Kamil Perry
American cheese is a type of processed cheese made from cheddar, Colby, or similar cheeses, in conjunction with sodium citrate. Although it is commonly associated with the United States, it was actually invented in Switzerland in 1911 by two food chemists, Walter Gerber and Fritz Stettler.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Switzerland |
| Inventors | Walter Gerber and Fritz Stettler |
| Year invented | 1911 |
| Type of cheese | Processed |
| Ingredients | Cheddar, Colby, or similar cheeses, in conjunction with sodium citrate |
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What You'll Learn
American cheese was invented in Switzerland, not America
Processed American cheese was invented in the 1910s by Kraft, the founder of Kraft Foods Inc., who obtained a patent for his manufacturing process in 1916. However, it is important to note that British colonists made cheddar cheese soon after their arrival in North America.
Today, American cheese is typically yellow or white in colour. Yellow American cheese is seasoned and coloured with annatto. It is mild with a creamy texture and salty flavour, has a medium-firm consistency, and has a low melting point.
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It was created by two food chemists, Walter Gerber and Fritz Stettler
Although American cheese is commonly associated with the United States, it was actually invented in Switzerland by two food chemists, Walter Gerber and Fritz Stettler. They created the cheese in 1911, and it was the world's first processed cheese. Gerber and Stettler were attempting to lengthen the shelf life of cheese, so they shredded Emmentaler cheese and heated it with sodium citrate to create a firm, unified substance upon its cooling. This research into more shelf-stable cheeses opened the door for Canadian-born James Lewis Kraft, who was doing his own experiments in a Chicago boardinghouse. Kraft's patented process involved melting together various cheddar pieces to 175 degrees for 15 minutes, whisking throughout.
Processed American cheese was invented in the 1910s by Kraft, the founder of Kraft Foods Inc., who obtained a patent for his manufacturing process in 1916. However, it was Gerber and Stettler who first developed the process of making processed cheese.
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It was first made in 1911
American cheese was first made in Switzerland in 1911 by two food chemists, Walter Gerber and Fritz Stettler. They developed the world's first processed cheese by shredding Emmentaler cheese and heating it with sodium citrate to create a firm, unified substance. This process allowed the cheese to have a longer shelf life.
The research by Gerber and Stettler inspired Canadian-born James Lewis Kraft, who was doing his own experiments in a Chicago boardinghouse. Kraft patented his own process in 1916, which involved melting together various cheddar pieces to 175 degrees for 15 minutes, whisking throughout. Kraft is the founder of Kraft Foods Inc.
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It was made by shredding Emmentaler cheese and heating it with sodium citrate
Although American cheese is commonly associated with the United States, it was actually invented in Switzerland. In 1911, two food chemists, Walter Gerber and Fritz Stettler, created the world's first processed cheese. They did this by shredding Emmentaler cheese and heating it with sodium citrate. This process created a firm, unified substance upon cooling. The cheese was designed to have a longer shelf life.
The research by Gerber and Stettler opened the door for Canadian-born James Lewis Kraft, who was doing his own experiments in a Chicago boardinghouse. Kraft's patented process involved melting together various cheddar pieces to 175 degrees for 15 minutes, whisking throughout. Kraft obtained a patent for his manufacturing process in 1916.
Processed American cheese was invented in the 1910s, and British colonists made cheddar cheese soon after their arrival in North America.
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It was made to lengthen the shelf life of cheese
Although American cheese is commonly associated with the United States, it was actually invented in Switzerland in 1911 by two food chemists, Walter Gerber and Fritz Stettler. They were attempting to lengthen the shelf life of cheese, which may sound strange today. Their experiments centred around a hard Swiss cheese called 'Emmental' or 'Emmentaler', which they combined with sodium citrate to create a firm, unified substance upon its cooling. This research into more shelf-stable cheeses opened the door for Canadian-born James Lewis Kraft, who was doing his own experiments in a Chicago boardinghouse. Kraft's patented process involved melting together various cheddar pieces to 175 degrees for 15 minutes, whisking throughout.
The result was a type of processed cheese made from cheddar, Colby, or similar cheeses, in conjunction with sodium citrate, which permits the cheese to be pasteurised without its components separating. It is mild with a creamy texture and salty flavour, has a medium-firm consistency, and has a low melting point. It is typically yellow or white in colour; yellow American cheese is seasoned and coloured with annatto. Processed American cheese was patented by Kraft in 1916.
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Frequently asked questions
Although it is commonly associated with the USA, American cheese was actually invented in Switzerland in 1911 by two food chemists, Walter Gerber and Fritz Stettler.
Gerber and Stettler were attempting to lengthen the shelf life of cheese by shredding Emmentaler cheese and heating it with sodium citrate to create a firm, unified substance upon its cooling.
Although it was invented in Switzerland, American cheese was named for its association with the USA.
