Dairy
Processed Cheese
Processed cheese is made by blending natural cow’s-milk cheeses with emulsifying salts, heat, and often milk solids, butter, or cream to form a homogeneous, shelf-stable or refrigerated product. Texture ranges from sliceable loaves to soft spreads; flavour is mild, salty, and consistent, with excellent melt and re-set properties designed for cooking and convenience. It includes block processed cheese, slices, spreads, and sauce bases. Regulations distinguish process cheese, process cheese food, and process cheese product by dairy content, but all rely on heating and emulsification rather than traditional aging alone.
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Characteristics
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Grading systems
Grades are placed along a shared scale so systems can be compared side by side.
History
Walter Gerber and Fritz Stettler in Switzerland developed early emulsified processed cheese techniques.
James L. Kraft patented a sterilised process-cheese method that enabled mass American production.
Individually wrapped slices and loaves made processed cheese a household staple.
Process cheese foods and spreads diversified convenience dairy products worldwide.
Global brands refined melt performance and reduced-fat formulas for food service and retail.