Kamil Perry
Cheddar cheese is one of the most popular cheeses in the world, but its distinctive orange hue is not natural. In its natural state, cheddar is a white or creamy yellow colour. The orange pigmentation is the result of early visual branding, as the cheese's colour came to be associated with quality. In the 17th century, cows that grazed on beta-carotene-rich grass produced milk with a yellowish tinge, and the resulting cheese was considered superior in taste and quality. Cheesemakers began to add colouring to their cheese to indicate its quality, and this practice has continued to the present day, with annatto, a food colouring made from the achiote tree, now being the most popular dye.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Natural colour of cheddar cheese | White or yellowish |
| Colour of milk from cows that eat beta-carotene rich grass | Yellowish |
| Colour of milk from cows that eat hay | White |
| Colouring added to cheese | Annatto, paprika, saffron, marigold, carrot juice, chemical dyes |
| Reason for adding colouring | To indicate quality, maintain visual recognition, distinguish from other cheeses |
| Country where cheddar is dyed orange as standard | USA |
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What You'll Learn
Beta-carotene in grass and feed gives milk an orange-yellow tone
The colour of cheese is determined by the diet of the cows from which the milk is obtained. Milk contains beta-carotene, the same natural pigment that gives carrots their orange colour. Beta-carotene is found in grass and feed, and cows that graze on grass rich in beta-carotene produce milk with higher levels of the pigment. This, in turn, gives the milk an orange-yellow tone.
In the 17th century, English cheesemakers produced cheddar cheese with a yellow tone due to the milk from cows that ate grass with high levels of beta-carotene. This cheese was considered to be of higher quality, and its colour became a marker of quality. As a result, makers of lower-quality cheese began adding pigments from saffron, marigold, and carrot juice to mimic the colour of high-quality cheese.
The colour of the cheese also varied seasonally due to fluctuations in the nutrient content of the grass and feed. To maintain a consistent colour, cheesemakers began adding dyes to their cheese. This practice of adding colour to cheese became common, and today, most people associate cheddar cheese with an orange colour.
While the natural colour of cheddar cheese can range from white to creamy yellow, the addition of dyes has intensified the orange hue over time. Today, annatto, a food colouring made from the seeds of the achiote tree, is commonly used to give cheddar cheese its distinctive orange colour.
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Orange cheddar was a marker of high-quality cheese
In the early days of cheddar cheese, the colour of the cheese was dependent on the diet of the cows providing the milk. In the spring and summer, when cows ate fresh grass, their milk had higher levels of beta-carotene, resulting in a deeper yellow colour. This yellow hue became a marker of high-quality cheese. In the winter, when cows ate mostly hay, beta-carotene levels dropped, and the cheese made from their milk was whiter.
As cheddar cheese grew in popularity, cheese producers wanted to maintain the visual recognition factor of their product. They began to add natural dyes such as saffron, marigold, and carrot juice to their cheese to make it look higher quality. This practice of adding colouring to cheese was also adopted by early American settlers, who wanted to ensure a uniform colour throughout the year.
Over time, the colour orange became strongly associated with cheese, and cheesemakers began to use annatto, a food colouring made from the seeds of the achiote tree, to achieve the desired hue. Annatto had long been associated with high-quality cheese and was imported from Latin America as early as the 16th century. The use of annatto to colour cheese became fashionable, distinguishing high-class cheese from common farmer's cheese.
Today, most cheddar cheese is dyed orange using annatto or other food colourings. While the colour of the cheese does not affect its flavour or texture, it has become an expected part of the cheese's presentation, and many consumers associate orange cheese with higher quality.
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Lower-quality cheesemakers added pigment to mimic high-quality cheese
In the 17th century, English cheesemakers produced cheese with a yellow tone due to the milk from certain cows. These cows, often Jersey and Guernsey breeds, ate a lot of grass that was packed with beta-carotene, which gave the milk an orange-yellow tone. Back then, cheddar cheese with a yellow hue was seen as a sign of quality. As a result, lower-quality cheesemakers learned to game the system by adding pigment from saffron, marigold, and carrot juice.
