Andy Montoya
Pizza Hut is a well-known pizza chain that primarily uses mozzarella cheese on its pizzas, specifically part-skim mozzarella cheese, also known as pizza cheese. However, some customers have noticed a change in the taste and texture of the cheese, describing it as spongey, cheap, and barf-inducing. This could be attributed to cost-cutting measures, with Pizza Hut potentially using cheaper and lower-quality ingredients, including cheese, to reduce expenses. The chain has also been criticized for making their pizzas smaller and thinner. While the exact reason for the perceived change in cheese quality is unclear, it has sparked discussions and mixed reactions among customers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Taste | Sickeningly sweet |
| Cheese quality | Poor |
| Cheese texture | Spongey, dissolves in the mouth |
| Cheese type | Part-skim mozzarella |
| Other ingredients | Pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes, modified food starch, whey protein concentrate, nonfat milk, sodium propionate |
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What You'll Learn
Pizza Hut uses part-skim mozzarella cheese
Part-skim mozzarella is also a popular choice for consumers because it is more readily available than whole-milk mozzarella, which can be difficult to find in local grocery stores. However, some people prefer the taste and melting properties of whole-milk mozzarella, which is often used by chefs and high-end pizzerias due to its richer flavor.
Pizza Hut's cheese supplier, Leprino Foods, has addressed concerns over the ingredients of its cheese in the past. Leprino Foods is the largest mozzarella cheese producer in the world and supplies cheese to Pizza Hut locations across the United States. Despite this, Leprino Foods does not disclose the ingredients of its lite mozzarella cheese.
While Pizza Hut uses part-skim mozzarella on most of its pizzas, some of its specialty pizzas contain Parmesan Romano cheese. Additionally, Pizza Hut has been accused of using polydimethylsiloxane, an industrial silicone chemical, in its cheese. However, Leprino Foods has denied these claims and stated that they fully comply with FDA regulations.
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The cheese is produced by Leprino Foods
Leprino Foods, founded by Mike Leprino in 1950, is the largest producer of mozzarella cheese in the world. The company is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, and supplies cheese to 85% of the pizza market, including Pizza Hut, Domino's, Little Caesars, Papa John's, and more.
Leprino Foods' entry into the pizza cheese market began in 1958 when the first Pizza Hut opened in Wichita, Kansas. At the time, James Leprino, Mike Leprino's son, noticed that local pizzerias were buying 5,000 pounds of cheese a week, and he saw an opportunity to enter this growing market.
Leprino Foods initially started delivering 200 pounds of block mozzarella a week to local Italian restaurants. However, James Leprino realized that he needed to learn the science behind making cheese on a mass scale to keep up with the demand. He hired Lester Kielsmeier, a former owner of a cheese factory in Wisconsin, to help scale up the production.
In 1968, Leprino Foods landed a significant contract with Pizza Hut, which was looking for a supplier to help reduce costs while standardizing portions. This partnership proved to be a breakthrough for Leprino Foods, as they worked closely with Pizza Hut to address issues with cheese thawing and crumbling. Leprino Foods responded with innovative solutions, such as developing a preservative mist to improve the quality and consistency of the cheese.
Today, Leprino Foods sells more than a billion pounds of cheese annually, generating $3 billion in revenue. The company has a vast presence, with facilities across the United States, Brazil, Singapore, Northern Ireland, and Wales. Leprino Foods' success in the pizza cheese market can be attributed to its ability to supply cheese on a large scale, its focus on innovation and quality, and its strong partnerships with leading pizza chains like Pizza Hut.
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The cheese is made from pasteurized milk
Pasteurized milk is milk that has been treated with heat to kill off potentially harmful bacteria. This process makes the milk safer to drink and also extends its shelf life. While pasteurization has many benefits, it can also affect the milk's nutritional content and taste.
Pizza Hut uses pasteurized milk to make its cheese, specifically part-skim mozzarella cheese, which is used on the majority of its pizzas. Some of its specialty pizzas also contain Parmesan Romano cheese. Mozzarella cheese made from pasteurized milk tends to have a higher melting point and a less creamy texture compared to cheese made from unpasteurized milk. This may contribute to the spongey texture of Pizza Hut's cheese.
