Andy Montoya
Cheddar cheese is not naturally orange. The pigment in cow's milk, beta-carotene, can give cheese a yellowish colour, but not orange. In the 17th century, English cheesemakers began adding dye to their cheese to mimic the colour of high-quality, grass-fed cow cheese. Over time, the colour orange became associated with cheese itself, and the practice of dyeing cheese became popular. Today, the colour usually comes from annatto, a food colouring made from the seeds of the achiote tree.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason cheddar cheese was dyed orange | Orange color was a signifier of high-quality cheese |
| Uniform color throughout the year | |
| To distinguish their product from the typically white cheese made in New England and New York | |
| Natural color of cheddar cheese | White or yellowish |
| Source of orange color | Annatto, a food coloring made from the seeds of the achiote tree |
| Paprika | |
| Beta-carotene in grass eaten by cows | |
| Artificial dyes |
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What You'll Learn
- The natural colour of cheddar cheese is white or a yellowish colour
- The orange pigment in cheddar cheese was considered a mark of quality
- The colour orange became associated with cheese itself
- The orange colour comes from annatto, a food colouring made from the seeds of the achiote tree
- The more yellow the colour of the cheese, the higher the price
The natural colour of cheddar cheese is white or a yellowish colour
Centuries ago in England, particularly in regions like Cheddar, certain breeds of cows, such as Jersey and Guernsey, grazed on pastures abundant in beta-carotene-rich grass. This resulted in milk that tended to have a richer, yellowish-orange pigment, which was then reflected in the cheese produced from it.
Over time, the orange pigment in the cheese derived from this milk was associated with high-quality, grass-fed cow cheese. As a result, cheesemakers in some regions of the United States, such as Wisconsin, Ohio, and Indiana, began adding colour to their cheese to create a uniform appearance throughout the year and to distinguish their product from the typically white cheese made in New England and New York. This practice of adding colour became common, and eventually, the colour orange became synonymous with cheddar cheese, particularly in the United States.
Today, the orange colour in cheddar cheese is often achieved using annatto, a food colouring made from the seeds of the achiote tree, which is native to tropical regions in Central and South America. Annatto has been used to dye cheese for over 200 years and was initially associated with high-quality cheese due to its imported status. While the colour may vary, the natural colour of cheddar cheese, when left unadulterated, ranges from white to a yellowish hue.
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The orange pigment in cheddar cheese was considered a mark of quality
The orange pigment in cheddar cheese was once considered a mark of quality. Centuries ago in England, cheddar cheese had a natural yellowish-orange pigment. The cheese was made from the milk of certain breeds of cows, such as Jersey and Guernsey cows, which tend to produce milk that is richer in colour due to the beta-carotene in the grass they eat. As a result, the cheese derived from their milk also had a deeper yellow colour.
The colour of the cheese was an indicator of the diet of the cows producing the milk. In the spring and summer, when cows ate beta-carotene-rich grass, their milk had higher beta-carotene levels, resulting in a deeper yellow cheese. In the winter, when cows mostly ate hay, the beta-carotene levels in their milk dropped, resulting in whiter cheese.
The orange pigment in cheddar cheese was not only a sign of quality but also an indicator of flavour. Cheese lovers preferred the flavour of yellow cheddar over other white cheeses, and cheese shops could charge a premium for their orange cheddar. This preference for orange cheddar led to a curious chapter in the history of cheese.
In the 17th century, some dishonest cheesemakers took advantage of the popularity of orange cheddar by adding dye to their white cheeses. By doing so, they could deceive customers into thinking they were purchasing authentic, high-quality orange cheddar. This practice became known as the "17th-century fraud." Despite this fraudulent origin, the practice of dyeing cheese orange persisted, and it became what people expected from cheddar cheese.
Today, the orange colour in cheddar cheese usually comes from annatto, a food colouring made from the seeds of the achiote tree, which is native to tropical regions in Central and South America. Annatto has been used to dye cheese for over 200 years and is associated with high-quality cheese. It gives cheddar cheese a consistent colour throughout the year, distinguishing it from the typically white cheese made in other regions.
