Bushra Griffith
Orange cheese is a popular variety of cheese, often used in grilled sandwiches, cooked vegetables and other warm dishes because it melts well. The orange colour comes from the addition of a yellow-orange carotenoid called annatto, which is added directly to the cheese milk at the start of the cheese-making process. Orange cheeses include British Leicester, French Mimolette, Irish Red Cheddar and Colby.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cheese | Colby |
| Cheddar | |
| British Leicester | |
| Mimolette | |
| Irish Red Cheddar |
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What You'll Learn
Why is cheese orange?
Cheese is not naturally orange, but white or yellowish, as milk does not contain a naturally occurring orange pigment. However, some cheeses are orange due to the addition of a yellow-orange carotenoid called annatto. Annatto is obtained from the outer coats of the seeds of the tropical shrub Bixa Orellana, which is native to South America. It is added directly to the cheese milk at the start of the cheese-making process.
Annatto is used by cheese makers to compensate for changes in the availability of carotenoids, as annatto can maintain a uniform colour in the cheese. In addition, annatto can also be used to disguise the translucent appearance which can occur when producing low-fat cheeses.
Cheeses such as British Leicester, French classics like Mimolette and traditional Irish Red Cheddar cheese are characteristically white (excluding the grass-fed cows), but generally some people have a preference for the orange cheeses because it seems to taste better.
Cheddar cheese is one of the most well-known orange cheeses. It is often used on grilled sandwiches, cooked vegetables and other warm dishes because it melts well.
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Why is cheddar cheese orange?
Cheddar cheese is orange because of the addition of a yellow-orange carotenoid called annatto. Annatto is obtained from the outer coats of the seeds of the tropical shrub Bixa Orellana, which is native to South America. It was originally added to cheese to compensate for changes in the availability of carotenoids in the winter months when cows were not out on pasture and their feed consisted of silage and hay, which contain very low levels of the Beta-Carotene carotenoid. This resulted in variations in the natural yellow colour of milk.
Annatto is widely used by cheese manufacturers to colour cheese and it is added directly to the milk at the start of the cheese-making process. It can also be used to disguise the translucent appearance that can occur when producing low-fat cheeses.
Some other orange cheeses include British Leicester, French Mimolette, and traditional Irish Red Cheddar.
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Why are some cheeses orange and others white?
Milk does not contain a naturally occurring orange pigment, so cheese in its natural state is white or yellowish. To make cheese orange, cheese manufacturers add a yellow-orange carotenoid called annatto, which is obtained from the outer coats of the seeds of the tropical shrub Bixa Orellana (native to South America). Annatto is added directly to the milk at the start of the cheese-making process.
Annatto is used to compensate for changes in the availability of carotenoids in the cows' feed. In the winter months, cows are not out on pasture and their feed consists of silage and hay that contain very low levels of the Beta-Carotene carotenoid, resulting in variations in the natural yellow colour of milk. Annatto can maintain a uniform colour in the cheese. It can also be used to disguise the translucent appearance that can occur when producing low-fat cheeses.
Some people have a preference for orange cheeses because they seem to taste better. Orange cheeses include British Leicester, French Mimolette, and traditional Irish Red Cheddar (excluding the grass-fed cows).
One example of a combination of orange and white cheese is a mix of orange Colby cheese and white Monterey Jack cheese, which is often used on grilled sandwiches, cooked vegetables and other warm dishes because it melts well.
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What is annatto?
Milk does not naturally contain orange pigment, so cheese in its natural state is white or yellowish. The orange colour in some cheeses comes from the addition of a yellow-orange carotenoid called annatto. Annatto is a natural food colouring and spice derived from the seeds of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana), which grows in tropical regions in South and Central America. It is also known as achiote, atsuete, bija, or urucum. It lends a vibrant red-orange hue to foods and also provides a sweet and mildly peppery flavour. It is used in Latin American and Caribbean dishes like rice, beans, soups, stews, and tamales. It is also used in art, cosmetics, and to treat various medical conditions.
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What are carotenoids?
Milk does not contain a naturally occurring orange pigment, and therefore cheese in its natural state is a white or yellowish colour. The orange colour of some cheeses is obtained by the addition of a yellow-orange carotenoid called annatto, which is obtained from the outer coats of the seeds of the tropical shrub Bixa Orellana (native to South America).
Carotenoids are yellow, orange, and red organic pigments that are produced by plants and algae, as well as several bacteria, archaea, and fungi. They are responsible for the characteristic colour of pumpkins, carrots, parsnips, corn, tomatoes, canaries, flamingos, salmon, lobster, shrimp, and daffodils. There are over 600 different types of carotenoids, which can be categorised into two classes: xanthophylls (which contain oxygen) and carotenes (which are purely hydrocarbons and contain no oxygen). Carotenoids are lipid-soluble pigments, meaning they are fat-soluble. They are found in the cells of a wide variety of plants, algae and bacteria.
Carotenoids play an important role in plant health, as they help plants absorb light energy for use in photosynthesis. They also have an important antioxidant function, protecting against cellular damage, the effects of ageing, and even some chronic diseases. The consumption of carotenoids has been associated with a wide number of health benefits, including cancer chemoprotection, prevention of heart and vascular disease, and prevention of other chronic diseases like cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease.
Foods that are high in carotenoids include squash, carrots, grapefruit, oranges and apricots.
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Frequently asked questions
Orange cheese includes British Leicester, French Mimolette, Irish Red Cheddar, and Colby.
Cheese obtains its orange colour from the addition of a yellow-orange carotenoid called annatto. Annatto is obtained from the outer coats of the seeds of the tropical shrub Bixa Orellana, which is native to South America.
No, milk does not contain a naturally occurring orange pigment. Therefore, cheese in its natural state is white or yellowish in colour.
Annatto is a yellow-orange carotenoid that is added directly to the cheese milk at the start of the cheese-making process. It is used to compensate for changes in the availability of carotenoids in the cows' feed, which can affect the colour of the milk.
