Andy Montoya
The colour of cheese is influenced by the diet of the cows from which the milk is sourced. In its natural state, cheddar cheese is white or yellowish in colour. However, in the 17th century, English cheesemakers realised that they could increase their profits by skimming off the cream from the milk and selling it separately or making butter from it. To disguise the lack of cream in the cheese, they began adding dyes such as saffron, marigold, carrot juice, and annatto, which has red colouring. This tradition of colouring cheese then carried over to the United States, particularly in states like Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, and New York, where cheesemakers have a long history of colouring cheddar.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Natural colour of cheddar cheese | White or yellowish |
| Colour of cheese from grass-fed cows | Deeper yellow |
| Colour of cheese from cows fed hay | Less yellow |
| Colouring ingredients | Saffron, marigold, carrot juice, annatto seeds |
| Reason for colouring cheese | Passing off low-fat cheese as full-fat, tradition, marketing |
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What You'll Learn
- The natural pigment in a cow's diet affects the colour of its cheese
- Skimmed milk cheese is white, so cheese-makers dyed it to hide the lack of cream
- Beta-carotene in grass-fed cow's milk creates a natural yellow or orange tint
- Annatto seeds, saffron, carrot juice and marigold are all natural dyes
- The tradition of dyeing cheese carried over to the US, especially in the Midwest
The natural pigment in a cow's diet affects the colour of its cheese
The colour of cheese is influenced by the diet of the cow that produced the milk used to make it. When cows eat primarily green grass, the butterfat in their milk takes on a natural yellow or orange hue due to the presence of beta-carotene, which is the same pigment that gives carrots their orange colour. This, in turn, makes the cheese produced from that milk yellow or orange as well.
Breeds of cows such as Jersey and Guernsey produce milk that is naturally richer in beta-carotene due to the grass they consume. As a result, cheese made from their milk tends to have a more pronounced yellow or orange pigment. Similarly, cows that graze on grass high in beta-carotene will produce milk that results in more vibrantly coloured cheese.
The season also plays a role in the colour of the cheese. Pasture-fed cows produce milk with higher levels of beta-carotene in the spring when they feed on fresh grass. In the winter, when their diet consists mainly of hay, the beta-carotene levels in their milk decrease.
Historically, the natural yellowish-orange pigment of cheese was associated with full-fat, high-quality cheese. In the 17th century, English cheesemakers would skim the cream from the milk to sell separately or make butter, resulting in white cheese, which was considered inferior. To disguise this, cheesemakers began adding natural colourings like saffron, marigold, carrot juice, and annatto to their cheese.
Today, the tradition of colouring cheese has persisted in the United States, particularly in states such as Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, and New York. However, it is worth noting that not all cheddar cheese is dyed, and some regions, like New England, are known for their naturally white cheddar cheese.
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Skimmed milk cheese is white, so cheese-makers dyed it to hide the lack of cream
The colour of cheese can vary depending on the diet of the cow that produced the milk. When cows eat primarily green growing grass, the butterfat in milk is tinted a natural yellow or orange colour, which in turn makes the cheese yellow. Conversely, when the cream is skimmed from the milk, the resulting cheese is white. Before "low-fat" dairy became popular, whole-fat cheese was a sign of quality, so cheese-makers would skim the cream from the milk and sell it separately or use it to make butter. To hide the fact that they were selling lower-quality skimmed milk cheese, cheese-makers began dying their cheese to make it appear as though it was made with whole milk. This practice was also used to achieve a uniform colour in the cheese.
In the 17th century, English cheesemakers realised that they could increase their profits by skimming the cream from the milk and selling it separately or using it to make butter. They then began to dye their cheese to pass it off as the full-fat, naturally yellowish-orange cheese that was expected. This tradition of colouring cheese then carried over to the United States, particularly in Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, and New York. However, it never caught on in New England dairy farms, and to this day, naturally white cheddar cheese is still common in places like Vermont.
Cheese can be dyed using natural ingredients such as saffron, marigold, carrot juice, and annatto, a red powder made from annatto seeds. The yellow colour in cheese is caused by beta-carotene, which is also found in carrots and indicates that the cheese has a higher vitamin content. While some companies are starting to move away from artificial dyes, the tradition of colouring cheese yellow or orange has persisted, and American consumers still recognise cheddar as the orange cheese in the dairy aisle.
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Beta-carotene in grass-fed cow's milk creates a natural yellow or orange tint
The colour of cheese is influenced by the diet of the cows from which the milk is sourced. In its natural state, cheddar cheese is white or has a yellowish tinge. The diet of the cow determines the flavour and colour of the milk and, consequently, the cheese.