Part-skim mozzarella cheese has a lower fat content and fewer calories compared to whole milk mozzarella. It usually has no cholesterol but contains sodium. The use of part-skim mozzarella may be due to the challenge of sourcing whole milk mozzarella, which is often difficult to find in regular grocery stores and is typically preferred by high-end pizzerias for its superior melting properties and richer flavor.
Pizza Hut has also been known to use Leprino "Whole Milk Mozzarella" cheese, which suggests that they may have experimented with different cheese varieties or made upgrades to their cheese sources over time.
It is important to note that Pizza Hut's cheese may also be influenced by other factors, such as the specific ingredients used in the cheese-making process, the aging and storage methods employed, and the overall preparation techniques utilized by the chain. These variables, along with the type of milk used, can collectively impact the texture, taste, and overall quality of the cheese on Pizza Hut's pizzas.
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Pizza Hut's cheese is of poor quality
Pizza Hut has been accused by some customers of using poor-quality cheese on its pizzas. The chain primarily uses mozzarella cheese, specifically part-skim mozzarella, also called pizza cheese, from the brand Leprino Foods. While whole milk mozzarella is considered ideal for pizza due to its superior melting and flavour qualities, it is more expensive and harder to source.
Some customers have noticed a change in the taste and texture of Pizza Hut's cheese over the years, suggesting that the company may have resorted to using cheaper, lower-quality ingredients. One customer described the cheese as "dissolv[ing] in your mouth like cheap gum," a far cry from the gooey, thick cheese of the past. Another commenter claimed that Pizza Hut and other pizza chains no longer use real cheese at all, opting for cheaper alternatives.
Pizza Hut's cheese is provided by Leprino Foods, the largest mozzarella cheese producer in the world. Notably, Leprino does not disclose the ingredients of its lite mozzarella cheese, which has raised concerns among some consumers. Pizza Hut has reported that the cheese consists of pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes, modified food starch, whey protein concentrate, nonfat milk, and sodium propionate.
The shift towards lower-cost, inferior ingredients is a common strategy among fast-food chains to reduce expenses. However, this practice can compromise the taste and quality of the product, as evidenced by the feedback from Pizza Hut patrons who have noticed a decline in the cheese's texture and flavour.
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The cheese has a different texture now
Cheese is one of the most expensive ingredients in a pizza, and Pizza Hut has had to cut costs. While many chefs and high-end pizzerias use whole milk mozzarella, which melts better and has a richer flavor, Pizza Hut uses part-skim mozzarella, which is easier to source.
A former Pizza Hut customer described the chain's cheese as "dissolv[ing] in your mouth like cheap gum," in contrast to the gooey, thick cheese of the past. Another customer lamented the change in the cheese, recalling how it used to be so thick that you'd have to chew on it for a while and that it even choked you at times.
Pizza Hut sources its mozzarella cheese from Leprino Foods, the largest mozzarella cheese producer in the world. However, Leprino Foods does not disclose the ingredients of its lite mozzarella cheese, and there may be additives affecting the texture. Pizza Hut has stated that its cheese consists of pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes, modified food starch, whey protein concentrate, nonfat milk, and sodium propionate.
The change in texture may be due to the combination of these ingredients, the quantity of cheese used, or the cooking methods employed by Pizza Hut.
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Frequently asked questions
Pizza Hut cheese may be spongey due to the company's choice of ingredients. Pizza Hut uses part-skim mozzarella cheese, also known as pizza cheese, which is made from pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes, modified food starch, whey protein concentrate, nonfat milk, and sodium propionate. The company has also been accused of using cheap and poor-quality ingredients to reduce costs.
Pizza Hut primarily uses mozzarella cheese on its pizzas, specifically part-skim mozzarella cheese from the brand Leprino Foods, which is based in Colorado and is the largest mozzarella cheese producer in the world.
Whole milk mozzarella cheese melts better and has a richer flavor, but it can be difficult to find and is usually not available at local grocery stores. As a result, many people and pizzerias, including Pizza Hut, opt for part-skim mozzarella cheese, which is more readily available.
