The History of American Cheese and Its Journey to Icon Status
Creatrip Team
a year ago
American cheese, known for its bright yellow hue, is not natural cheese but rather a processed dairy product created from real cheese. It was invented by an American food innovator and became popular for its affordability and longer shelf life due to pasteurization, making it widely distributed in North America and beyond. Despite its success, it was derisively termed "plastic" even in its country of origin, the U.S., because it's a processed product rather than aged naturally. Its development arose from cheddar cheese, as British settlers in America produced this cheese. James L. Kraft then innovated by grinding cheddar, mixing it with emulsifiers, heating it until liquid, and then pasteurizing it to create American cheese. This process extended its shelf life, making it perfect for wide distribution and army rations. American cheese is criticized by cheese purists as "plastic," a term used due to its ability to melt and reform easily. However, experts suggest processed cheese, like American cheese, is beneficial and successful, particularly due to its melting properties, ideal for hamburgers and sandwiches.
