"Pasteurized Process American Cheese." What the HELL does that mean, exactly?

"Pasteurized," OK, I got that. Heat it up to kill the bugs, fine with me.

"Process." Uh, specifically WHAT "process" are we talking about here? And to placate the Grammar Gods, shouldn't that be "processed," to indicate something that had gone through some kind of process?

Furthermore: "American Cheese." What, specifically, IS "American Cheese," exactly? We all know what Cheddar is, and Provolone, and Swiss, and I could go on and on, but who defined that bland mass of salt and gooey clotted milk "food product" as a cheese that's uniquely "American?"

Just curious.

Redstone

there's a printer i'm doing that to when i quit my current job

We left it that way for a week just to laugh about it.

a truly revolting thing (I dare not call it an actual "food").

I gotta go. This pain is too much.

Redstone

It means that it has more whey and water added and less fat. "Cheese" and "Cheese food" are legal definitions.

Processed cheese is often criticized for its small range of flavors,
which is far narrower than the range for unprocessed cheeses and normally
at the mild end of the flavor range. Processed cheese also normally lacks
the range of textures available in unprocessed cheeses; processed cheeses
are normally very smooth and medium-firm.

Inclusion of artificial additives in processed cheeses and the higher
levels of salt are other subjects of criticism.

but it sounds safer than the imitation processed cheese foods that are listed in Cheetos.

you don't really want to know! LOL

Is that's it's crap!

But you already knew that.....

:hi: from Prague!

;)

:toast:

For me it has to be blue or feta or goat cheese.

the chevre is okay, especially the flavoured ones (pepper, cranberry, etc); but I really like goat brie or gouda. I also use goat cheddar and mozza. :hi:

American cheese is pateurized process cheese made from Cheddar cheese, Colby cheese, washed curd cheese and granular cheese or mixtures of two or more varieties and the moisture does not exceed 40%. Pasteurized process cheese means that one or more cheeses are mixed with the aid of heat into a homogenous mass. It is heated to 150 F for at least 30 seconds. These are summaries of the legal definitions. If you manufacture something called Pasteurized Process American Cheese that doesn't meet these definitions, you could be majorly fines and face more sever penalties if you continue to break the law.
Generally the manufacture buys blocks and barrels of cheese as stated above along with scrap cheese. The cheese is cut and shredded and steam heated along with salt and emulsifiers (they help the cheese reform uniformly). The molten cheese is then packaged. If it is sliced cheese, it cannot be sliced until the cheese cools and becomes solid.
The advantage of processed cheese is that it melts well (does not oil out), has an extended shelf life, and there has been no major food borne illnesses related to it. It is generally cheaper than naturual cheese because it containers some cheaper than market cheese and added salt and water which are cheaper than cheese.
If you have any further questions about this subject, feel free to ask, I am a food professional who worked in that area of food processing for 5 years.

I ordered some kind of breakfast sandwich and they gave it to me with that stuff melted on it. I looked at it in horror. What. Is? That!

Ooooh, take it away!

I then ordered a Cheddar omelette and they did bring one with real Cheddar in it.

Thanks for the explanation, Nikia. You never know what experts you have reading at DU!



Cher

Redstone

Not that I would. Ick.

:rofl:

Well..at least most

http://pubs.acs.org/cen/whatstuff/stuff/7806sci2.html

My 6'4" brother has a ridiculously small Pomeranian. He calls it his 'artificial, imitation dog substitute', after something he has put together from WAY too many food labels ;)