Beta-carotene, a natural pigment found in carrots, is also present in milk and gives it a yellow or orange hue. Cows grazing on fresh grass in the spring and summer produce milk with higher beta-carotene levels, resulting in a deeper yellow cheese. Conversely, in winters, when cows primarily feed on hay, the beta-carotene levels in their milk decrease.
Breeds of cows, such as Jersey and Guernsey, are known to produce milk with a naturally richer colour due to the beta-carotene content in the grass they consume. This milk, when used for cheese-making, results in a yellow or orange cheese.
The colour of cheese has historically been associated with quality. Centuries ago, full-fat cheese was considered superior, and the presence of cream resulted in a yellowish-orange pigment. Dairy farmers and cheesemakers took advantage of this by adding colourings to their skimmed-cream cheese to make it appear full-fat. This practice, born out of deception, led to the addition of natural colourings like saffron, marigold, carrot juice, and annatto to mimic the colour of high-quality, grass-fed butter.
Today, the colour of cheese is still associated with quality and vitamin content. The natural yellow or orange tint of cheese derived from beta-carotene in grass-fed cow's milk indicates a higher vitamin content, making it desirable for consumers.
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Annatto seeds, saffron, carrot juice and marigold are all natural dyes
The colour of cheese is determined by the diet of the cows from which the milk is sourced. In its natural state, cheddar cheese is white or yellowish in colour. When cows consume green grass, the resulting milk has a natural yellow or orange hue due to the presence of beta-carotene, a pigment also found in carrots. This beta-carotene-rich milk then lends a yellow colour to the cheese.
Historically, cheese made from whole fat was considered superior, and its yellow colour became associated with quality. To address this perception, cheesemakers began adding dyes to their products to enhance their colour and make them more appealing to consumers. Annatto seeds, in particular, are often credited with giving cheddar cheese its distinctive orange shade. Annatto is a natural dye derived from the seeds of the achiote tree and is commonly used in the food industry for colouring.
However, other natural ingredients have also been employed to achieve a similar effect. Saffron, carrot juice, and marigold were all used historically to dye cheese before the advent of artificial dyes. These natural dyes added colour to cheese, making it more visually appealing and helping it stand out in the market.
The tradition of colouring cheese, especially cheddar, carried over to the United States, where cheesemakers in several states, including Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, and New York, have a long history of dyeing their cheese. The practice of adding dyes to cheese, such as American cheddar, continues to this day, with some companies choosing to use natural dyes like annatto seeds, saffron, carrot juice, or marigold to achieve the desired yellow hue.
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The tradition of dyeing cheese carried over to the US, especially in the Midwest
The natural yellowish-orange pigment in cheese came from the milk of certain cow breeds, such as Jersey and Guernsey, which had higher levels of beta-carotene in their milk due to their grass-rich diet. This colour was associated with higher-quality, full-fat cheese, and American cheesemakers sought to replicate this. The colouring of cheese in the US was thus initially driven by a combination of tradition and effective marketing, as it helped their products stand out and appeal to consumers.
The motivation for dyeing cheese in the Midwest may also be attributed to the region's dairy farming practices. The Midwest, known for its vast grasslands and dairy farms, likely had cows that consumed a significant amount of grass. This grass diet would have naturally tinted the butterfat in the milk, resulting in a yellow or orange hue. By dyeing their cheese, Midwest cheesemakers could enhance this natural colour, creating a more consistent and visually appealing product.
Additionally, the uniform colour achieved through dyeing may have been advantageous for Midwest cheesemakers in terms of product recognition and branding. By consistently producing cheese with a distinct yellow or orange hue, they could establish a unique identity for their products, making them more recognisable to consumers. This marketing strategy, combined with the traditional and practical aspects, likely contributed to the enduring practice of cheese dyeing in the Midwest.
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Frequently asked questions
The natural pigment beta-carotene in the grass that cows eat tints the butterfat in milk yellow or orange, which in turn makes the cheese yellow. In the 17th century, English cheesemakers realized that they could make more money if they skimmed off the cream to sell separately or to make butter from it. The leftover skimmed milk made white cheese, which was considered lower quality. To hide the lack of cream in the cheese, cheesemakers started dying their cheese. This tradition then carried over to the U.S.
Saffron, marigold, carrot juice, and annatto.
Annatto is a red powder made from annatto seeds that is used for coloring things.
Cows today are not given a high green grass diet because farmers want to sell the cream in milk separately or make butter from it.
