Babybell: A Soft, Wax-Covered Cheese For Kids And Adults

Babybel is a brand of small, snack-sized cheese products, individually packaged and available in various flavours. The original flavour is a mild, creamy, and nutty Edam-style cheese. It is made using traditional Edam-making processes, except that rennet from vegetarian sources is used, making it suitable for lacto-vegetarians. Babybel cheese is also naturally lactose-free and contains no artificial growth hormones, colours, flavours, or preservatives.

Babybel is an Edam-style cheese

Babybel 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 takes place in Évron, a commune in the northwest of France. The product is well-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. This wax coating is usually red, though other colours have been used for different flavours or to denote the product's country of origin.

Babybel Original is a semi-soft cheese with a delicate, nutty flavour. Its texture is supple and creamy, with a bit of bounce. It is made from just four ingredients, giving it a pure, 100% real cheese taste. The main ingredient is pasteurised milk, which is then treated with salt and microbial enzymes. The cheese is also aged, pressed, and brined, which requires additional equipment and skill in the cheesemaking process.

Babybel Original is a convenient snack, perfect for lunchboxes or straight from the fridge. Its small, portable size and playful packaging make it a fun and tasty treat for both children and adults.

It is made using traditional Edam-making processes

Babybel is a French brand of small, snack-sized cheese products. The original flavour is an Edam-style cheese, made using traditional Edam-making processes. The key difference is that Babybel uses rennet from vegetarian sources, rather than animal sources. This makes it suitable for lacto-vegetarians.

The traditional process of making Edam cheese involves using animal rennet. However, Babybel has adapted this process to use a microbial enzyme, or vegetarian rennet, instead. This change in the coagulant used does not affect the overall process of making the cheese, which remains the same as that of Edam.

The process of making Edam cheese, and therefore Babybel, starts with pasteurised milk. This milk is then heated and the vegetarian rennet is added, causing the milk to coagulate and form curds. The curds are then cut and stirred, and the whey is drained off. The curds are then pressed into a round shape and placed in a brine solution to add flavour and preserve the cheese. Finally, the cheese is coated in wax for further preservation.

The traditional Edam-making process is carefully followed to create Babybel, with the only variation being the use of vegetarian rennet. This adaptation makes Babybel accessible to a wider range of consumers, including those who follow a lacto-vegetarian diet. By maintaining the traditional process, Babybel is able to produce a cheese with a similar flavour and texture to Edam, while also catering to specific dietary preferences.

Babybel is 100% real cheese

Babybel is a brand of small, snack-sized cheese products, individually packaged and available in a variety of flavours. The Original flavour is mild, creamy, and nutty, with a semi-soft texture. It is a good source of protein and calcium, and contains no artificial growth hormones, colours, flavours, or preservatives.

The Babybel brand is owned by Le Groupe Bel (French for 'The Bel Group'), a company with roots in the Jura region of France, started by Jules Bel in 1865. Half of the global production of Mini Babybel takes place in Évron, a commune in the northwest of France. The product first hit the shelves in 1977, so Gen X through to millennials have fond memories of the snack-sized cheese.

In the United States, Le Groupe Bel produces Mini Babybel in Kentucky and South Dakota. The company has 12,700 employees in 30 subsidiaries around the world, and its first Canadian production facility opened in Quebec.

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 in the production of Babybel cheese ensures that harmful bacteria are eliminated, making the cheese safe for consumption. Pasteurisation involves heating milk to a specific temperature for a set period, destroying bacteria and preventing spoilage. This process helps to extend the shelf life of the milk and any products made from it, such as cheese.

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 ruminant animals, such as calves, lambs, or goats. However, Babybel cheese uses rennet from vegetarian sources, making it suitable for lacto-vegetarian consumers. This shift towards vegetarian rennet sources is a common trend in the cheese industry, accommodating the dietary preferences of a wider range of consumers.

Lactic ferments, also known as lactic acid bacteria, are another key component in Babybel cheese. These bacteria are intentionally added to the milk during the cheese-making process. They play a crucial role in the development of flavour and texture in the final product. Lactic ferments contribute to the tangy, nutty flavour characteristic of Babybel cheese. Additionally, they aid in the fermentation process, converting sugars present in the milk into lactic acid, which helps preserve the cheese and inhibits the growth of undesirable microorganisms.

Salt is the final ingredient in Babybel cheese. It serves multiple purposes, including enhancing flavour, preserving the cheese, and influencing texture. Salt helps to bring out the natural sweetness of the milk and balance the overall flavour profile. Additionally, salt acts as a preservative, inhibiting the growth of bacteria and extending the shelf life of the cheese. In terms of texture, salt affects the structure of the curd, influencing the final consistency and mouthfeel of the cheese.

Babybel is a French brand

The original and most popular variety of Babybel is an Edam-style cheese made from pasteurised milk, rennet, lactic ferments, and salt. It is made using traditional Edam-making processes, with one key difference: Babybel uses rennet from vegetarian sources, rather than animal sources. This makes it suitable for lacto-vegetarians. The only other ingredients are salt and lactic ferments.

Babybel is known for its distinctive packaging, with each piece of cheese encased in a blend of coloured paraffin and microcrystalline wax, inside a netted bag. The signature red wax coating is used for the "Original" flavour, while other flavours have their own unique wax and wrapping colours.

Babybel has a range of products, including the Mini Babybel, Babybel Maxi, and Babybel Tranches/Scheiben. The brand also offers a variety of flavours, such as Light, White Cheddar, Mozzarella, and Monterey Jack. In recent years, they have also introduced plant-based varieties, which are conveniently wrapped in green wax.

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