Cheese

Lore & Background

The origins of cheese predate recorded history, with no conclusive evidence indicating where cheesemaking originated—whether in Europe, Central Asia, or the Middle East. It is probable that the process was discovered accidentally by storing milk in a container made from an animal stomach, causing rennet to turn the milk into curds and whey. Ancient Greek mythology credited Aristaeus with the discovery of cheese. Homer's Odyssey (8th century BCE) describes the Cyclops making and storing sheep's and goats' milk cheese. Columella's De Re Rustica (c. 65 CE) details a cheesemaking process involving rennet coagulation, pressing, salting, and aging. Pliny the Elder's Natural History (77 CE) describes the diversity of cheeses enjoyed by Romans, noting that the best cheeses came from villages near Nîmes, and that cheeses of the Alps and Apennines were remarkable for their variety. In post-Roman Europe, c. The 1860s saw mass-produced rennet, and by the turn of the century scientists were producing pure microbial cultures, allowing more standardized cheese. Factory-made cheese overtook traditional cheesemaking in the World War II era. By 2012, cheese was one of the most shoplifted items from supermarkets worldwide.

Reader's Guide

Cheese represents one of humanity's oldest processed foods, with origins lost to prehistory but evidenced by archaeological finds dating back over 7,000 years. Its significance lies in its ability to preserve milk's nutritional value—fat, protein, calcium, and phosphorus—in a compact, portable form with a long shelf life. The diversity of cheese, with over a thousand types, reflects local environments, animal husbandry, microbial cultures, and aging techniques. The spread of cheese from its probable origins in Europe, Central Asia, or the Middle East to global prominence occurred largely through European imperialism and later Euro-American culture. The development of pure microbial cultures and mass-produced rennet in the late 19th century enabled standardization. Today, cheese production is a major global industry, with the United States as the leading producer. Its carbon footprint, while lower than beef or lamb, remains significant. Cheese continues to be a staple food in many cultures, with the highest per capita consumption in France, Iceland, Finland, Denmark, and Germany.

Did You Know?

• The word 'cheese' comes from Latin 'caseus,' which also gives the modern word 'casein.'
• By 2012, cheese was one of the most shoplifted items from supermarkets worldwide.

Origins in a Swiss Kitchen

Drawing inspiration from the smooth, pourable textures of fondue and cheese sauces, they experimented by introducing sodium citrate into a pot of melted Emmentaler. The breakthrough came when they discovered that the resulting emulsified sauce could be cooled back into a solid form, effectively creating a new category of dairy product. Kraft filed the first United States patent covering a novel method for storing cheese. His approach relied on sterilization to halt the natural maturation process, laying the groundwork for what would eventually become a mass-produced staple. Together, these two early innovations—one Swiss, one American—established the foundational principles that would transform cheese from a perishable artisanal good into a versatile, long-lasting industrial ingredient.

The Science of a Perfect Melt

At its core, processed cheese is engineered to solve a specific problem: keeping fat and protein intermingled even under sustained heat. In a traditional cheese, individual fat globules are locked within a lattice of casein molecules, and calcium ions serve as the glue binding those casein strands together. When such a cheese is heated for too long, the calcium bonds break down, the casein collapses into a rubbery gel, and the fat pools separately on top—producing the familiar lumpy, greasy result. Processed cheese sidesteps this failure by introducing a calcium-sequestering agent—commonly sodium phosphate, potassium phosphate, tartrate, or citrate—that strips calcium from the casein network before heating begins. Without calcium to hold the protein lattice rigid, smaller clusters of casein can disperse evenly through the fat phase, forming tiny microscopic droplets rather than large congealed lumps. Interestingly, the same principle is at work in Swiss fondue, where tartaric acid from wine plays the sequestering role. The extended shelf life of processed cheese is a secondary benefit: because the cheese no longer lumps under heat, standard sterilization techniques like canning can be applied without ruining the texture.

From Factory to Family Kitchen

The practical benefits of processed cheese extend well beyond chemistry. Because it resists separating under heat, maintains a uniform appearance, and carries a dramatically longer shelf life than its natural counterparts, it became the backbone of industrial food production. Mass manufacturing drives the cost down substantially, enables consistent supply at scale, and shortens production time compared to traditional cheesemaking. Its ability to melt smoothly, stretch evenly, and resist congealing made it the go-to choice for cheeseburgers and grilled cheese sandwiches—tasks where traditional cheddar often fails. The most recognizable American variety, typically a mild yellow or off-white blend of Colby and cheddar, is marketed simply as "American cheese" by Kraft, Borden, and others. Provel, a blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone, found its niche as the signature topping on St. Louis-style pizza. Rival manufacturers once lobbied to force the label "embalmed cheese" onto the product, but the effort never succeeded.

What It's Allowed to Be Called

Because processed cheese typically contains only fifty to sixty percent actual cheese, with the remainder made up of emulsifying salts, vegetable oils, unfermented dairy ingredients, sugar, salt, and food coloring, regulatory bodies in many countries draw firm lines around what can legally carry the word "cheese" on a label. The tier with the highest cheese content—made from one or more cheeses, up to five percent milkfat, and permitted additives—earns the designation "pasteurized process cheese." Products with a lower proportion of cheese must be labeled "cheese food" or "cheese spread," while "cheese product" is an unregulated catch-all used by manufacturers whose items fall outside any formal standard. Across the Atlantic, British shoppers encounter the category under different names: individually wrapped slices are commonly called "American cheese" or "singles," while spreadable varieties come in tubs, pots, or wedges. Some brands even tack on adjectives like "cheesy" to skirt labeling restrictions. Dairylea and The Laughing Cow are among the most recognized names in that market.