Which country is the birthplace of processed cheese? Processed cheese. Cheese without holes Which country is the birthplace of processed cheeses

Cookbooks and websites contain many recipes for dishes with processed cheeses; they are often used as an alternative to more expensive hard cheeses. There are also many recipes for making processed cheese at home. Undoubtedly, homemade processed cheese is a good idea: you yourself know what you are preparing it from, the product will definitely be without dyes, preservatives, as natural as possible and the taste is ideally selected for you personally, with a filler that depends only on your imagination. On the other hand, for the ideal processed cheese it is very important to select the components and their ratio, which is not so easy the first time. Plus the cost of raw materials and time for preparing processed cheese. So there are also disadvantages to homemade processed cheeses.

The birthplace of processed cheese is considered to be, well, a very cheese country - Switzerland, and the date of birth is 1911. There, in the town of Thun, so much hard cheese was produced that it was in danger of spoiling due to lack of sales. And then part of it was melted. Since then, the production technology of this product has undergone changes. The invention of processed cheese was officially patented in 1916 by American James Craft, founder of the Kraft Foods company.

In stores, the assortment of processed cheeses is quite large: there are portioned, pourable, and classic block cheeses. Portioned cheese is convenient on the go, block cheese is ideal for culinary experiments - soups, salads, etc. Bulk cheese, like no other, is suitable for a home breakfast, because it is convenient to spread on bread, and it compares favorably with butter in a wide variety of flavors.

What distinguishes processed cheese from other cheeses? Of course, by melting - heating with the obligatory addition of melting salts to the product. Traditionally, a mixture of melting salts is used to make processed cheese. For individually, in addition to positive properties, they have their own shortcomings. Thus, citrates give processed cheeses a fresh taste, but alone they can cause uneven coloring, and it is problematic to obtain a well-spreadable cheese based on citrates alone. Phosphates are more suitable for spreadable cheeses, but some representatives of this group can impart a bitter or soapy taste to the product. To prepare processed cheese, the raw materials are crushed and mixed according to the recipe. Melting salts are added to the resulting mixture. After this, the mass is left to mature for 30 minutes to 3 hours. This improves the consistency of the cheese mass. This is followed by melting of the cheese mass, essentially heating to 60-85°C. Melted cheese in a hot liquid state is packaged in certain portions and packed in foil or polymer cups.

The processed cheese product is prepared in a similar way. The difference between processed cheese and a cheese product lies in the ingredients used, primarily fats. So, for the production of processed cheese, only raw milk with milk fat is used. The cheese product also contains dairy products, but in addition to them there will also be vegetable fats, which are used to replace milk fat in order to reduce the cost of the product. So the first thing that is important to pay attention to when choosing cheese is its name, in the sense of “cheese” or “cheese product”.

The benefits of processed cheeses

Compared to hard varieties of cheese, processed cheese is absorbed by the body 100% and contains less cholesterol. This is a complete nutritious product, a source of phosphorus and calcium, which are responsible for the condition of hair, nails and bones. The fats contained in processed cheeses are a high-calorie carrier of fat-soluble vitamins, supplying the body with vitamins A, D, E and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Processed cheese contains a large amount of casein, a high-quality protein containing essential amino acids. It contains practically no carbohydrates, only about two percent lactose.

Processed cheeses do not have the obvious “aftertaste” that other types of cheeses are valued for, and they also have no aroma. But they have another advantage - a long shelf life, about 6-7 months.

Harm of processed cheeses

Compared to hard cheeses, processed cheeses contain more sodium, making them an undesirable food for people suffering from hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases.

Soft processed cheese contains unnecessary chemical (E) and phosphate food additives and a large amount of salt. They can lead to allergic reactions, most often redness of the skin. Phosphates are dangerous for people with kidney disease, and their increased content also harms bones, which can become brittle over time.

If the acidity of the gastric juice is high, it is also not recommended to consume processed cheese, because citric acid is added to it to speed up ripening.

Processed cheeses are high in calories, so they should be eaten in limited quantities.

It is not advisable to give processed cheeses to children because of their high content of fats and melting salts.

Processed cheese is popular among consumers, and the (unscrupulous) manufacturer, thanks to this, is trying in every possible way to increase its income by offering surrogate analogues in place of high-quality processed cheese, which cannot be sold at a very low price.

Processed cheese is produced from recycled materials, such as substandard rennet cheese, unripe cheese mass, and dairy products that have reached their expiration date. This is not so scary, because after melting you get a complete nutritious product.

Cheeses, cheeses for melting, cottage cheese, butter and other dairy products with the addition of spices, saturated vegetable fats and fillers by melting the cheese mass at a temperature of 75-95 ° C in the presence of additives - melting salts (sodium and potassium citrates and phosphates). Invented in the Swiss city of Thun by the Swiss Walter Gerber and Fritz Stettler in 1911, who prepared processed cheese from Emmental cheese with the addition of sodium citrate.

James Craft, founder of the company of the same name “Kraft Foods”, in 1916 patented his method for producing processed cheese. In 1950, his company was the first in the world to commercialize sliced ​​processed cheese. The cheapness of processed cheese compared to traditional cheese (including due to the use of inexpensive ingredients) ensured the rapid growth of its popularity, first in the USA and then in other countries.

In the USSR, the production of processed cheese was mastered in 1934 at the Moscow Processed Cheese Factory; since the 1940s, the production of processed cheese from low-fat raw materials ("Novy" cheese) was introduced; in the 1960s, recipes for processed cheeses "Druzhba" and "Volna" were created. , "Omichka", "Yantar", produced in the 2010s.

