CHEDDAR CHEESE (CULTURED MILK, SALT, ENZYMES), SKIM MILK, MILKFAT, MILK, MILK PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, WHEY, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, SALT, LACTIC ACID, OLEORESIN PAPRIKA (COLOR), NATAMYCIN (A NATURAL MOLD INHIBITOR), ENZYMES, CHEESE CULTURE, ANNATTO (COLOR).

American cheese is a processed food made by combining different cheeses, including Cheddar cheese, washed curd cheese, Colby cheese, and granular cheese. As a dairy product, it's a good source of calcium and high quality protein. It also has an extended shelf life compared with other cheeses.

Arguably, Kraft Singles contain the same ingredients as 'real' cheese [1]. However, the processing which the product goes through differs from 'real' cheese, in order to achieve a significantly longer shelf life.

Ingredients. American Cheese (Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes), Water, Milkfat, Sodium Citrate, Calcium Phosphate, Salt, Sodium Phosphate, Sorbic Acid As A Preservative, Oleoresin Paprika (Color), Annatto (Color), With Sunflower Lecithin Added For Slice Separation.

KRAFT American Singles are a pasteurized prepared cheese product made with real cheddar cheese, dairy, and other ingredients. The cheese is blended and cooked with the other ingredients to create the unique, irresistible and ooey gooey melt that you know and love.

processed cheese American cheese - the kind you get in the individual plastic wrappers - is processed cheese or “cheese food,” meaning it's not actually real cheese. The next time you're at the grocery store, take a look at the packed singles and notice how many don't actually have “cheese” in their name.

After patenting a new method for manufacturing processed cheese in 1916, James L. Kraft began marketing it in the late 1910s, and the term "American cheese" rapidly began to refer to the processed variety instead of the traditional but more expensive cheddars also made and sold in the U.S.

And other added ingredients. The fat level of the cream butter and enhancers milk is standardized. And milk proteins are fortified at this stage.

Sometimes, it is called "American slices" or "American singles" instead of the word cheese. Under the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, American cheese is a type of pasteurised processed cheese. The taste and texture of this processed cheese vary depending on the usage of cheese and additives.

Individually wrapped slices are formed from processed cheese which solidifies only between the wrapping medium; these slices, sold as 'singles', are typically the least like traditional cheese. Blocks of American cheese are more similar to traditional cheese, and are sliced to order at deli counters.

The FDA calls it “pasteurized processed American cheese food.” In order for a food product to be a true “cheese,” it has to be more than half cheese, which is technically pressed curds of milk. So each Kraft American single contains less than 51% curds, which means it doesn't meet the FDA's standard.

American cheese isn't even considered to be real cheese. It's called a "pasteurized cheese product." While it was originally a blend of different cheeses like Colby and cheddar, now the American cheese we see in the likes of Kraft Singles is not made with at least 51 percent of real cheese.

So from a legal perspective. Any cheese made from a blend or two or more is real cheeses can only be described as processed cheese or a cheese. Product.