| American cheese | |
|---|---|
 American cheese is popularly single-wrapped | |
| Country of origin | North America -Canada,United States |
| Source of milk | Cows' milk |
| Pasteurized | Yes |
 Related media on Commons | |
American cheese is a type ofprocessed cheese made fromcheddar,Colby, or similar cheeses, in conjunction withsodium citrate, which permits the cheese to bepasteurized without its components separating.[1][2] It is mild with a creamy texture and salty flavor, has a medium-firm consistency, and has a low melting point. It is typically yellow or white in color; yellow American cheese is seasoned and colored withannatto.
Processed American cheese was developed in the 1910s byJames L. Kraft, the founder ofKraft Foods Inc., who obtained apatent for his manufacturing process in 1916.
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A popular myth in theUnited States from a single source from 1955 asserts that earlyBritish colonists madecheddar cheese soon after their arrival in North America. And that by 1790, Canadian,American-made cheddars were being exported back to England. According toRobert Carlton Brown, author of the 1955 bookThe Complete Book of Cheese, probably written as a form of advertisment, he states what was known in America asyellow cheese orstore cheese was known asAmerican cheddar orYankee cheddar in England.[3] TheOxford English Dictionary lists the first known usage of "American cheese" as occurring in theFrankfort, Kentucky, newspaperThe Guardian of Freedom in 1804.[4] Duringthe second world war Britain imported thousands of tons of Canadian and US produced cheddar cheeses. The cheddaring process was introduced in North America in the mid-19th Century byJoseph Harding.
After patenting a new method for manufacturing processed cheese in 1916,[5][6][7]James L. Kraft began marketing it in the late 1910s. The term "American cheese" rapidly began to refer to the processed variety instead of the traditional but more expensive cheddars also made and sold in the U.S.
A mix of ingredients that must include at least 51% cheese (such as a traditionally made cheddar or Colby) is ground, combined with emulsifying agents and other ingredients that may total up to 49%, mixed and heated until it forms a melted homogeneous mixture.[8]Sodium citrate is an important additive at this time, as it prevents the cheese fats from separating.[2] The cheese mixture is then heated to a temperature of at least 150 °F (66 °C) for a minimum of 30 seconds duringpasteurization.[8]
Composition requirements of processed American cheese control the percentage ofmilkfat, moisture, salt andpH value in the final product, along with specifications for flavor, body and texture, color, and meltability.[9]
Processed American cheese is variously packaged in individually wrapped slices, as unwrapped slices sold in stacks, or in unsliced blocks.[10] Any similar product found in the U.S. - including with the term "single" in its name, likeKraft Singles - that does not include the specific term "cheese" along with its description is not cheese, but "cheese food", meaning it has less than 51% cheese in its ingredients.[11]
American cheese is a common choice for sandwiches because of its neutral flavor and soft texture, pairing with a variety of meats and other ingredients.
American cheese is also recognized for its smooth and meltable texture, making it a reliable constituent in many dishes such as thegrilled cheese sandwich,[12]macaroni and cheese,[13] and breakfast meals, including omelets, scrambled eggs, andbreakfast sandwiches.[14]
American cheese is used in the typical Americancheeseburger, ubiquitous infast food, and spilling over into related items such as cheese dogs,cheesesteaks, chili-cheese fries, andnachos.
Although the Philadelphia cheesesteak was originally made withprovolone, white American cheese slices have migrated in their place in many foodstands; as of 2018[update], the Philadelphia/South Jersey market was responsible for 50% of Kraft Foods' white American cheese sales.[15]
According to the Standards of Identity for Dairy Products, part of the U.S.Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), to be labeled "American cheese" a processed cheese is required to be manufactured from cheddar cheese, Colby cheese, washed curd cheese, orgranular cheese, or any mixture of two or more of these.[16] The CFR also includes regulations for the manufacturing of processed American cheese.[17][18]
Because its manufacturing process differs from traditional cheeses,[19] federal laws mandate that it be labeled as "pasteurized process American cheese" if made from more than one cheese. A "pasteurized process American cheese" must be entirely cheese with the exception of an emulsifying agent, salt, coloring, acidifying agents, and optional dairy fat sources (but at no more than 5% of the total weight).[8] A "pasteurized process American cheese food" label is used if it is at least 51% cheese but other specific dairy ingredients such ascream, milk,skim milk,buttermilk, cheesewhey, oralbumin from cheese whey are added.[20] Products with other added ingredients, such asKraft Singles that containmilk protein concentrate, use legally unregulated terms such as "pasteurized prepared cheese product".[21]
The English called our imitation Yankee, or American, Cheddar, while here at home it was popularly known as yellow or store cheese. Republished in 2006: "Bob" Brown,The Complete Book of Cheese (Echo Library, 2006).
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