
Processed cheese is a product made from a blend of natural cheeses, most often Colby and cheddar, mixed with other ingredients. These additional ingredients can include vegetable oils, unfermented dairy, salt, food colouring, or sugar. As a result, there are many flavours, colours, and textures of processed cheese. Processed cheese was first developed in Switzerland in 1911, when Walter Gerber and Fritz Stettler added sodium citrate to melted Emmentaler cheese.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Cheese, vegetable oils, unfermented dairy ingredients, salt, food colouring, sugar, calcium chelator |
| Cheese content | 50-60% |
| Other ingredients | 40-50% |
| Cheese types used | Colby, cheddar, Swiss, provolone, Emmentaler |
| Texture | Many textures exist |
| Flavour | Many flavours exist |
| Colour | Many colours exist |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- Processed cheese is made from a blend of cheeses, most often Colby and cheddar
- Processed cheese is not 100% cheese. It's usually around 50% cheese, sometimes more, sometimes less
- Processed cheese is also known as cheese food, prepared cheese, cheese product, or government cheese
- Processed cheese was first developed in Switzerland in 1911
- Examples of processed cheese include Brie, Camembert, and Mozzarella

Processed cheese is made from a blend of cheeses, most often Colby and cheddar
Processed cheese is a product made from a blend of natural cheeses, most often Colby and cheddar, mixed with other ingredients. It is also known as process cheese, cheese food, prepared cheese, cheese product, or government cheese. It was first developed in Switzerland in 1911 by Walter Gerber and Fritz Stettler, who were seeking a cheese with a longer shelf life. They added sodium citrate to melted Emmentaler cheese and found that the emulsified cheese sauce could be re-cooled into a solid again.
Processed cheese typically contains around 50 to 60% cheese and 40 to 50% other ingredients. These other ingredients may include vegetable oils, unfermented dairy ingredients, salt, food colouring, or sugar. As a result, processed cheese comes in many flavours, colours, and textures.
Some examples of processed cheese include Brie, Camembert, Brick, Muenster, Stilton, Blue, Mozzarella, Swiss, Parmesan, and Gorgonzola.
Sourdough Jack: What Cheesy Toppings Make It Special?
You may want to see also

Processed cheese is not 100% cheese. It's usually around 50% cheese, sometimes more, sometimes less
Processed cheese is typically made from a blend of cheeses, most often Colby and cheddar. However, it can also be made from other types of cheese, such as cheddar, Swiss, and provolone, which are used as flavourants.
Processed cheese was first developed in Switzerland in 1911 by Walter Gerber and Fritz Stettler, who were seeking a cheese with a longer shelf life. They added sodium citrate to melted Emmentaler cheese and found that the emulsified cheese sauce could be re-cooled into a solid again.
Philly Cheese Steak: Melty, Gooey Cheese Perfection
You may want to see also

Processed cheese is also known as cheese food, prepared cheese, cheese product, or government cheese
Processed cheese is a food product made by mixing and heating natural cheeses with other unfermented dairy ingredients, emulsifying agents, and other additives such as vegetable oils, salt, food colouring, or sugar. It is also known as process cheese, cheese food, prepared cheese, cheese product, plastic cheese, cheese singles, or government cheese.
Processed cheese was first developed in Switzerland in 1911 by Walter Gerber and Fritz Stettler, who were seeking a cheese with a longer shelf life. They added sodium citrate to melted Emmentaler cheese and found that the emulsified cheese sauce could be re-cooled into a solid again.
Processed cheese typically contains around 50 to 60% cheese and 40 to 50% other ingredients. It is usually made from a blend of cheeses, most often Colby and cheddar. However, there are many types of processed cheese, including Provel pizza cheese, which uses cheddar, Swiss, and provolone cheeses as flavourants.
Processed cheese can be found in a variety of flavours, colours, and textures due to the different additives used.
Dairy-Free Delights: Exploring Non-Dairy Cheeses
You may want to see also
Explore related products

Processed cheese was first developed in Switzerland in 1911
Processed cheese is a product made from cheese mixed with an emulsifying agent (a calcium chelator) and other ingredients, such as vegetable oils, unfermented dairy ingredients, salt, food colouring, or sugar. It typically contains around 50 to 60% cheese and 40 to 50% other ingredients.
At the same time in the US, James L. Kraft was selling cheese from a cart in Chicago. His cheese would spoil, so he started to pursue a technique to pasteurise it, which would allow him to have it for an extended period. This led to the development of processed cheese in America.
In 1916, Kraft introduced the first processed cheese in 5lb cans for use as part of army rations. In 1921, a German company began the first production of processed cheese in Europe. From 1916 onwards, the US developed and manufactured their own processed cheese based on cheddar cheese. In 1950, Kraft Foods Inc. developed the first commercially available, shelf-stable, sliced processed cheese.
Processed cheese is made from a blend of cheeses, most often Colby and cheddar. Another type of processed cheese created in the United States is Provel pizza cheese, which uses cheddar, Swiss, and provolone cheeses as flavourants. Examples of processed cheese include:
- Brie cheese
- Camembert
- Brick cheese
- Muenster cheese
- Stilton cheese
- Blue cheese
- Mozzarella cheese
- Swiss cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Gorgonzola cheese
The Mystery of Abuelito Cheese: A Unique, Delicious Treat
You may want to see also

Examples of processed cheese include Brie, Camembert, and Mozzarella
Processed cheese is a product made from cheese mixed with an emulsifying agent, such as calcium chelator. Additional ingredients, such as vegetable oils, unfermented dairy ingredients, salt, food colouring, or sugar may be included. As a result, many flavours, colours, and textures of processed cheese exist. Processed cheese typically contains around 50 to 60% cheese and 40 to 50% other ingredients.
Processed cheese was first developed in Switzerland in 1911 when Walter Gerber and Fritz Stettler, seeking a cheese with a longer shelf life, added sodium citrate to melted Emmentaler cheese. They found that the emulsified cheese sauce could be re-cooled into a solid again. It is typically made from a blend of cheeses, most often Colby and cheddar. Another type of processed cheese created in the United States is Provel pizza cheese, which uses cheddar, Swiss, and provolone cheeses as flavourants.
Cheesy Potatoes: Choosing the Right Cheese for Your Taste
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Processed cheese is a product made from cheese mixed with an emulsifying agent and other ingredients such as vegetable oils, unfermented dairy, salt, food colouring, or sugar.
Processed cheese is typically around 50% cheese, but this can vary from 40-60%.
Processed cheese is usually made from a blend of cheeses, most often Colby and cheddar.
Natural cheese is made from milk that has been split until enough lactic acid has formed to make a particular cheese. Processed cheese is made by mixing and heating natural cheeses with other ingredients.
Processed cheese is not 100% cheese and contains artificial ingredients, so it is generally considered less healthy than natural cheese.

























