No, legally it used to be called “pasteurized processed cheese product”, although apparently they have replaced “processed” with “prepared” nowadays, likely because it sounds slightly less artificial.
Either way, it definitely does not meet the legal standard to simply be called “cheese”.
It’s called processed because they mix cheese and other dairy products like milk and they can also add whey protein. It’s cheese that has additional processing.
Correct. The “additional processing” also includes the addition of sodium citrate to prevent those different milk fats from separating again in order to ensure a homogenous product.
No, legally it used to be called “pasteurized processed cheese product”, although apparently they have replaced “processed” with “prepared” nowadays, likely because it sounds slightly less artificial.
Either way, it definitely does not meet the legal standard to simply be called “cheese”.
It’s called processed because they mix cheese and other dairy products like milk and they can also add whey protein. It’s cheese that has additional processing.
Correct. The “additional processing” also includes the addition of sodium citrate to prevent those different milk fats from separating again in order to ensure a homogenous product.
Sodium citrate is not permitted as an ingredient in any other type of cheese except the “pasteurized processed” ones.
American cheese is cheese. I’m not gonna let the despots at the FDA dictate my perception of reality.