| Processed cheese is a dairy product obtained | | | | or its sodium, potassium or calcium salts or 0.1% |
| from the mixing and heating of several lots of | | | | of nisin, either singly or in combination. |
| natural cheese, with suitable emulsifying agents, | | | | Broad outline on preparing processed cheese |
| into a homogeneous plastic mass. It may contain | | | | Selection of cheese blocks |
| fruits, vegetables and spices. Cheese is processed | | | | In order to produce good quality cheese with |
| for uniformity, safety and longer keeping quality | | | | standard composition, cheese blocks from various |
| and easier merchandizing. Good processed cheese | | | | lots are selected according to age, flavour, body, |
| has a smooth and compact body, devoid of | | | | texture etc. Usually a trier is used to draw sample |
| fermentative gas holes and has a uniform colour. | | | | from the cheese blocks and the fat, moisture, |
| This type of cheese could be sliced with out | | | | salt and acidity are tested. |
| crumbling or sticking and it melts uniformly and | | | | Cleaning and grinding |
| smoothly. | | | | The selected cheese lots are placed on the |
| Processed cheese may be defined as a modified | | | | cleaning table for tempering. The wax coating, if |
| form of natural cheese prepared with the aid of | | | | any, adhering on the surface of the cheese blocks |
| heat, by comminuting and blending one or more | | | | is removed along with non edible portions and |
| lots of cheese, except certain types such as | | | | hard rind. The cheese is ground or cut into small |
| cream, cottage cheese, etc. with water, salt, | | | | pieces and the weight is found out. |
| colour, emulsifier into a homogeneous plastic | | | | Processing and packaging of cheese |
| mass, which is usually packed while hot. | | | | The ground cheese is then transferred into the |
| As per the PFA rules (1976), processed cheese | | | | processing kettle. The cheese is constantly stirred |
| refers to a product obtained by heating cheese | | | | and cooking continued with steam. Emulsifiers such |
| with permitted emulsifiers and / or stabilizers, viz. | | | | as disodium phosphate or trisodium citrate are |
| citric acid, sodium citrate, sodium salts of | | | | commonly used at the recommended rate with |
| orthophosphoric and polyphosphoric acid, with or | | | | the pre-calculated quantity of water. The kettle is |
| with out added condiments and acidifying agents, | | | | heated to temperature, usually ranging between |
| viz. lactic acid, vinegar, phosphoric acid and citric | | | | 80-85°C to get a good quality product. The |
| acid. Processed cheese may contain not more | | | | cheese has to be continuously stirred during the |
| than 4.0% of anhydrous permitted emulsifiers, | | | | heating process. The hot cheese is transferred to |
| and / or stabilizers, provide that the content of | | | | the packaging machine and packed into convenient |
| anhydrous inorganic salts in no case exceeds | | | | sizes. It is a common practice to store the |
| 3.0% of the finished product. It should not contain | | | | packaged processed cheese at 20°C |
| more than 47.0% moisture. The milk fat content | | | | overnight before transferring them into the cold |
| should not be less than 40.0% of the dry matter. | | | | store. |
| Processed cheese may contain 0.1% sorbic acid, | | | | |