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1. Presentation
The designation "processed cheese" is reserved for the product of melting cheese or a blend of cheeses, possibly with the addition of other dairy products. Its minimum dry matter content is 43 g per 100 g of finished product, and its minimum dry fat content (mass in grams of fat per 100 g of product after complete drying) is 40 g.
In reality, it's more a question of dissolution followed by dispersion of proteins in water than of melting, which in the physical-chemical sense of the term corresponds to the disintegration of a crystalline solid structure by the application of thermal energy or pressure.
These processed cheese products can be grouped into five families, listed here in chronological order of appearance on the world market.
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Block-type...
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Presentation
Cheese melting theory
Economic data
Production of processed cheeses increases slightly each year, making France the European Union's second-largest producer, behind Germany, with over 25% of the European total. Tonnage manufactured totaled 129,133 t in 2004. French production has expanded in recent years, mainly thanks to the manufacture of intermediate food products to replace traditional ripened cheeses. The latter do not always have good culinary qualities,...
Bibliography
Regulations
Extracts from decree no. 88-1206, published in the Journal officiel of December 30, 1988:
"Article 4: The name "processed cheese" is reserved for the product of the melting of cheese or a mixture of cheeses, possibly with the addition of other dairy products, with a minimum dry matter content of 43 grams per 100 grams of finished product, and a minimum fat content of 40 grams per 100 grams of product...
Organizations
Chambre syndicale française des industriels fondeurs de fromage (SYNDIFONTE) (French union of industrial cheese makers) http://www.cniel.com/QuiFait/Syndicat/SYNDIFON/syndifo.html
Website
La Maison du Lait http://www.maison-du-lait.com
Main producers and manufacturers
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