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The colour orange became associated with cheese itself
However, it wasn't long before sneaky cheesemakers realised that by adding a bit of dye to their white cheeses, they could trick people into thinking they were getting authentic cheddar. This 17th-century fraud gave rise to bright orange cheese. The colour orange was also used to distinguish cheddar from the typically white cheese made in New England and New York.
The more yellow the colour of the cheese, the higher the price. Centuries later, Americans still recognise cheddar cheese as the orange cheese in the dairy aisle. The colour orange became so associated with cheese that this is why American cheese and cheese snacks like Cheetos are orange too.
Today, the colour most often comes from annatto, a food colouring and condiment made from the seeds of the achiote tree, and/or paprika. Annatto has been used to dye cheese for more than 200 years, giving cheddar cheese the same colour year-round.
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The orange colour comes from annatto, a food colouring made from the seeds of the achiote tree
The colour orange in cheddar cheese comes from annatto, a natural food colouring. It is made from the seeds of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana), which grows in the tropical regions of Central and South America. The tree produces spiky pods that contain annatto seeds and a vibrant red pulp. These pods are ground to extract the colouring agent, which is then added to the cheese.
Annatto has been used as a natural dye for cheese for centuries, predating its industrial use in the United States. Its use in England, the Netherlands, and France is well-documented. In England, the natural yellowish-orange pigment of cheese came from the milk of certain breeds of cows, such as Jersey and Guernsey, which was richer in colour due to the beta-carotene in the grass they ate.
Over time, the colour orange became associated with high-quality cheese made from grass-fed cows. Cheesemakers in Wisconsin, Ohio, and Indiana sought to distinguish their product from the typically white cheese made in New England and New York, so they added annatto to their cheese to ensure a uniform colour throughout the year.
Today, the use of annatto in cheddar cheese is often purely aesthetic, as consumers have come to expect orange cheese. The colour does not noticeably affect the flavour or texture of the cheese, and some producers enhance the orange hue to make their products more appealing to buyers.
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The more yellow the colour of the cheese, the higher the price
The colour of cheddar cheese is directly linked to its price. The more yellow the cheese, the higher the price. This phenomenon has a long history, and the colour of cheddar has been used to indicate quality and price for centuries.
Cheddar cheese is not naturally orange, and its natural colour can vary from white to a deep yellow. The shade depends on the diet of the cows from which the milk is sourced. In the spring and summer, when cows graze on beta-carotene-rich grass, their milk has higher levels of beta-carotene, resulting in cheese with a deeper yellow colour. In the winter, when cows feed on hay, the beta-carotene levels in their milk drop, producing whiter cheese.
Historically, the orange pigment in cheese was considered a mark of quality. This association dates back to the 17th century, when cheese with a yellowish-orange pigment was derived from the milk of certain breeds of cows, such as Jersey and Guernsey, which tended to have milk richer in beta-carotene due to their grass-fed diet. As a result, cheese lovers developed a preference for yellow cheddar, considering it superior in flavour to other white cheeses. This preference still persists today, with Americans recognising cheddar cheese as the orange cheese in the dairy aisle.
To meet the demand for yellow cheddar and capitalise on its higher value, cheese makers began adding dye to their white cheeses. This practice, known as "orange for quality", originated in the 17th century and has continued to influence the colour of cheddar today. The specific type of dye used is annatto, derived from the seeds of the achiote tree, which are ground into a red powder. Annatto has been used to dye cheese for over 200 years and is responsible for the consistent orange colour of cheddar, regardless of the season or the cows' diet.
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Frequently asked questions
In its natural state, cheddar cheese is white or yellowish in colour. The pigment of the cheese can vary based on the diet of the cow the milk is sourced from. In the early days, cheese lovers preferred the flavour of yellow cheddar over white cheddar. As a result, cheese shops were able to charge more for their yellow cheddar. This led to some cheesemakers adding dye to their white cheese to trick people into thinking it was yellow cheddar. Over time, the colour orange became associated with cheese itself.
The practice of colouring cheddar cheese orange dates back to the 17th century.
The inspiration for orange cheddar probably came from some styles of smoked cheddar. The colour orange was also a signifier of high-quality cheese.
The colour of cheddar cheese comes from annatto, a food colouring made from the seeds of the achiote tree. Annatto has been used to dye cheese for more than 200 years.
