Technically Walter Gerber and Fritz Stettler invented the first processed cheese in Switzerland in 1911 by heating cheese up and mixing in sodium citrate. Kraft patented the process in the USA in 1916. The term “American Cheese” was later coined to refer to any processed cheese.
The American Cheese Wikipedia page is poorly written with mostly redundant information from other Wikipedia pages… it’s just a commonly used word to refer to processed cheese and marketing term.
… there’s no such thing as American cheese, then. American cheese is cheddar, Colby jack, and whatever else mild flavored cheese you want, melted in milk, and then reconstituted with sodium citrate. It’s “suspended cheese sauce”.
What are you talking about? Cheese made in America?
You’re getting mixed up between the requirements for “American Cheese” and “American Cheese Food,” which are distinct.
“Pasteurized Process American Cheese” is a cheese that follows a government regulatory definition, where the inputs are mostly cheddar and Colby cheese, and the milkfat requirements make it a little more difficult to try to make it with too much non-cheese ingredients.
Kraft Singles are the less strict “Process American Cheese Food” which only has to be 51% cheese by weight. But the labeling makes clear that it’s not just cheese. Kraft Deli Deluxe slices are labeled with the stricter definition of “Process American Cheese,” and pretty much any brand will have to stick with the label requirements.
American cheese existed before WWII.
Technically Walter Gerber and Fritz Stettler invented the first processed cheese in Switzerland in 1911 by heating cheese up and mixing in sodium citrate. Kraft patented the process in the USA in 1916. The term “American Cheese” was later coined to refer to any processed cheese.
The American Cheese Wikipedia page is poorly written with mostly redundant information from other Wikipedia pages… it’s just a commonly used word to refer to processed cheese and marketing term.
Again, that’s American cheese “food product”. That’s not American cheese.
… there’s no such thing as American cheese, then. American cheese is cheddar, Colby jack, and whatever else mild flavored cheese you want, melted in milk, and then reconstituted with sodium citrate. It’s “suspended cheese sauce”.
What are you talking about? Cheese made in America?
Can you provide an example? I checked online stores and everything labeled American cheese was processed cheese.
You’re getting mixed up between the requirements for “American Cheese” and “American Cheese Food,” which are distinct.
“Pasteurized Process American Cheese” is a cheese that follows a government regulatory definition, where the inputs are mostly cheddar and Colby cheese, and the milkfat requirements make it a little more difficult to try to make it with too much non-cheese ingredients.
Kraft Singles are the less strict “Process American Cheese Food” which only has to be 51% cheese by weight. But the labeling makes clear that it’s not just cheese. Kraft Deli Deluxe slices are labeled with the stricter definition of “Process American Cheese,” and pretty much any brand will have to stick with the label requirements.