk to a specific temperature for a specific duration to achieve the desired level of sterilisation.

Rennet is another crucial ingredient in the production of Babybel cheese. It is a complex mixture of enzymes that play a vital role in the coagulation of milk, separating it into solid curds and liquid whey. Traditionally, rennet was derived from the stomachs of calves, lambs, or kids, where it played a role in the digestion of milk. However, modern cheese-making often employs vegetarian sources of rennet, such as microbial enzymes, as is the case with Babybel cheese. This makes it suitable for lacto-vegetarian consumers.

Lactic ferments are also added to the cheese. These are bacteria that play a role in the fermentation process, contributing to the development of flavour and texture in the cheese. They help convert lactose, a sugar found in milk, into lactic acid. This process not only adds a tangy flavour to the cheese but also helps to preserve it by creating an environment unfavourable to harmful bacteria.

Finally, salt is added to Babybel cheese. Salt serves multiple purposes in cheese-making. Firstly, it enhances the flavour of the cheese, adding a savoury note. Secondly, it acts as a preservative, inhibiting the growth of unwanted microorganisms and thus extending the shelf life of the product. Salt also plays a role in moisture control, helping to regulate the water activity in the cheese and influencing its texture.

Babybel is a product of Le Groupe Bel

The "Original", most popular, Mini Babybel is an Edam-style cheese made from pasteurised milk, rennet, lactic ferments, and salt. It is made using traditional Edam-making processes, except that rennet from vegetarian sources is used. It is also naturally lactose-free. Babybel is widely available, but just in case you have a craving and can't get out, it's sold online where you can also buy a variety pack containing original Edam-style Babybels, plus Monterey Jack versions and cheddar ones, too.

Babybel is known for its packaging, consisting of a netted bag in which each piece of cheese is encased in a blend of coloured paraffin and microcrystalline wax, inside of a cellophane wrapper made of wood pulp, cotton, or "other vegetation." The French brand has nostalgia on its side, but it's still converting new generations over to team Babybel, even if it doesn't sit among the top-rated French cheeses of all time.

Frequently asked questions