Groups

The following groups of processed cheeses are distinguished:

• slice;
• sausages;
• sweet;
• pasty.

Sausage cheese

It is obtained by melting hard varieties of cheese at a temperature of 75-90 degrees Celsius and subsequent molding and packaging in the form of sausage. Packaging is done in a shell made of cutisin, belkozin or other polymer films using a syringe. After cooling, the packaged sausage cheese is placed in smoking chambers, in which it is smoked with smoke at a temperature of 50-60 degrees for about three hours. Also, when making sausage cheese, flavoring is added to the cheese mass to give it a smoked taste.

Notes

Literature

• Barkan S. M., Kuleshova M. F. Processed cheeses. - M.: Food industry, 1967. - 284 p. - 4400 copies.
• Alexander Melnikov. Cheese or curd? // Science and life . - 2009. - No. 8. - pp. 97-101.

Links

Cheeses for melting, cottage cheese, butter and other dairy products with the addition of spices, saturated vegetable fats and fillers by melting the cheese mass at a temperature of 75-95 ° C in the presence of additives - melting salts (sodium and potassium citrates and phosphates). Invented in the Swiss city of Thun by the Swiss Walter Gerber in 1911.

James Craft, founder of the Kraft Foods company of the same name, patented his method for producing processed cheese in 1916. In 1950, his company was the first in the world to commercialize sliced ​​processed cheese. The cheapness of processed cheese compared to traditional cheese (including due to the use of inexpensive ingredients) ensured the rapid growth of its popularity, first in the USA and then in other countries.

Groups

The following groups of processed cheeses are distinguished:

• slice;
• sausages;
• sweet;
• pasty.

In the USSR, the production of processed cheese was mastered in 1934 at the Moscow Processed Cheese Factory; in the 1940s, the production of processed cheese from low-fat raw materials ("New" cheese) was introduced; in the 1960s, recipes for processed cheeses "Druzhba" and "Volna" were created. , "Omichka", "Yantar", produced in the 2010s.

Sausage cheese

It is obtained by melting hard varieties of cheese at a temperature of 75-90 degrees Celsius and subsequent molding and packaging in the form of sausage. Packaging is done in a shell made of cutisin, belkozin or other polymer films using a syringe. After cooling, the packaged sausage cheese is placed in smoking chambers, in which it is smoked with smoke at a temperature of 50-60 degrees for about three hours. Also, when making sausage cheese, flavoring is added to the cheese mass to give it a smoked taste.

The date of birth of processed cheese is considered to be 1911, and its homeland is the cheese country of Switzerland. Legend has it that that year in the town of Thun more cheese was produced than could be sold. Then it was decided to melt part of the reserves.
According to another version, processed cheese was invented by two food scientists who worked for the defense industry. The main food of Swiss conscripts and reservists was fondue. Adding citric acid salts to it allowed this dish not to go stale for a long time. This is how melting salts were discovered, which are the basis for the preparation of processed cheeses.
But officially, the invention of processed cheese in 1916. Patented by American James Kraft, founder of the Kraft Foods company of the same name. In 1950 his company was the first in the world to release processed cheese for sale!!!

Now, in stores you can find a huge variety of processed cheeses: portioned, poured, and classic block cheeses. Portioned cheese is convenient on the road, block cheese is used for making soups and salads, and bulk cheese is ideal for home breakfasts. Processed cheeses come in a wide variety of flavors.

But real gourmets don’t even consider them cheese, believing that all the beneficial substances of hard cheese are destroyed during processing.
But thanks to this, the shelf life of processed cheese increases to 6-7 months.

What is the difference between processed cheeses and others?
Of course, by the manufacturing method - melting, i.e. heating with the obligatory addition of melting salts. The cheese is first crushed, mixed according to the recipe and a mixture of salts is added. After which the mass is aged for several hours and heated to 60-85 degrees, and then packaged in separate portions.
But in our stores, in addition to processed cheeses, you can also find processed cheese products. Their main difference is that in the production of processed cheeses, only raw milk with milk fat is used.
The cheese product also contains dairy products, but in addition to them, to reduce the cost, manufacturers also add vegetable fats, which replace milk fat. So the first thing you need to pay attention to when choosing a cheese is its name: “cheese” or “cheese product”?

The benefits of processed cheeses
The main difference between processed cheeses is that they contain less cholesterol and are 100% absorbed by the body.
The composition contains a large amount of casein - a high-quality protein that contains essential amino acids. There are practically no carbohydrates in it, only about two percent lactose.
Processed cheese is a complete nutritious product that contains phosphorus, calcium, vitamins A, D, E and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which has a beneficial effect on the condition of bones, nails and hair, strengthens them and promotes healthy growth.

Harm of processed cheeses
Due to its high calorie content, processed cheese should not be consumed in large quantities by people who are overweight or prone to it.
Due to the content of melting salts, the product is not recommended for children and people with kidney failure
The high content of citric acid makes processed cheese undesirable for people with high acidity of gastric juice.
Processed cheeses contain less calcium and more sodium compared to hard cheeses, so people with hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases should not abuse them.

How to choose a quality product?
Real processed cheeses should not contain preservatives or any vegetable additives, such as fats.
It is better if the jar/packaging is made of polypropylene. This is indicated by the letters PP on it.
The letter combination PS indicates polystyrene packaging, which is prohibited for use in the food industry in many European countries.
To better preserve the cheese, there should be aluminum foil under the lid of the jar.

Bon appetit!!!