There are no known current standards for such cheese product, so
it could be almost anything. The adjective “cheese” somewhat
limits what it is, however.
That is to say, a reasonable expectation is that it will function like cheese.
Likewise if the label read Cheddar cheese product, one could expect it to taste
and perform like traditional Cheddar cheese. If it read process cheese product,
then one could then expect it to perform like process cheese.
As a category, cheese product may represent an emerging market for the dairy
industry. Such food can be formulated to combine the best attributes of the three
common forms of cheese: natural, cold pack, and process varieties.
Since formulations and procedures are not defined by federal or known state regulation,
a dairy processor could adapt to whatever a specific consumer segment wants in
terms of nutrition, functionality, and price/value. Wholesale and food service
buyers might request longer shelf stability and improved quality consistency.
In samples of locally purchased retail cheese product, two dairy-based ingredients
were of note on the respective declaration panels. The most controversial ingredient
noted was milk protein concentrate (MPC). (NOTE: liquid MPC may now be acceptable
in the manufacture of standardized cheese varieties by federal regulatory).
Milk protein concentrate in dry form is apparently still not yet acceptable to
regulatory as an ingredient in manufacture of standardized cheese varieties.
The other dairy ingredient not currently allowed in standardized cheeses is “milkfat”.
Cream is a legally defined entity and an allowed ingredient in manufacture of
standardized cheeses. Likewise for whey cream, dry cream and anhydrous milkfat
in many standardized process cheese formulations.
One definition for “milkfat” is: an elevated fat fraction derived
from “cooker water” after Mozzarella manufacture. As such, milkfat
is not cream or whey cream because it was not separated from either milk or whey
respectively. Until this high fat “cook water” fraction is rendered
anhydrous it cannot be used in federal CFR standardized process cheese either.
A potential basic formulation for cheese product is illustrated in Table 1.
This particular formulation was meant to be similar in composition to natural
Cheddar cheese but with improved nutritional quality in terms of milk protein.
In the manufacture of MPC by ultrafiltration the vast majority of milk protein,
both micellular casein and “other” protein, is largely retained.
Table 1. Cheddar-Type Product
Pound
Product
Mass
Fat
Moisture
MPC
49.1
Sweet Cream
46.9
Milkfat
2.36
Sodium Citrate
0.91
Sodium Chloride
0.75
%
Cheese Product
100
32%
39%
1.5%
Salt
53.0%
FDB
23.3%
Milk Protein
These “other” milk proteins are nutritionally superior (pound for
pound) in comparison to casein. Thus this cheese product could be considered
better for consumers than is presently allowed by regulatory in standardized
Cheddar cheese of the same macronutrient composition.
It was proper for regulatory to have previously upheld cheese standards “on
the books” in demanding that standardized varieties not contain prohibited
ingredients such as MPC and milkfat. It would be wrong for dairy manufacturing
competitors to expect that legal decision as the end of a story.
Just a short 30 years ago, established technology companies like Xerox didn’t
see personal computers as being a commercially practical product. Even IBM narrowly
missed that boat. Even 10 years later, in the 1980s to early 1990s, many computer
savvy folks didn’t see the Internet as a practical, long-term entity either.
We now see new butter products being offered on the local retail shelf. Just
like previous cheese products from a major domestic cheese marketer, a major
nationwide marketer of butter is offering some of these innovative products.
The question is: “Will a continued dependence on regulatory mandate of
traditional methods for cheese and butter manufacture be enough to stop dairy
innovation?” In the instance of (if not THE) two major cheese and butter
marketers in the USA, the answer is apparently and emphatically NO!
The next question is: “when cheese product and butter product as distinct
dairy categories are successful in the marketplace and associated patent protection
is put into place, where will that leave the competition?”
One suggestion is to consider your company’s future market position relative
to such “next generation” food products. Even if you do not wish
to market such food at the present time, one might have something “on the
shelf”.
To start from scratch, without prior knowledge as to manufacturing cost, ingredient
availability, and equipment modification might take too long to be a long-term
player in this fast moving, competitive marketplace.
Our Expert: Don Dahlstrom has over 33 years of dairy experience in varied positions.
Don is currently very active consulting for companies throughout the world.
He holds several cheesemaking patents and does not want these articles to go
unchallenged. All articles remain open to debate.
To ask Don a question or follow-up on this question, e-mail: columnists@cheesereporter.com.•
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Cheese Reporter Publishing Co. Inc.
