PROCESSED CHEESE: ORIGINS, OVERVIEWS and DEVELOPMENT

PROCESSED CHEESE: ORIGINS, OVERVIEWS and DEVELOPMENT 

The precise origin of cheese is not known, but it is at least known that cheese was manufactured in ancient times by the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Celts, Sumerians and Babylonians thousands of years ago. In terms of industrial quantities, the popularity of cheese manufacturing began in the 19th century as large factories were built at the time in Switzerland, France, Germany, Italy Netherlands, Britain, Scandinavia, U.S.A., Canada, Australia and New Zealand. However, the development of recognizable types of cheese as we know them today was established considerably earlier; Roquefort 8th century in France, Emmental 15th century in Switzerland, Brie 1407 in France, Cheshire 1650 and Cheddar 1695 in England, Camembert 17th century in France, Romano17th century in Italy, Stilton 18th century in England and so on.

Cheese began to be exported in the 1880’s and the 1890’s and the cheese manufacturer began to be concerned with issues of preserving the cheese or the protein in the cheese for long hauls. The manufacturer then attempted to preserve the cheese and keep them better for such traveling but also, they attempted to develop a new type of stable cheese. The new stable type of cheese they developed was a canned and pasteurized cheese.

The invention of processed cheese followed in 1911 because of the efforts of W. Gerber and F. Stettler in Thun, Switzerland. The success of the Swiss inventors was grounded in the notion that by using sodium citrate as an emulsifying salt in conjunction with heat, they were able to create raw cheese into a homogenous, free-flowing product. Once this cooled down it formed a somewhat firm, but homogenous structure or processed cheese. The Swiss called this “Schachtelkase” or boxed cheese.

From 1916 onwards the U.S. developed and manufactured their own processed cheese based on cheddar cheese. Some of the recipes included sodium citrates but others used sodium orthophosphates. In 1916, from Chicago in the U.S. Kraft introduced the first processed cheese in 5lb cans for use as part of army ratios.

In 1921 a German company began the first production of processed cheese in Europe. Wiedemann brothers of Wangen, Germany began producing processed cheese using the additive disodium orthophosphate as the emulsifying salt but later switching to sodium citrate.

Over the following years many individuals and manufacturers attempted to manufacture a type of processed cheese across the world with various recipes and techniques. But not until Gerber in Thun, Switzerland, was the production of processed cheese truly created. They were the first to put the colloid-chemical processes, fundamental to all processed cheese manufacturing, to use under practical conditions.

Then, in the 1930’s, readymade emulsifying salts consisting of a combination of polyphosphates and other emulsifying salts first appeared on the market from Germany. These emulsifying salt suppliers made a decisive contribution to the high quality of processed cheese products throughout the world up until today. Emulsifying salts paved the way for the widespread use of processed cheese and for the development of the wide range of variations we now have available.

There is little doubt that back in 1911, when processed cheese was first invented, the Swiss inventors could not foresee the significance of their breakthrough, or the potential for further development, as we know them to be presently.  Today, manufacturers of processed benefit from the fact that when stored under the right conditions, processed cheese will have a shelf life of many months and maybe even years. The fact that the product is sealed rules out any risk of surface contamination through microorganisms and refrigeration is not absolutely essential anymore with most processed cheese products because today shelf-stable processed cheese requires no refrigeration.

The homogenous mass of melted cheese can be packed in almost any shape and consistency and can be flavored and mixed with a variety of foodstuffs.

The finished product can be used as an ingredient in numerous foods, particularly in the fast-food sector. There are many different ways of combining processed cheeses with other foods such as in sausages, cold cuts, hot dogs, vegetables, sauces etc. The production process opens up a wide range of possibilities for manufacturing an expansive variety of different types of processed cheeses. Block processed cheese, slices or portions are manufactured from hard or semi-hard natural cheese with the same type of flavor. Spreadable processed cheeses are manufactured from hard, semi-hard or soft natural cheeses of the same type or flavor. Many processed cheese products are manufactured today with a mixture of milk constituents or milk derivatives such as skim milk powders, caseins, whey powders, butter, cream, buttermilk powder etc. The possibilities and variations are endless, the potential tremendous for processed cheese production as highly nutritious foodstuffs that keeps well at the same time offers a wide variety of flavors and formats.

It is relatively difficult to gain a comprehensive overview of the actual level of production and per capita consumption of processed cheese in individual countries throughout the world, but it has become quite obvious that the use of processed cheese slices in fast-food restaurants suitable for toasting is significantly increasing consumption of processed cheese. So too with the toasting blocks suitable for grating onto pizzas as a substitute for expensive natural Mozzarella cheese. This application demands qualities such as suitability for toasting and resistance to burning on the surface when baked in a pizza oven.

Processed cheese is no longer a cheap alternative, as far as well-established brands are concerned, the price to consumer is at the same average price level as that of other types of natural cheese. Spreadable processed cheese and sliceable block processed cheeses are dominating the world with a tremendous variety of products. Individually Wrapped Slices (IWS) or Slice on Slice (SOS) it seems are the most popular and widely purchased.

Furthermore, this type of variety is available as a shelf-stable product which does not need to be refrigerated.

About the author: Mark Wolczko is a qualified dairy technologist from Australia. A processed cheese expert.  

Mark Wolczko

Deputy General Manager (R&D)

 Aditya Birla Chemicals (Thailand) Ltd.

Phosphates Division

77 Moo Soi Sukhapiban 1, Poochaosamingprai Road, Samrong, Phrapradaeng, Samutprakan 10130 Thailand

 For additional assistance, contact Dairy Technical Service:

Mr. Mark Wolczko:

 T +662 704 2100 Ext. 210

F +662 398 0774 M +66 97 239 1555

E mark.wolczko@adityabirla.com  

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