The technique moved to the U.S. with cheesemakers in Wisconsin, Ohio, and Indiana, who wanted to ensure a uniform color throughout the year. The color of cheese changes depending on whether the cows are eating beta-carotene-rich grass in the spring or hay in the winter. The addition of pigment allowed them to distinguish their product from the typically white cheese made in New England and New York.
Over time, the color orange became associated with cheese itself, which explains why American cheese and cheese snacks like Cheetos are also orange. Today, the color most often comes from annatto, a food coloring and condiment made from the seeds of the achiote tree. Annatto seeds are ground into a red powder and have been used for coloring foods for more than 200 years.
As consumers have become more vocal about wanting dye-free foods, "white" cheddar has become increasingly popular. However, many manufacturers still choose to add annatto or other natural colorings to their cheddar cheese to maintain the traditional orange hue that consumers expect.
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The trend of orange-hued cheddars spread to the US
The trend of colouring cheddar cheese orange began in 17th-century England. The cheese acquired its yellow tone from the milk of cows that grazed on grass rich in beta-carotene. This milk had an orange-yellow hue, and the cheese produced from it was considered to be of higher quality. Cheesemakers with lower-quality, lower-fat cheese began adding pigment from saffron, marigold, and carrot juice to mimic the colour of premium cheese.
The tradition of colouring cheddar cheese then spread to the US with cheesemakers in Wisconsin, Ohio, and Indiana. They wanted to ensure a uniform colour throughout the year, as the colour of cheese varies depending on the diet of the cows. They also wanted to distinguish their product from the white cheese made in New England and New York.
Today, most manufacturers who dye their cheddar use annatto, a food colouring made from the seeds of the achiote tree. Annatto was imported from Latin America as early as the 16th century and was associated with high-quality cheese. It is used to give cheddar its distinctive orange hue without altering its flavour or texture.
While orange-coloured cheddar remains popular, some cheesemakers, particularly in the northeastern United States, produce white cheddar cheese, which is cheddar in its natural state.
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Annatto, a food colouring, is now used to dye cheddar orange
In the early days, the colour of cheddar cheese was influenced by the diet of the cows from which the milk was sourced. In the spring and summer, when cows grazed on beta-carotene-rich grass, their milk had a yellowish hue, resulting in cheese with a similar tone. This colour became associated with high-quality cheese. As a result, cheesemakers began to add natural dyes like carrot juice, saffron, and marigold to their cheese to indicate quality.
However, as time passed, the colour orange became intrinsically linked with cheese itself, and cheesemakers sought to maintain this visual recognition. Annatto, a food colouring made from the seeds of the achiote tree, was introduced as a dye. Imported from Latin America as early as the 16th century, annatto was initially associated with high-quality cheese. As it became more affordable, it started to be used in more common varieties of cheese. Today, annatto is commonly used to dye cheddar orange, maintaining the traditional colour that consumers expect from this variety of cheese.
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Frequently asked questions
In its natural state, cheddar cheese is white or yellowish in colour. The orange colour comes from dyeing agents like annatto, a food colouring made from the achiote tree, carrot juice, saffron, and marigold.
Annatto is used to standardise the colour of cheese. It gives cheddar cheese the same orange colour year-round, regardless of the diet of the cows producing the milk.
The colour of milk produced by cows depends on their diet. Milk from cows that graze on beta-carotene-rich grass in the spring tends to be more yellow. In the winter, when cows eat mostly hay, the milk produced is whiter.
Over time, the colour orange became associated with cheese. Orange cheddar cheese is also linked to higher quality. Therefore, manufacturers continue to dye their cheese to meet consumer expectations and distinguish their product.
No, the colour does not affect the flavour or texture of the cheese. The difference lies in the cheesemaking process, the culture used, milk choice, manufacturing method, and ageing.
