Process cheese is an industrial version of cheese that makes use of surplus, scrap, and unripened materials. It requires the use of "melting salts" to make it fondue-like. In 1917, Kraft patented a combination of citric acid and phosphates, and a decade later presented the cheddar look-alike Velveeta to the market.
Melting salts are mixtures of sodium citrate, sodium phosphates, and sodium polyphosphates. These salts are mixed with a blend of new, partly ripened, and fully ripened cheeses. The salts loosen the protein matrix and melt the component cheeses into a homogenous mass. The characteristics and low-cost of process cheese have made it a popular ingredient in fast-food sandwiches.
Low- and no-fat "cheese" products replace fat with various carbohydrates and proteins. These products do not melt. They soften and dry out.
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