In order to keep shredded cheese from turning into a clump, additives like anti-caking agents and mold inhibitors are added. One of the ingredients that is used (and less than appetizing) is cellulose powder. This light powder keeps the cheese from sticking together.
Shredded cheese is coated with an anticaking agent to inhibit the tendency of the shreds to stick to each other and cake. Microcrystalline cellulose, starch or powdered starches are the commonly used anticaking agents.
Pre-grated cheese contains preservatives like potato starch and natamycin, meant to keep the shreds from clumping together in the bag. That means the cheese won't melt well when used for cooking.
That's because of cellulose. Cellulose is used to coat the shredded cheese in order to keep the cheese from sticking to each other. If you look at the ingredients on your bag of shredded cheese, you'll probably see cellulose listed on there.
When you look at the ingredient list on the back of a bag of shredded cheddar, you'll almost always find cellulose. It's a common ingredient in pre-shredded cheese, valued for its anti-caking and moisture-absorbing properties.
The oiling-off (free oil formation or fat leakage) property of cheese is the separation of liquid fat from the melted cheese body into oil pockets, particularly at the cheese surface.
Pre-grated cheese, with its anti-caking additives, won't melt as smoothly and can spoil your recipes by clumping together, according to Eat This, Not That. If you're attempting to make a perfectly smooth cheese fondue, for example, pre-grated cheese may cause you problems.
No need to worry – the liquid on the outside of your cheese is just excess moisture, or liquid whey. Wipe off your cheese with a napkin or paper towel and enjoy! It's common for naturally-aged cheeses to develop a small amount of moisture inside their packaging.
But if you want to save some time or money, just run some bagged shredded cheese under some water in a colander then let it drain. It will get rid of the starch and then it melts fine, plus you saved 30 minutes by not shredding all that cheese for your huge dish of mac for the family.
It's likely that the white substance on the outside of your cheese is calcium lactate. Calcium lactate is common in aged cheese. It is basically a natural calcium buildup that occurs over time during the aging process, and it sometimes will become visible on the surface of the cheese.
Natamycin is an antifungal agent employed by the dairy industry to prevent mold growth on shredded cheese.
What is this? The additives you'll find in shredded cheese include: Potato starch: True to its name, it's the starch from potatoes, and it's washed out and dried. Then, it's used for a variety of purposes, including as an anti-clumping agent in shredded cheese.
When you put it back into the fridge, the buttery oils harden again, clinging tightly to the other shreds they are now in closer contact with. Result: Cold, hard clumps of cheese.
Johnson recommends putting the cheese you've wrapped in paper (not plastic!) in another container for extra protection — either Tupperware with holes poked in it or a plastic bag with holes poked in it. The holes are key, as cheese is a living thing.
Store all types of cheese in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator, where the temperature is cold and stable. Use a fresh piece of plastic wrap or wax paper to rewrap cheese after each use. The length of time you can keep cheese differs by variety; in general, the harder the cheese, the longer it will last.
From the Package. CHEDDAR CHEESE (PASTEURIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES, ANNATTO [COLOR]), MODIFIED CORNSTARCH ADDED TO PREVENT CAKING, NATAMYCIN (A NATURAL MOLD INHIBITOR).
Cellulose (C6H10O5)n is refined wood pulp. It is a white, free-flowing powder. Chemically, it is an inert substance, is not degraded during digestion and has no appreciable absorption. In large quantities it provides dietary bulk and may lead to a laxative effect.
It is noted that rust-coloured to red varieties of streptococci and propionic acid bacteria are also known, the latter having sometimes been described as the cause of rusty or red spots in Emmental and Gouda cheeses.
Start with cold cheese to make the shredding cleaner; you 'll have less on your shredder and in your hands. Very often cheese breaks apart if you try to shred the whole block (8 ounces or more) at once. Cut it in half for easier handling.
Grated cheese is made up of very thin strips, whereas shredded cheese is made up of larger bits of varied sizes.
When you purchase pre-shredded cheese, the only way to prevent it from clumping and molding is to add potato starch, corn starch, powdered cellulose, and Natamycin. Block cheese remains a whole food without additives or preservatives. Food and nutritional experts all seem to agree that whole foods are better for you.
Keeping the cheese melted and smooth will be easier if you add something acidic to the mix. Many choose to add a bit of lemon juice or white wine to cheese sauces for this purpose. The acid that is present in white wine and lemon juice will prevent clumping issues.
The main reason cheddar cheese gets oily when melted is due to its high-fat and low-moisture content. And this is true of any high-fat, low-moisture cheese. Furthermore, a low-moisture and low-fat cheese will typically burn rather than melt.
Apply a laundry stain remover, such as Shout or Zout, to the cheese stain. If you don't have a stain treatment on hand, you can substitute a bit of heavy-duty laundry detergent, such as Tide or Persil. Use your fingers or a soft-bristle brush to work the stain treatment thoroughly into the cheese stain.